Native American Indians Karl Bodmer Native American Indians through the eyes of Karl Bodmer Swiss-born Bodmer was engaged by Prince Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied (1782-1867) specifically to provide a record of his travels in North America, principally among the Plains Indians. Their travels in North America were to last from 1832 to 1834. Well-armed with information and advice, the party left St.Louis, on the most important stage of their travels, aboard the steamer Yellow Stone on April 10 1833. They proceeded up the treacherous Missouri River along the line of forts established by the American Fur Company. At Bellevue they encountered their first Indians, then went on to make contact with the Sioux tribe, learning of and recording their little known ceremonial dances and powerful pride and dignity. Transferring from the Yellow Stone to another steamer, the Assiniboin, they continued to Fort Clark, visiting there the Mandan, Mintari and Crow tribes, then the Assiniboins at Fort Union, the main base of the American Fur Company. On a necessarily much smaller vessel they journeyed through the extraordinary geological scenery of that section of the Missouri to Fort Mackenzie in Montana, establishing a cautious friendship with the fearsome Blackfeet. From this, the westernmost point reached, it was considered too dangerous to continue and the return journey downstream began. The winter brought its own difficulties and discomforts, but Bodmer was still able to execute numerous studies of villages, dances and especially the people, who were often both intrigued and delighted by his work. The portraits are particularly notable for their capturing of individual personalities, as well as forming a primary account of what were to become virtually lost cultures.

	Indian Utensils and Arms An important ethnographical record centering on Bodmer's careful drawing of a buffalo robe decorated by the Mandan Chief Mató-Tópe with a depiction of several of his exploits including a hand-to-hand battle with a Cheyenne Chief (the original was purchased by Prince Maximilian and is now in the Linden-Museum in Stuttgart, Germany). Surrounding the robe are various other objects, including a pipe that had belonged to Dipäuch, a respected elder of the Mandan Tribe, as well as a snow-shoe, a fashioned ermine skin and a knife in a bead-fringed scabbard.
	Mähsette-Kuiuab Mähsette-Kuiuab (`Le Sonant' as he was known by the French) was a powerful Cree chief and medicine man. He apparently used a bear skull as a charm or emblem and was considered particularly adept at telling the future. His body tattoos are very striking, but were not uncommon amongst the Cree where they were a feature of their culture: the woman tattooed for decoration, the men for religious reasons or reflection of rank. The Cree were the southernmost of the major subarctic tribes, and were well placed for trade between the Chippewyan to the north and the Chippewa to the south.
	Indians hunting the Bison Bodmer had taken an active part in a Buffalo hunt which took place on 11 October 1833 near Fort Union, as the travelers made their way back down the Missouri from Fort McKenzie to Fort Clarke where they were to overwinter. In the present image four Indians on horseback, armed only with bows and arrows, ride furiously in amongst the scattering herd of buffalo, the foremost figure has just brought down a large animal to his left, but has turned and already notched another arrow to his bow which he sights at another animal in front and to the right. A composite view, the animals are probably sketched from individuals Bodmer recorded during the October hunt.
	Wahk-Tä-Ge-Li. A Sioux Warrior Wahk-Tä-ge-Li was a six foot six inch Yankton Sioux chief, a man of power and substance. His Sioux name meant `Gallant Warrior' and he was known to the Americans as `Big Soldier'. About sixty years old at the time of his portrait, he is shown wearing moccasins, leggings, and shirt embroidered with a band of brightly dyed porcupine quills. The fringe on the shirtsleeve is human hair from a Mandan foe. The feathers bound to his head represent enemies slain in battle. In his ears he wear long strings of blue glass beads, and around his neck hangs a large peace medal presented by the government. His robe is tanned to an unusual whiteness and in his hand is the pipe-tomahawk he smoked occasionally whilst posing for Bodmer.
	Woman of the Snake Tribe Woman of the Cree Tribe Double-portrait composed by Bodmer from individual portraits made at Forts McKenzie and Union. On the left is a Shoshone (or Shoshoni) woman wife of Marcereau, a fur company employee based at Fort McKenzie. Bodmer sketched her in June 1833. There were a number of Shoshone women at the fort captured from their home territory west of the Rocky Mountains by raiding Blackfeet. To the right is a Cree woman, married to Deschamps, employed by the fur company. She was sketched by Bodmer in October 1833 at Fort Union. The blue-black patterning to the chin is a distinctive Cree pattern.
	Ptihn-Tak-Ochatä. Dance of the Mandan Women The dance of the women of the Mandan White Buffalo Cow Society was performed at Fort Clark on 25 December 1833. Bodmer and Prince Maximilian overwintered at Fort Clark, between the Knife and Heart Rivers in the territory of the Mandans and the Hidatsas, and used their time to record in detail the life, history and beliefs of the Indian Tribes around them. Both the Mandans and the Hidatsas were divided into age-graded societies into which a person purchased membership as he or she got older. The White Buffalo Cow Society was one of four such amongst the women of the Mandan, and they had special hats made of rectangular pieces of the rare and sacred white buffalo hide.
	Sih-Chidä & Mahchsi-Karehde. Mandan Indians Left is Sih-Chidä (`Yellow Feather'), he wears the beaded hair brows with long strings of dentalium shells and beads, a member of the Dog Society, the cluster of feathers at the back of his head may be an insignia of that group. Around his neck is draped a tippet of otter fur, the ends fringed with quill-wrapped leather. His heel-trailers are made of otter fur lined with red cloth representing battle exploits. Right is Mahchsi-Karehde (`Flying War Eagle'), who at just over six feet was the tallest of the Mandan. He was a member of band of warriors that regulated the important affairs of the tribe. The wolf tail on his heels and painted eagle feather in his hair denote battle coup. His rich clothing and general demeanor all denote a proud and successful man.
	Saukie and Fox Indians The Sauk (or Sac) and Fox (Mesquaki or Muskwaki) had come to St.Louis in March of 1833 to plead for the release of Chief Black Hawk who had engaged in a series of running battles with the US army which had ended in his defeat and capture on 3 August 1832. Bodmer pictures this alert but wary group as they await a decision from the government. All are shown with a crestlike ornament made of stiff deer hair on their heads (some with an inserted feather indicating success in battle). Most carry weapons: a stone-headed club, a musket, a musket-stock axe or a spear. Following a bloody defeat by the French in 1730, the Fox united with their kinsmen the Sauk, and made peace with the French in 1740.
	Mexkemahuastan. Chief of the Gros-ventres de Prairies Bodmer painted this portrait of Mexkemáuastan (`Stirring Iron'), an Atsina or Gros Ventre chief and medicine man, about 5th August 1833. The keelboat Flora stopped opposite an Atsina camp at the mouth of the Judith River and was quickly overrun by friendly but insistent Atsinas, including `Stirring Iron'. He gave particular cause for concern because he had threatened to kill David Mitchell (the superintendant of Fort McKenzie) the previous year. However, on this occasion, and later at Fort McKenzie he gave no further cause for concern.
	Offering of the Mandan Indians Bodmer painted this potent scene of a Mandan skull shrine in November of 1833, shortly before the onset of winter. The shrine was located near the burial ground of Mih-Tutta- Hang-Kusch, and was related to the Mandan beliefs regarding the human body after death and was used as a fasting ground for those seeking supernatural powers. Bodmer and Prince Maximilian overwintered at Fort Clark, between the Knife and Heart Rivers in the territory of the Mandans and the Hidatsas, and made full use of their time to record in detail the life, history and beliefs of the Indian Tribes around them.
	Pitätapiú, Assiniboin Indians The figure in the foreground is Pitätapiú, a young warrior and member of the Stone band with his hair ornamented with two small shells. On his left arm is a rawhide shield, painted and with an amulet attached to assure success on horse raids. A riding whip with a wooden handle hangs from a fur loop around his wrist. In his right hand he holds a combination bow/lance that was probably only for ceremonial purposes. The name of the figure in the background is not known, he was initially very solemn until Bodmer's music box made him laugh. His quilted and beaded shirt is fringed with leather rather than the more usual hair. He cradles a much-prized trade flintlock in the crook of his left arm.
	Dacota Woman and Assiniboin Girl A composite from drawings made by Bodmer 1st June 1833 and October 1833. The woman is Chan-Chä-Uiá-Teüin (`Woman of the Crow Nation') painted at Fort Pierre, her dress is trimmed with white beads and has a fringe of twisted metal cones (`tinklers') at the hem which made a musical sound as she walked. Over the dress she wears a painted summer robe of buffalo skin with the hair removed, the colourful pattern on the robe is called a box and border style. The child is an unusual subject for Bodmer, a little Blackfoot girl but living with the Assiniboins: perhaps a captive taken during a skirmish. She wears leggings and ornaments that are smaller versions of those worn by adults.
	Mándeh-Páhchu. A young Mandan Indian Mándeh-Páhchu (`Eagle's Beak') is richly adorned with beaded hair-brows with long strings of alternating blue beads and dentalium shells tipped with what appear to be strips of ermine fur; large square earings, probably of abalone shell; an ermine tail, fur bands and heavy beads hang in his hair; and around his neck, two types of bead necklaces. Mándeh-Páhchu carries a wooden flute decorated with otter fur, and is wrapped in a buffalo hide robe.