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Native American, Western United Sates, Plains Tribes, Cheyenne people, ca. early 20th century CE. An incredibly important piece of religious attire, a cotton slip shirt dress painted with symbolic motifs and turkey feather attachments. The cotton cloth is repurposed from a Utah-Idaho Sugar company sack - dating to around 1907 when the Utah and Idaho company merged, the cloth reverse to hide the label inside the garment. This was worn during the Ghost Dance, and the drawn images symbolize earth and sky - the spirits of both worlds as represented by the bird and human figure. A typed tag dated 1931 is attached to the verso and reads "This dress belonged to Minnah Two Stars, daughter of Albert Two Stars, a Cheyenne Indian. I purchased this dress from the Two Stars family who stated that Minnah, who died in 1913, danced with this dress at the onset of the Ghost Dance Religion. Lucille Enoch Henry Aug., 1931 (Casper, Wyo.)" Size: 34" L x 32" W (86.4 cm x 81.3 cm)

The Ghost Dance was a relatively new cult of Native American ritual and religious beliefs, that arose in the later half of the 19th century, spurred by the genocide and colonialism that Native people were experiencing. The dance was believed to banish the white people and restore their ancestral lands. A prophet figure known as Wovoka emerged, he had a vision of universal love, with undertones of Christian and the great Creator beliefs, which used the Ghost Dance as a way to spread this message - if every Native American danced properly, all evil in the world would be driven out. His interpretation of the dance was popular and spread quickly throughout the tribes of the western United States. Misunderstanding of the Ghost Dance was part of the unease many soldiers felt just before the Wounded Knee Massacre and following the horrific slaughter the Ghost Dance movement faltered, fearing violence for public practice and displays - but followers continued to practice, although much more covertly.

Provenance: private Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, USA collection

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#174468

Losses to feathers and fraying. Staining and discoloration to cloth, but overall excellent condition. Typed tag label dating to 1931 is included and attached to verso.