Chris Calle (American, B. 1961) "Native American Culture" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the U.S. 29c Native American Culture stamp issued October 18, 1994.

In 1840, there were probably around 300,000 Indians and 30 distinct tribes in what is now the Western United States. Some Indians were nomadic hunters who followed the buffalo, while others were primarily farmers. The Pueblo Indians lived in sprawling apartment complexes constructed of adobe, while the nomadic tribes usually lived in tipis made of buffalo hides. The Cheyenne enjoyed a meal of dog meat, but the Comanches felt eating dog was as bad as eating one's own grandmother. For the Kiowa, dining on bear was taboo. The men of most plains Indians tribes were trained from birth to fight, and manhood was measured by their boldness in battle. The scalps the braves took from their enemies were symbols of pride and worn or displayed as trophies. It was also honorable to steal another tribe's horses. But the bravest act of all was the scoring of coups -- touching or striking an enemy by hand or weapon. The women were taught to sustain the warriors, sharing in victory celebrations and slashing their bodies as an expression of grief for those who died in battle. Perhaps the Cherokees, who considered all men as brothers, were the most adaptable of the Indian tribes. They set up their own school system and published Oklahoma's first newspaper, learning early to integrate themselves into the white man's way of life, while their neighbors on the Great Plains were still fighting and dying to preserve their heritage. The Indians were too few and too poorly armed to fend off the massive waves of intruders.

Image Size: 19 x 16.75 in.
Overall Size: 23.25 x 20.25 in.
Unframed.
(B14838)

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23.25 x 20.25 in