A Warrior I Have Been

Plains Indian Cultures in Transition

by Richard Green

The late 19th and early 20th centuries marked a period of unprecedented change in the lives of the tribal peoples of the North American Plains. This dynamic manifested itself in all aspects of Plains material culture, including the production of traditional weapons, beadwork, quillwork, and featherwork.

Emerging themes of A Warrior I have Been include the importance of trade materials in the evolution of this material culture, as well as the way in which Plains peoples increasingly became the stereotype of the American Indian in general. Traveling "Wild West" shows such as those conceived by Buffalo bill Cody formed the basis for the notion of the "Plains Indian warrior" that has survived to the present day.

The museum exhibition for which this catalog is produced aims to trace the evolution of Plains Indian art and culture from early times to the present day, including material from a wide range of tribal groups. Represented in the exhibition are many items from the author's private collection, as well as others from the collections of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and other British museums.

205 pp ~ illustrated — ©2004