Beauty, Honor, and Tradition: The Legacy of Plains Indian Shirts [Paperback]

Joseph D. Horse Capture (Author), George P. Horse Capture (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2001

To the Plains Indians of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, elaborately decorated hide shirts were symbols of bravery earned only by the most courageous of warriors. Those who had met the enemy in battle or slipped undetected into enemy camps to capture horses were awarded shirts specifically created to honor the wearer and the heroic deeds associated with him. Made from the skins of elk, deer, or mountain sheep, these spectacular garments were adorned with porcupine quills, paint, ribbons, locks of hair, and glass beads. Believed to hold intrinsic spiritual power, these shirts continue to play a large part in American Indian society today. Symbolizing honor, courage, and ancestral tradition, they are worn by tribal leaders at powwows and earned by students according to their academic and athletic accomplishments.

Beauty, Honor, and Tradition, a traveling exhibition organized by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, presents a new perspective on these garments, their creation and history, and their place in the cultures of the Plains Indian tribes. Through photographs and detailed descriptions of fifty-three representative shirts crafted from the 1820s to the 1990s, this book explores the complex relationship between the shirts, their makers, and their wearers. Throughout the text the voices of individual Plains Indians speak of the personal and cultural significance of these magnificent garments.

Joseph D. Horse Capture is assistant curator in the Department of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. They are coauthors of Warrior Artists (1998).

George P. Horse Capture is deputy assistant director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian, and author of Powwow (1992).

Distributed for the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The exhibition of Plains Indian shirts, for which this book is the catalog, was assembled by the Horse Captures, father and son, who are affiliated, respectively, with the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Their combined resources provide stunning examples of the honor shirts worn by leaders of Plains tribes in the past and a few from the present. The shirts themselves are featured not so much as a chronological history but with respect to type and to craftsmanship. These prized shirts were handed down ceremonially to the next owner and imbued with the sweat of their wearers as a link with the past. They are made of deerskin, fringed or edged with hair from vanquished foes, and decorated with exquisite beadwork or quilled strips (made by the woman most important to the wearer). Heavy on symbolism, the shirts draw attention to the weight of tradition and to the devoted craftsmanship involved in their making, as well as to the pride with which they were worn. For larger American Indian collections. Gay Neale, Meredithville, VA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: National Museum of American Indian (July 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816639477
• ISBN-13: 978-0816639472
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #859,608 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars magnificent, breathtaking, May 7, 2003

By 

E Rice (western ny state) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beauty, Honor, and Tradition: The Legacy of Plains Indian Shirts (Paperback)

over the past several years, i have read and acquired a good number of books about indian beadwork. all have included at least one or two war shirts. none of them prepared me for the overwhelming impact of this book.

war shirts were given to the men of the plains nations for remarkable courage and character and for impressive deeds. the shirts would be transferred to other men of equal standing. the designs were worked by women who were unusually talented in quill and bead embroidery. occasionally, the design of the shirt would be directed by the man to wear it, based on his dreams/visions.

since it is oversized, the book allows larger, more detailed photos of the shirts. quillwork, paint, beads and other materials show up clearly. the workmanship is stunning, the designs are magnificent. the use of materials is inspirational. the examples range from the early 19th century to contemorary shirts.

the text, aside from a couple of areas where the proofreader failed miserably in his job, is almost as interesting as the shirts. this is not to insult the authors. no words could equal the shirts. there are also quotes from contemporary indians about the shirts that are interesting and illuminating.

if this book had been published by abrams, the price would have been at least doubled. given the quality of the photos, that fact alone is worth a couple of stars.

this is a must for anyone interested in indian beadwork, history or art and for anyone interested in beauty and great design of any origin.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The photos tell it all!, November 26, 2007

By 

K. Clarkson "native american artist" (California) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Beauty, Honor, and Tradition: The Legacy of Plains Indian Shirts (Paperback)

What a beautiful book! As an artist and a painter I often rely on photos to give me historical detail. This book is the best I have ever seen for native american clothing. Each turn of the page shows a high definition close-up including a very informative description of not only the item but insights into it's making, purpose and meaning. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to visually examine native american clothing. Newer examples of current native clothing artists are included. I appreciated this additional insight as well. I learned much from this book and it will be a valuable addition to my reference library.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good for the heart, January 4, 2007

By 

Mr. S. A. Mote (uk) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beauty, Honor, and Tradition: The Legacy of Plains Indian Shirts (Paperback)

stunningly beautiful photos of amazing shirts.
graphic detail makes this book a must for anyone interested in the indians of the plains.
these shirts are truly works of art and by just looking at them you can feel all the mystical and magical power that they evoked then and still do today.
useful text accompanies the photos,highly recommended!!!!
simon mote.