Yenshee Baby
Making Medicine, Cheyenne
Quarter Plate Tintype of Making Medicine (1844-1931), Cheyenne Ledger Artist, housed in a pressed paper case. Making Medicine is seated wearing a military jacket with tinted gold buttons, and short hair style; likely taken during his imprisonment at Fort Marion, Florida (1875-1878).
In 1875, a group of 72 Southern Plains chiefs and warriors were imprisoned and ultimately, deported to Fort Marion in Florida by the Federal Government in an attempt to quell American Indian unrest. Making Medicine, a 33 year Cheyenne brave was one of the group. During his imprisonment, Making Medicine, along with Zotom, a young Kiowa brave, began making drawings that soon inspired other prisoners. Making Medicine was one of the most prolific of the artists, producing dozens of scenes of his former life on the plains. Recognizing their talent, Captain Richard Henry Pratt encouraged the art of the inmates and sold their homeland renderings to visitors and tourists. Pratt, was especially fond of Making Medicine and made him First Sergeant of a company of guards at the Fort. In 1875, the inmates were allowed to leave. Twenty-two of the young men decided to remain in the east, Making Medicine and Zotom among them.
Making Medicine took on a white name – David Pendleton Oakhater, received training religious training in New York, and was ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church in 1881. He returned to Indian Territory, and spent the next 50 years spreading Christianity to his people. He never drew again. (For further reading see Warrior Artists. Historic Cheyenne and Kiowa Indian Ledger Art Drawn by Making Medicine and Zotom, Herman Viola, 1998.)
Making Medicine, Cheyenne
Quarter Plate Tintype of Making Medicine (1844-1931), Cheyenne Ledger Artist, housed in a pressed paper case. Making Medicine is seated wearing a military jacket with tinted gold buttons, and short hair style; likely taken during his imprisonment at Fort Marion, Florida (1875-1878).
In 1875, a group of 72 Southern Plains chiefs and warriors were imprisoned and ultimately, deported to Fort Marion in Florida by the Federal Government in an attempt to quell American Indian unrest. Making Medicine, a 33 year Cheyenne brave was one of the group. During his imprisonment, Making Medicine, along with Zotom, a young Kiowa brave, began making drawings that soon inspired other prisoners. Making Medicine was one of the most prolific of the artists, producing dozens of scenes of his former life on the plains. Recognizing their talent, Captain Richard Henry Pratt encouraged the art of the inmates and sold their homeland renderings to visitors and tourists. Pratt, was especially fond of Making Medicine and made him First Sergeant of a company of guards at the Fort. In 1875, the inmates were allowed to leave. Twenty-two of the young men decided to remain in the east, Making Medicine and Zotom among them.
Making Medicine took on a white name – David Pendleton Oakhater, received training religious training in New York, and was ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church in 1881. He returned to Indian Territory, and spent the next 50 years spreading Christianity to his people. He never drew again. (For further reading see Warrior Artists. Historic Cheyenne and Kiowa Indian Ledger Art Drawn by Making Medicine and Zotom, Herman Viola, 1998.)