Grainer (-) Date Unknown

This is a grainer, thought to be made by Ka'igwu, who was a member of the Kiowa people. The Kiowa are a Native American tribe with a history deeply intertwined with the Southern Plains. The grainer, a humble tool, offers us a window into Kiowa life, labor, and the cultural practices of the time, but the context of this object is obscured by its display in a museum. Who was Ka'igwu? How did the Kiowa use this tool? Consider the act of creation and use of the grainer, its place in the Kiowa community, and the relationship between the Kiowa and the land. As you look at this object, try to imagine the hands that held it, the sounds of daily life, and the stories that this simple tool could tell.