Hin-han-du-ta, The Red Owl. A Chief of the Mde-wa-kan-ton Sioux [Lakota]. Dakota. c. 1858 - 1870

Curator: Here we have an intriguing image, a photograph titled “Hin-han-du-ta, The Red Owl. A Chief of the Mde-wa-kan-ton Sioux [Lakota]. Dakota.," attributed to McClees Gallery. Editor: It’s compelling. He’s holding what appears to be a newspaper. The sepia tones lend a certain somberness. What can you tell me about how this was made? Curator: Given the photographic materials of the era, it’s likely an albumen print, a process involving coating paper with egg whites. The McClees Gallery would have likely reproduced this image to sell to the public. Editor: The textural contrast is striking. The feathers in his hair, the woven blanket – juxtaposed with what seems like a Western jacket and bow tie. Curator: Exactly. The photograph, likely commissioned or purchased, reveals the complex interplay between Native American identity and the encroaching Western culture of the time. It signifies both agency and forced assimilation. Editor: The studio backdrop isolates him, almost like a specimen. It’s about the act of seeing, and perhaps, misrepresenting. Curator: Ultimately, it’s a testament to the complicated historical forces at play and how photography became an instrument of both documentation and power. Editor: It certainly invites reflection on the narratives we construct from historical artifacts and how they impact our present.