The headpiece is made of brightly colored porcupine and deer hair. Meskwaki historian shares Johnathan Buffalo, historical preservation officer for the Meskwaki, has come to expect the casino question. That doesn't mean he gets used to it. The Meskwaki, he is quick to point out, also exist today. His hope for the new exhibit at The History Center is that the portraits and artifacts on display will help remind visitors of that presence.
Educational outreach is relatively new for the tribe, Buffalo says.
Before the casinos came we were basically a self-closed society. Being so closely connected to the casinos, however, has prompted the Meskwaki to speak up. The exhibit closely ties the Meskwaki past and present. The songs themselves are still sung today. The portraits, which are lithographs based on paintings done in the early 1800s, were done at a bittersweet time for the Meskwaki.