Arapaho Tent (Tipi), Full Size
date: label: Accession Date
content: 1872
label: Collection Date
content: 1869
name: label: Collector
content: Vincent Colyer
label: Donor Name
content: Vincent Colyer
notes: label: Notes
content: FROM CARD: "RECEIVED [by the Smithsonian] IN 1872 AND NOT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED. ENTERED IN ACCESSION BOOK 4 UNDER DATE OF SEPT. 22, 1875. EXHIBIT HALL 9 - REMOVED 1998. "SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR EXHIBITS AT THE CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION (OF 1876) WERE ... A BUFFALO HIDE TIPI, THE HOME OF AN ARAPAHO INDIAN FAMILY, OBTAINED IN THE FIELD BY VINCENT COLYER, TALENTED ARTIST AND SECRETARY OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS." - EWERS, JOHN C. "A CENTURY OF AMERICAN INDIAN EXHIBITS IN THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION," S.I. A.R. FOR 1958, P. 517. "THIS INDIAN HOME WAS FEATURED AT THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION EXHIBITS AT THE CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION IN PHILADELPHIA IN 1876. PROBABLY THE OLDEST FULL-SIZE PLAINS INDIAN TIPI TO BE PRESERVED, IT WAS OBTAINED IN THE FIELD FROM ARAPAHO INDIANS BY THE ARTIST VINCENT COLYER, SECRETARY TO THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS.... A DRAWING OF THE TIPI AT THE CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION WAS PUBLISHED IN HARPER'S WEEKLY IN 1876. TO MAKE THE TIPI'S SKIN COVER, AN INDIAN WOMAN WHO WAS EXPERT IN TIPI DESIGN CAREFULLY LAID OUT 14 BUFFALO COW SKINS ON THE GROUND AND TRIMMED AND FITTED THEM TOGETHER. THEN A NUMBER OF INDIAN WOMEN SEWED THE SKINS TOGETHER WITH SINEWS." - quoted from the [former] exhibit label, Indian Hall (Hall 9) NMNH, SI." SEE ACCESSION FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. See Fig. 4, top, p. 30, in Handbook of North American Indians Volume 13, Plains, Part 1, for photo of the tipi on display at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. Identified in image caption as an Arapaho council tipi collected by Vincent Colyer in 1869 from Little Raven. See also Fig. 3, center, p. 848, Handbook of North American Indians, Vol.13, Plains, part 2, for drawing of this tipi showing how hides fit together to form tipi. A print showing this tipi on display at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia is in the Free Library of Philadelphia collections and is available online: Centennial Exhibition 1876 Philadelphia Scrapbook. Scrapbooks. Free Library of Philadelphia: Philadelphia, PA. https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/item/2406. (accessed Feb 25, 2018).
label: Notes
content: A letter from Vincent Colyer in the accession file dated August 29, 1872 describes the artifacts in the collection, including the tipi: "Extra large, Buffalo robe Indian "Tepi" - or tent. This was the "council tent" of the Arapahoes and was purchased by me with the aid of Major General W. B. Hazen [U.S.A.] "Little Raven" the chief in 18[6]9."
label: Notes
content: From p. 367 of Hardorff, Richard G. 2006. Washita memories: eyewitness views of Custer's attack on Black Kettle's village. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press: "In 1869 Vincent Colyer, U.S. special Indian commissioner, visited the West to obtain by personal observation and inspection the condition of the Indian tribes in several western territories. As a member of the Indian commission, he served without salary, while his escort and transportation were provided for by special order of President Grant. Colyer ... arrived at the Wichita Agency, Indian Territory [later Oklahoma], on March 29, 1869. On April 9 Colyer held an interview with Little Raven, chief of the Arapahos. ... Colyer's full report is included in the Annual Report of the Secretary of Interior for 1869, 41st Congress, 2nd session [see especially pp. 41-42]."
label: Notes
content: Smithsonian Photographic Services black and white photo negative numbers 2003-5059, 2003-5060, 2003-5061, and 2003-5062, when put together, show a complete view of tipi cover. 4 x 5 color transparency negative numbers 2003-5055, 2003-5056, 2003-5057, and 2003-5058, when put together, show equivalent complete color view of tipi cover.
label: Notes
content: Quilled medallion at top of tipi is illustrated Pl. 9, p. 92 in Anderson, Jeffrey D. 2013. Arapaho women's quillwork: motion, life, and creativity. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. Tipi is described pp. 53-54 in this publication. Quilled medallion is also illustrated Fig. 2, p. 60 in Anderson, Jeffrey D., 2014, "The Sacred Art of Arapaho Quillwork," American Indian Art Magazine, 39(2):60-70. Tipi is described p. 65 of the article.
label: Notes
content: This object is stored rolled.
label: Record Last Modified
content: 27 Jul 2024
label: Specimen Count
content: 1
place: label: Place
content: Indian Territory (Oklahoma), United States, North America
topic: label: Topic
content: Ethnology
culture: label: Culture
content: Arapaho (Inunaina, Hinono'ei), Southern
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 002478
label: USNM Number
content: E18900-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Tipi
physicalDescription: label: Height - Object
content: ca 4.9 m
label: Width - Object
content: ca 11 m