Shawl Or Wearing Blanket
date: label: Accession Date
content: 17 Feb 2017
label: Collection Date
content: 12 Mar 2010
name: label: Collector
content: Dr. Candace S. Greene
label: Collector
content: Dr. Michael Jordan
label: Donor Name
content: National Museum of Natural History
notes: label: Notes
content: This shawl was collected in 2010 in Carnegie, Oklahoma from Carrie and Donald Horse, both of whom are enrolled members of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma. This is a wearing blanket rather than a shawl proper and therefore it is not fringed. It belonged to Mr. Horse's paternal aunt, Hattie Satepauhoodle Ako. It is part of the regalia of the Carnegie Victory Club, which was organized by Kiowa women during WWII. Hatie Satepauhoodle Ako was one of the original members of the organization. A number of her relatives served in the armed forces during WW II, including her husband, her brother, and one of her nephews. This blanket was worn by Mrs. Ako and its construction dates to WW II. Mrs. Ako died in the 1980s. She had no children and the blanket passed into possession of Mrs. Horse, herself a member of the Carnegie Victory Club. In an interview, she explained that she has her own Carnegie Victory Club blanket, and had never wore her aunt's blanket. She explained that it was a "treasured item" and that she did not want to use it and risk damaging or losing it. During arrangements by Michael Jordan for purchase of another shawl in this collection (E434,675), she informed him that she would be willing to sell this item. The blanket was purchased for $150.00. Mrs. Horse indicated that she viewed placing the object in the collection of the National Museum of Natural History as a way to ensure its preservation and to honor both the Carnegie Victory Club and her aunt. Blankets such as this one are worn today by members of the Carnegie Victory Club, a service organization devoted to supporting members of the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma serving in the U.S. military, but this is an old blanket. The Carnegie Victory Club is one of several local organizations that sponsor dances to honor service members. When these dances feature a grand entry or procession, the members of the Carnegie Victory Club process in as a group, wearing their club blankets. The women also wear their blankets during the dances that accompany the singing of War Mother Songs. Description: The blanket is constructed of light-weight navy blue wool. Decoration consists of a large V formed out of two lengths of red white and blue ribbon. Three short lengths and one long one of the same ribbon are stitched in a row beneath the large “V” and represent the letter rendered in Morse Code (three dots and a dash). The edges of the blanket are outlined in red, white, and blue ribbon. A metal pin-back button is attached to the left edge of the blanket with the word “VICTORY” printed across the center and the words “MEMBER” and “CLUB” above and below. The blanket measures 76 ¾” wide by 42 3/4 long. The top 12 5/8” of the blanket have been folded under and pinned in place. Some moth damage and staining. This information is an extract from more extended documentation provided by Carrie and Donald Horse in a 2010 interview, see attached.
label: Record Last Modified
content: 5 Dec 2022
label: Specimen Count
content: 1
place: label: Place
content: Carnegie, Oklahoma, United States, North America
topic: label: Topic
content: Ethnology
culture: label: Culture
content: Kiowa
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 2076808
label: USNM Number
content: E434678-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Dance Garment
physicalDescription: label: Length
content: 216 cm
label: Width
content: 192 cm