Warriors of the Plains:
200 years of Native North American
honour and ritual
7 January – 5 April 2010 / Room
91 / Admission free
An introduction to the exhibition Warriors of the Plains
A rare opportunity to explore the fascinating world of
Native North American warfare and ritual.
The exhibition focuses on the material culture of Native North
American Indians of the Plains between 1800 and the present, and
the importance of the objects in a social and ceremonial
context.
Men of these tribes were expected to join a ‘warrior society’ –
a social, political and ritual group that engaged in warfare and
organised ceremonial life.
The societies played a prominent role in battles, offering
members the opportunity to gain honours through individual acts of
bravery such stealing horses, capturing women, and taking scalps
during war raids. These societies, however, had a rich ritual life
that was marked by a strong sense of spirituality. In their
ceremonies society members made use of objects such as pipes,
rattles and headdresses, as these were significant to their shared
ideas of ritual and honour.
The exhibition explores the world of the Plains Indians through
exceptional examples of feather headdresses, shields, moccasins,
painted hides, scalps, pipes, tomahawks, and traditional and
contemporary dress. Although many of these items may seem initially
familiar from popular culture, the exhibition uncovers the deeper
ritual significance of these iconic objects.
A selection of photographs shows past and present contexts of
the objects used in these societies. The legacy of the warrior
societies is also examined, revealing how crucial they are in the
maintenance of tribal identity among Plains Indians today.