Plate XVIII: The Chief Applied to by Women Whose Husbands Have Died in the War or by Disease, by Theodor de Bry (ca. 1591) The motivations of the artist are quite apparent in the image. The European soldiers in the background stand armed with superior technology guns while the Native warriors carry only bow and arrows. The intended message was that Europeans need not worry about the military prowess of the Natives, because the Europeans enjoyed far greater firepower. The portrayal of women kneeling before the chief is more complex. The chief is adorned with elaborate tattoos, a detail unlikely fabricated by de Bry. Later evidence gathered by European observers confirms that Native American men and women tattooed their bodies with a variety of symbols. The caption that accompanied this image explains that, as part of his chiefly duties, the chief had the power to compel warriors to attack rival tribes and take captives. The captives would then become part of the capturing tribe through ritual adoption. This image alone might convey to European males the notion that women were subordinate to the chief, and men in general, in their society. However, as elsewhere in the Native southeast, the chief in this case is obligated to the women to launch a military campaign to replace loved ones lost to war or disease. #Nativedescendants
Posted on: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 02:36:08 +0000
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