Post #17 SPRITE

 

                            Chief Joseph, Nez Percé, 1903 

           This is a photograph of Chief Joseph taken by portrait artist Edward Sheriff Curtis. He is part of the Nez Perce tribe in Washington. The social aspect of the picture is that the subject is part of a Native American group. Also, by the numerous feathers on his headdress he shows he holds an important position in society. Furthermore, politics is portrayed in the photograph because Chief Joseph is the leader of his tribe. In other words he acted like a president in modern government. Adding to that, we can see a glimpse of religion by the fact that the Chief is wearing a headdress full of eagle feathers. This shows that the eagle was a sacred animal. Moreover, the intellectual aspect is evident because the Chief is well dressed and looks healthy meaning he has skills to sustain a good lifestyle. The craftsmanship of the headdress, the necklace and clothing is a form of technology. They probably used animal material to sew and decorate their creations. The photograph shows that the tribe had a stable economy because the Native American Chief is adequately dressed and has many feathers. The feathers signify great triumphs of the Chief such as defeating an enemy where he gained power. Overall, the photograph provides an insight into the lives of Native Americans.