Clothing of Plains Indians

The prairie (or plains) of North America are a vast, largely flat area in the middle of the US and Canada. The many tribes who lived, and still live there, such as the Lakota Sioux, Ojibwe, Plains Cree and Apache were mainly nomadic. The fancy dress was for ceremonial use, including pow-wows. Very old examples, before mid 19th Century, were simpler. By the late 19th Century, there was easier access to seed beads manufactured in Europe. Now, many Native women and some men do leatherwork and beadwork like this to sell.

Incidentally, Europeans, especially Germans, greatly romanticize Native Americans. The subjects of this slight obsession think it's puzzling, or weird, or funny. The second entry here is an example: tinyurl.com/ya4oqazf. I have no idea if the same goes for European thoughts about Canada's First Nations. Well, I could go on and on, but I won't!

End of the Trail Museum at Trees of Mystery, California.