Modern Ledger Art: No Longer a Man's Domain

Ledger art, with its roots in animal hide painting, was traditionally done by men who used the medium to illustrate their hunting and battle stories. But things have changed, as the lifestyle of Native American's has changed, women have been able to enter into this art form.

With the onset of the reservation era, men no longer displayed war and hunting in their art because this was no longer part of their lifestyle. During this era and on, men created illustrations of things such as traditional activities, ceremonies, and reservation life.

The movement away from illustrating the activities of men to a more general set of images was what probably allowed for the entry of women into the field; the life experiences of men and women were no longer so different.

Here is a piece done by a Native American women.



Caddo Women Taking Repatriation of Ghost Dance Pole Into Their Own Hands

 This is a modern piece done using traditional techniques. It was crafted by Dolores Purdy Corcoran a Caddo woman. The image depicts Caddo women stealing back their ghost dance pole. The image represents the struggle that Native Americans have in retrieving their band's artifacts from the government and other agencies that hold their items.