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Dakota headband

Titles: Dakota headband (Supplied title)

Description: A Dakota red woven wool headband with fifteen (originally sixteen) small black feathers attached in six groupings, each grouping except one originally consisting of two feathers, circa the mid-19th century. At one end, in the place of one of the stands of a paired grouping, is a strand from which five feathers branch. Each strand consists of alternating knots and wrapped white quills or ribbon. This item was obtained in 1862 in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota by Captain Charles J. Stees of the Sixth Regiment of the Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company G, after battle with the Dakota. The donor of this item, a descendant of Captain Stees, reported that it was owned by Chief Little Crow (Ta Oyate Duta), but also mentions that it was obtained in Yellow Medicine County (presumably at Camp Release where Stees was first mustered in October of 1862). By that time, Chief Little Crow and others had left the area for Canada; he was not among those Dakota present at Camp Release. No further published writings by Stees indicate that he had contact with Little Crow before his death in June of 1863.

Dates

  • 1862 - 1863 (Discovery)

Creation

Identifiers

  • Accession Number: 6158.1

Restrictions

  • Through curatorial review and/or additional consultation with American Indian elders, spiritual leaders, tribal officers or lineal descendants, this item has been determined to be culturally sensitive. As advised by the Minnesota Historical Society Indian Advisory Committee on April 20, 2012, the Minnesota Historical Society will not display images of culturally sensitive items on the public database.

Holding Type: 3D Objects

Quantity: 1 item

Format

  • Content Category: artifacts

Measurements

  • 41 1/2 inches width
  • 2 inches length (band)
  • 13 inches length (including feathers)

Subjects

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