Apsáalooke
Women and Warriors

The Apsáalooke people, often referred to as the Crow, are known for their bravery and artistry, and their rich culture has developed over centuries in the Northern Plains. The Apsáalooke Women and Warriors project is a multi-format undertaking that presents a rich narrative of the Apsáalooke cultural past, figures the present-day Apsáalooke identity, and presents a vision for the future. Through writing, images, and sound, contemporary Apsáalooke artists and intellectuals convey the worldview of the Apsáalooke people, with each contributor offering a unique perspective.

This book accompanies a multi-site exhibition at the Field Museum and the Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society of the University of Chicago. It combines images of contemporary and historic Apsáalooke cultural items and includes essays by Apsáalooke writers. While it works in concert with the exhibition, it also stands alone as a significant exploration of the iconography, lifeways, and cosmologies of the Apsáalooke people.

• Hardcover
• 200 pages
• Edited by Nina Sanders and Dieter Roelstraete

Celebrate the bravery, strength, and vitality of the Apsáalooke culture with Apsáalooke Women and Warriors, a special exhibition at the Field Museum. This graphic tee shirt features one of the many beautiful pieces of art represented in our collection: Sacred Under the Cliffs of Yellowstone by Ben Pease.

• Material: 100% organic cotton
• Unisex fit
• Featuring original artwork by Ben Pease

About Ben Pease

Ashdúuptàako Ishtaxíialúuchish (Steals The Guns From Two Enemy Camps) Ben Pease, b. 1989. Raised on the Crow Indian Reservation of MT. The Artist studied at Minot State University & Montana State University. Pease's work is shown in scores of magazines, books, online publications, and social media networks. His work is being collected and exhibited in countries across the world. Over the past four years, the Artist has helped co-found The Creative Indigenous Collective, Native Youth Art In Action, & Indigenous Peoples' Day Montana & Native Men, Strong.

Women of Apsáalooke, including Nina Sanders, curator of the special exhibition Apsáalooke Women and Warriors, all wearing traditional Apsáalooke Elk Tooth Dresses on the steps of the Field Museum.

Indigenizing Colonized Spaces

A portrait project by photographer Adam Sings In The Timber featuring Native people wearing traditional and modern regalia in metropolitan settings. This on-going series reminds people that wherever they are in the United States, they are standing on land once inhabited by Indigenous people.

• Size: 8" W x 10" H
• Part of the Indigenizing Colonized Spaces series
• Phenocia Bauerle, Sharmaine Hill, Nina Sanders, JoRee LaFrance, all Apsáalooke by Adam Sings in the Timber, 2019

About Adam Sings In The Timber

Adam Sings In The Timber is an Apsáalooke/Crow photojournalist and portrait photographer currently based in Providence, RI. Originally from Billings, MT, Sings In The Timber travels all over the US documenting Native American people through photography while also making portraits for his "Indigenizing Colonized Spaces" portrait series.

The "All My Relations" blanket features designs of the Apsáalooke (Crow) and Tsetsehestahese/So’taeo’o (Northern Cheyenne) to honor and recognize the proud nations of designer Bethany Yellowtail who is featured in the Apsáalooke Women and Warriors exhibition.

Cross-laden vertical stripes speak to Crow elements, while horizontal stripes and the Morning Star pattern reflect the Northern Cheyenne. Traditionally, the two tribes were enemies with a longstanding rivalry dating back to the days when they lived freely and buffalo roamed the Great Plains. This design weaves the differences and blends the similarities of each tribal nation in a harmonious symbol of unity.

• Size: Queen size
• Material: 100% New Zealand wool
• Care: Dry clean 

About Bethany Yellowtail

Bethany Yellowtail is a fashion designer originally from the Crow (Apsáalooke) and Northern Cheyenne (Tsetsehestahese & So’taeo’o) Nations in southeastern Montana. Bethany’s artistic vision and work is irremovable from her social justice vision for her community: not only does she provide employment for dozens of artists, Bethany was active in the No-DAPL and women’s rights movements, fundraising thousands of dollars through apparel sales, teaching ribbon skirt workshops on-site at the water protector camp, and creating a silk scarf to represent the women’s march on Washington.

Starla Thompson is a Jingle Dancer from Milwaukee, WI.

Indigenizing Colonized Spaces

A portrait project by photographer Adam Sings In The Timber featuring Native people wearing traditional and modern regalia in metropolitan settings. This on-going series reminds people that wherever they are in the United States, they are standing on land once inhabited by Indigenous people.

• Size: 11" W x 14" H
• A part of the Indigenizing Colonized Spaces series
• Starla Thompson, Chumash & Potawatomi by Adam Sings in the Timber, 2018

About Adam Sings In The Timber

Adam Sings In The Timber is an Apsáalooke/Crow photojournalist and portrait photographer currently based in Providence, RI. Originally from Billings, MT, Sings In The Timber travels all over the US documenting Native American people through photography while also making portraits for his "Indigenizing Colonized Spaces" portrait series.

Beauty and power come as one in traditional Apsáalooke beliefs. The Crow people from what is currently Southeastern Montana, hold women in the highest esteem in their ability to give life, build families, bind people together to create culture, to fight for what they believe, as well as having powerful leadership abilities.

• Sacred Under the Cliffs of Yellowstone, Ben Pease 2016
• Signed and wax sealed giclee print
• Size: 24" W x 19" H
  
  

About Ben Pease

Pease was raised on the Crow Indian Reservation of Montana and studied at Minot State University and Montana State University. Find his work in numerous publications and exhibitions across the world. He co-founded The Creative Indigenous Collective, Native Youth Art In Action, Indigenous Peoples' Day Montana, and Native Men, Strong. "

The highlight and focus of Crow Fair is the pow wow which features dancers from visiting tribes as well as Crow tribal members. It is a time for connection and cultural celebration. Sisters Knowledge features a young woman in her elk tooth dress dancing to the beat of the drum.

• Painting Dimensions: 14" H x 11" W; Framed Size: 16" H x 13" W
• Oil on Canvas
• 2020

About Del Curfman

Del Curfman is known for his work with Apsáalooke (Crow Nation of Montana) imagery, exploring heritage, tradition, and humanity through painting. He earned his BFA in Studio Arts with a focus on painting at the Institute of American Indian Arts of Santa Fe, NM (IAIA) in May 2017. As an emerging artist and enrolled tribal member, Curfman looks to contribute to contemporary Native Artist history through his artwork and community-based projects.

This beautiful beaded bracelet by Birdie Real Bird is made using traditional Crow colors and designs. The blue represents the sky, yellow the sunrise, and red is the symbol of life. Her work is featured in the Apsáalooke Women and Warriors exhibition making this bracelet not only jewelry but also a piece of art.

• Size: 1.5" H, adjustable width
• Material: Glass and brass beads, leather, hide ties
• Handmade by Apsáalooke artisan, Birdie Real Bird

About Birdie Real Bird

Birdie Real Bird, or Basaanee Ahush/First Many Times, is an Apsáalooke beadworker and is known across Montana for her exquisite beading projects and dolls. Taught by her grandmother and beading artist elders in her tribe, Birdie uses correct Apsáalooke traditional designs and colors in her work. Her dolls are in many collections, including the Smithsonian Museum. Now retired, Real Bird devotes her time to beading, speaking at reservation schools about Apsáalooke culture, in addition to her work with numerous agencies across Montana. Real Bird was the recipient of Montana's Circle of American Masters in Visual and Traditional Arts 2014.

Every Crow Fair features a parade where our elders and tribe come together to celebrate Crow culture, traditional garb and wear, and traditional arts such as bead and quilt work. This coffee mug features a community member in his regalia, especially striking is his beautiful headdress.

• Holds 15oz
• Material: Ceramic
• Dishwasher safe
• Motion in Red by Del Curfman, 2020
  
  

About Del Curfman

Curfman is known for his work with Apsáalooke imagery explores heritage, tradition, and humanity through painting. He earned his BFA in Studio Arts with a focus on painting at the Institute of American Indian Arts of Santa Fe. As an emerging artist and enrolled tribal member, Curfman looks to contribute to contemporary Native Artist history through his artwork and community-based projects.

Designed by an enrolled member of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Tribe of Montana, this Fierce Medium Size Backpack is just what you need for daily use or sports activities. The pockets (including one for your 15" laptop) give plenty of room for all your necessities, while the water-resistant material will protect them from the weather.

• Size: 12.25" W x 17" H x 4" D
• Material: 100% polyester
• Maximum weight limit: 44 lbs
• Designed by Della BigHair-Stump

• Size: 14" H
• Comes with a stand
• Handmade by Birdie Real Bird
  
  

About Birdie Real Bird

Real Bird is an Apsáalooke beadwork artist known for her exquisite beading projects and dolls. She learned from her grandmother and beading artist elders in her tribe. She focuses on using correct Apsaalooke traditional designs and colorways in her art. Real Bird was the recipient of Montana's Circle of American Masters in Visual and Traditional Arts in 2014.

2018 Little Miss Centennial Crow Fair, her Crow name is Baaitchiilappeesh "Kills Pretty".

• Size: 8" W x 10" H
• Aiyana Skunk Cap, Apsáalooke by Adam Sings in the Timber, 2019

About Adam Sings In The Timber

Adam Sings In The Timber is an Apsáalooke/Crow photojournalist and portrait photographer currently based in Providence, RI. Originally from Billings, MT, Sings In The Timber travels all over the US documenting Native American people through photography while also making portraits for his "Indigenizing Colonized Spaces" portrait series.

Jacoby Little Light, #4200, stands with other Crow style dancers during the annual Crow Fair Powwow in Crow Agency, Montana.

Crow Fair: Crow Agency, Montana

Crow Fair is the Apsáalooke Nation's annual powwow, parade, and rodeo. Held the third weekend in August, the celebration attracts tens of thousands of participants and spectators each year.

• Size: 10" W x 8" H
• Part of the Portraits of Crow Fair series
• Jacoby Little Light, Apsáalooke by Adam Sings in the Timber, 2019

About Adam Sings In The Timber

Adam Sings In The Timber is an Apsáalooke/Crow photojournalist and portrait photographer currently based in Providence, RI. Originally from Billings, MT, Sings In The Timber travels all over the US documenting Native American people through photography while also making portraits for his "Indigenizing Colonized Spaces" portrait series.

Every Crow Fair features a parade where our elders and tribe come together to celebrate Crow culture, traditional garb and wear, and traditional arts such as bead and quilt work. This painting features a community member in his regalia, especially striking is his beautiful headdress.

Vanishing Series

The Vanishing Series is a response to the perception that Native American culture has or will "vanish." This idea of disappearance has been a mainstream thought that has only been propagated by Edward Curtis, a photographer who in 1904 produced a collection of photographs titled "Vanishing Race." The Vanishing Series aims to belie this idea.

• Painting Dimensions: 20" H x 16" W; Framed Size: 22" H x 18" W
• Part of the Vanishing Series
• Oil on Canvas
• Motion in Red by Del Curfman, 2020

About Del Curfman

Del Curfman is known for his work with Apsáalooke (Crow Nation of Montana) imagery, exploring heritage, tradition, and humanity through painting. He earned his BFA in Studio Arts with a focus on painting at the Institute of American Indian Arts of Santa Fe, NM (IAIA) in May 2017. As an emerging artist and enrolled tribal member, Curfman looks to contribute to contemporary Native Artist history through his artwork and community-based projects.

Keep your hands clean with this Sage Pine Liquid Hand Soap. Inspired by plants endemic to the American Southwest, this unique blend of yucca root and jojoba oil will keep your hands clean without being too drying.

It comes in a recyclable bottle with a foaming top.

• Size: 6 oz
• Ingredients: Water, Potassium Cocoate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Propanediol, Yucca Schidigera Root Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Oil, Pinus Sylvestris Oil, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Citric Acid
• Made in the U.S.A

This red glass bead bracelet is individually handcrafted by Native American artist apprentices. The beautiful beads with deer hide ties make it a great accessory for everyday wear. With each purchase, you are supporting services at Chief Seattle Club by helping provide funds for meals, housing referrals, drug and alcohol counseling, and mental healthcare.

• Material: Acrylic and glass beads, brass endings, deer hide ties
• Adjustable
• Each bracelet is handmade by a Native apprentice

Inspired by the strong women who create, sustain, and nourish life, this scarf as a tribute to the matriarchs of many different Native nations and Indigenous backgrounds. This ledger art motif honors the beauty of these female life-givers in various cultural regalia and dresses, surrounded by the wild florals found in the Northern plains.

Her work is featured in the Apsáalooke Women and Warriors exhibition.

 

• Size: 38" W x 38" L
• Material: 100% silk charmeuse
• Hand rolled hem
• Made in the U.S.A.
• Designed by Bethany Yellowtail in collaboration with artist Wakeah Jhane

 

About Bethany Yellowtail

Bethany Yellowtail is a fashion designer originally from the Crow (Apsáalooke) & Northern Cheyenne (Tsetsehestahese & So’taeo’o) Nations in southeastern Montana. Bethany’s artistic vision and work is irremovable from her social justice vision for her community: not only does she provide employment for dozens of artists, Bethany was active in the No-DAPL and women’s rights movements, fundraising thousands of dollars through apparel sales, teaching ribbon skirt workshops on site at the water protector camp, and creating a silk scarf to represent the women’s march on Washington.

These 'Feather Fly Aways' Earrings make a statement. The extra-long drop and beautiful light blue beads will help make your outfit standout.

• Size: 11" drop, 1.5" D
• Material: Premium grade rooster hackle, aquamarine gemstone, silver-plated accents, genuine lambskin leather backing
• Handmade by Dene artist, Catherine Blackburn
  

About Catherin Blackburn

Catherine Blackburn was born in Ile a la Crosse, Saskatchewan of Dene and European ancestry and is a member of the English River First Nation. She grew up in the small rural town of Choiceland and holds a BFA from the University of Saskatchewan. Blackburn is a bead artist, painter, and jeweler whose work embraces two inspirations in her life-family and culture- and speaks to the complexities of memory, history and cultural identity.

Mother of four, Descendant of Bull Tail, Ties in the Bundle/Child of Peigan Clan, her Crow name is Alawusua Bia "Sweatlodge Woman".

• Size: 8" W x 10" H
• Lakisha Flores, Apsáalooke by Adam Sings in the Timber, 2019

About Adam Sings In The Timber

Adam Sings In The Timber is an Apsáalooke/Crow photojournalist and portrait photographer currently based in Providence, RI. Originally from Billings, MT, Sings In The Timber travels all over the US documenting Native American people through photography while also making portraits for his "Indigenizing Colonized Spaces" portrait series.

• Material: 100% cotton
• Adult fit
• Original artwork by Del Curfman

About Del Curfman

Del Curfman is known for his work with Apsáalooke (Crow Nation of Montana) imagery, exploring heritage, tradition, and humanity through painting. He earned his BFA in Studio Arts with a focus on painting at the Institute of American Indian Arts of Santa Fe, NM (IAIA) in May 2017. As an emerging artist and enrolled tribal member, Curfman looks to contribute to contemporary Native Artist history through his artwork and community-based projects.

Dazzlyn Hugs, Apsáalooke, stands with her mother during the Crow Fair powwow in Crow Agency, Montana.

Crow Fair: Crow Agency, Montana

Crow Fair is the Apsáalooke Nation's annual powwow, parade, and rodeo. Held the third weekend in August, the celebration attracts tens of thousands of participants and spectators each year.

• Size: 10" W x 8" H
• Part of the Portraits of Crow Fair series
• Dazzlyn Hugs, Apsáalooke by Adam Sings in the Timber, 2019

About Adam Sings In The Timber

Adam Sings In The Timber is an Apsáalooke/Crow photojournalist and portrait photographer currently based in Providence, RI. Originally from Billings, MT, Sings In The Timber travels all over the US documenting Native American people through photography while also making portraits for his "Indigenizing Colonized Spaces" portrait series.

Each Black and Grey Glass Beaded Cuff Bracelet is beaded by hand to create a piece of timeless heirloom jewelry using skills passed down by generations of Native American artisans. The design thoughtfully blends contemporary and traditional Navajo aesthetics. Every cuff is a wearable piece of art, designed to empower the women who make and wear them.

• Size: .5" H x 6" wide with an adjustable copper band inside
• Material: Glass beads and leather
• Handmade in the U.S.A.