An Osage War Chief Visiting the Kiowa
Ethnographic Notes
An Osage War Chief Visiting the Kiowa. The Osage visitor at center-right wears his plucked hairstyle in stark contrast to the carefully combed, long hair of all the Kiowa. He and the Kiowa leader, both dressed in Army officers' coats with gilt epaulets, are in the act of exchanging gift swords. The Osage holds the Kiowa-style sword, with split-otterskin wrist guard, just given to him; as the Kiowa chief receives the Osage blade, with a pendant cloth drop, filled out with eagle tail feathers. All three of the Kiowa warriors at the left wear "red ropes" of the Ka'itsenko Society.