by David Chapman
Staff Writer
A hand-drawn tale of survival and oppression through the eyes of one exiled Native American is the newest display at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens.
The exhibit, “A Kiowa’s Odyssey: A Sketchbook from Fort Marion” opened yesterday and displays the 32-page sketchbook of Etahdleuh Doanmoe, a mixed-blood Kiowa-Mexican, who was among 72 U.S. prisoners during the Plains Wars.
The sketches are a first-hand account of Doanmoe’s experiences during his transport and exile to St. Augustine’s Fort Marion (also known as Castillo de San Marco).
“The exhibit has some great stories attached to it,” said Cummer Director Maartin van de Guchte. “It’s a significant part of national and local history.”
Doanmoe’s sketches are his own observation pieces that show scenes of Native American transport culture during their time at the fort, including teepees and dances as well as their arrival in Jacksonville and Fort Sill in Oklahoma.
“You get this beautiful picture of what is ultimately a sad page in American history,” said van de Guchte. “This is a history of people and it will definitely make you curious about times past.”
The sketchbook was made presumably for Lt. Richard Henry Pratt, who helped acclimate the Indians into Western values, appearance, behavior, language and beliefs. Doanmoe was regarded as one of Pratt’s more successful students.
The sketches were handed down to Pratt’s son, who added the captions to each picture.
Later, they were disassembled and divided between Dickinson College and Yale University for study. The exhibit is the first to reunite the two sections for reconstruction and display.
Jacksonville is the first stop for the display that runs through March 16 before heading to Texas. It will return to Yale later in the year.
In conjunction with the exhibit, the Cummer Museum is also offering several programs and events that coincide with the theme.
A blessing ceremony is scheduled at Ketterlinus Elementary School on Jan. 30 and will feature members of the Kiowa, Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes and Delaware nation. A dinner ceremony at the Sawgrass Marriott is set for Jan. 31, while a seminar discussing the exhibit’s impact on tribes’ history is slated for the University of North Florida on Feb. 1, a cultural family day is planned for Feb. 2 and a senior day will be on Feb. 20-21.
This is the first time that the museum has displayed a Native American culture exhibit, said van de Guchte, but it won’t be the last.
“Yes, absolutely,” he said. “I can see many more Native American culture pieces as a part of the museum. They are an important part of history.”
For more information on the exhibit or programs, call 355-0630.