This lecture covers a tumultuous period in Native American culture beginning in 1880, when Native lands were taken away, buffalo herds were decimated, forced relocations were happening all over North America, and the educational system changed dramatically. Indigenous Americans spent the 1880s and next few decades learning to adapt. As Western missionary women made their way into the lives of American Indigenous communities, they introduced quiltmaking skills and provided fabric and supplies. Native American women with adept needle skills adopted Western patchwork quilts and eventually made quilts that reflected their own cultural heritage. These quilts provided an outlet for both art and survival. For the Plains communities in particular, the eight-pointed Star became a beloved and repeated pattern. Learn how the transference from sewing buffalo hides and other natural materials to quilting took place and see the beautiful quilts made in this period.
