The Man Who Documented Native American Cultures

by Chris Nelson

Born on a Wisconsin farm in 1868, Edward Sheriff Curtis became fascinated with photography early on, building his own camera at the age 10. As a teenager his family relocated to Seattle, where he photographed Princess Angeline (aka Kickisomlo), the daughter of the Duwamish chief Seattle, after whom the city is named. Curtis recognized his life’s calling as a documentarian of Native American cultures and quickly joined expeditions to Montana and Alaska to do just that.

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In 1906, Curtis was approached by the financier J.P. Morgan about funding a project on the indigenous people of the continent. They planned a 20-volume series called The North American Indian, from which the images below are culled. He received no salary for the project, which lasted more than 20 years, during which he created an estimated 40,000 images of over 100 tribes. A photographer turned ethnologist, he also made thousands of recordings of native language and music, and transcribed oral histories.

Though Curtis often romanticized his subjects, at times photographing them in ceremonial attire not regularly worn and wigs to conceal contemporary hair styles, he was an outspoken opponent of the devastating use of relocation and reservations. His photographs remain one of the only historical documents that offer insight into the lives of a people nearly driven to extinction.

Apsaroke, 1908

Sioux, 1907

Apache, 1910

Tewa, 1906

Apsaroke, 1908

Cheyenne, circa 1900

Siksika, circa 1910

Arikara, 1907

Wishham, 1911

Jicarilla, 1904

Hopi, circa 1900

Apache, 1905

Hopi, 1922

Koskimo, 1914

Apsaroke, 1908

Zuni, 1926

Nakoaktok, 1914

Qagyuhl, 1914

Qahatika, 1907

Hesquiat, 1916

Nez Perce, 1899

Tewa, 1922

Navajo, 1904

Kwakwaka’wakw, circa 1905

Apsáalooke, 1908

Apsaroke, 1908

Qagyuhl, 1914

Nakoaktok, 1914

Kwakiutl, 1914

Nunivak, 1928

Qagyuhl, 1914

Kwakiutl, 1914

Navajo, 1904

Papago, 1907

Piegan, 1900

Piegan, 1900

Kalispel, circa 1905

Kwakiutl, 1914

Piegan, circa 1900

Wishram, 1911

Nez Perce, 1911