1800s-1900s Portraits Of Native American Teen Girls Show Their Unique Beauty And Style (36 Pics)
These rare and beautiful vintage photos of Native American girls were taken between the late 1800s and the turn of the 19th Century, yet despite being over a hundred years old, many of the old photos are still in mint condition.
Women were well respected in traditional Native American tribe culture, and although they generally had different roles from men, the Native American women often had the same rights as their male counterparts. They usually owned the home along with everything in it, and in some tribes, while the chief was a man, it was the women who were responsible for electing him. Because women's activities were considered central to the welfare of the community in the Native American history, this gave them a certain level of social, political and economic power, and even today approximately 25% of Native American tribes recognized by the federal government of the United States are led by women.
Scroll down below to check these beautiful old photos for yourself! (h/t: vintage everyday)
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Marcia Pascal, Half-cherokee, Daughter Of U.s. Army Officer George W. Paschal, 1880s
O-o-be, The Kiowas, 1894
This is one of my favorite photos in this lineup. It's great to see a really old photo with a smile, let alone one showing teeth! I was told that because shutter speeds were slower in the early days of photography that photographers required their subjects to stand still for long periods of time to expose the image to the film negative, hence so many photos from the 1800's to 1900's without smiles in them!
Cherokee Nanyehi, Lakota
Native American Girl, 1870-1900
Gertrude Three Finger, Cheyenne, 1869-1904, By William E. Irwin
Hattie Tom, Apache, 1899, By Frank A. Rinehart
Unidentified Native American Girl, Lakota, 1890
Elsie Vance Chestuen, Chiricahua
Native American Girl In Traditional Dress
Taos Pueblo Tribe Girl, 1880-1890
Hopi Girl, 1895
Tsawatenok Girl, 1914, By Edward Curtis
A Young Ute Woman, 1880-1900
A Kiowa Girl, 1892
Pretty Nose, Cheyenne, 1878, By L. A. Huffman
A Girl At Taos Pueblo, 1895, By H.s. Poley
I visited that Pueblo; their sacred places were in the mountains behind the Pueblo.
Quanah Parker (Nocona), Comanche, 1848-1911
Hopi Girls, 1900, By Carl Werntz
This was the tribal hairstyle for women was the elaborate squash blossom or butterfly whorls worn by Hopi maidens
Lizzie Long Wolf As A Performer In Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, 1886
Interesting that even though she was in Buffalo Bill's side shows, there isn't really much written about her.
Isabelle Perico Enjady, Chiricahuah Apache Prisoner Of War, 1886-1914
Prisoner of war... there was no war, just invasion and extermination.
Hattie Tom, Chiricahua Apache, 1899, By Frank A. Rinehart
Native American Teen Girls, 1870-1900
I wonder how and why she has the American flag on her lap or dress??
Inusk, Kickapoo Chief's Daughter, By Lenny And Jordan, 1880-1890
Julie Nelson, 1886
Comanche Girl, 1885
Kiowa Girl, 1890
Hopi Girl On Her Wedding Day, 1900
Amie And Carrie, Kiawah, By George A. Addison,1895
Hopi Girls, 1900, By Frederick Monsen
Alice, Unknown Tribe (possibly Cayuse, Walla Walla, Or Umatilla), 1900
Na-din-praquai-gizay (ramona)
Arapaho Girl Only Child Saved Out Of Sand Creek Massacre, 1870-1880, By Mckinney, Albert S.
It is interesting how back in the day they would only color in one or two items of a photo
Hopi Girls, 1900
A Yankton Girl
Comanche Girls, 1880-1889
Susan Bullock-tibbitts, 1895
and then we raped them, killed their families to stole their lands
Native American is not the right term to use as these people are not Americans historically. The should be called the Rightful Inhabitants.
All politics aside, these women were gorgeous. Life was considerably harder on them than a 21st century female (most assuredly) but these ladies exude a timeless attraction that few exhibit today: they weathered well. There is little wonder why the 19th century warrior would want to protect his woman with such fervour. I find these images inspiring, if not necessary politically correct.
With one or two exceptions all the pictures are photoshoped. some are great pictures, but they were not taken more than 3-4 years ago.
All so stunningly and diversely, beautiful! Wonderful old images and glimpse into the past.
#22 laughable ID: that is the name of a Commanche war chief who also was a leader in Peace talks and reservation issues.
I call them the Naturals as they were not Native Americans ! I am sad and angry as to what we did to them in the name of progress, greed and averas ! Its not in our history books !
Princess Leia hairdo is very similar to the Hopi ladies do's, just saying....
Is photo #21 taken post mortem? Or just suffering from particularly bad photo restoration?
We didn't do it,CONGRESS did.Responding as registered Native American with CDIB on file.This land is not YOUR land,Tnhis land is OUR land,A-ha-lonnie-chuh,paleface
They were the purest human souls that ever walked the earth. Our greed, ambition, ignorance signed their fate...
and then we raped them, killed their families to stole their lands
Native American is not the right term to use as these people are not Americans historically. The should be called the Rightful Inhabitants.
All politics aside, these women were gorgeous. Life was considerably harder on them than a 21st century female (most assuredly) but these ladies exude a timeless attraction that few exhibit today: they weathered well. There is little wonder why the 19th century warrior would want to protect his woman with such fervour. I find these images inspiring, if not necessary politically correct.
With one or two exceptions all the pictures are photoshoped. some are great pictures, but they were not taken more than 3-4 years ago.
All so stunningly and diversely, beautiful! Wonderful old images and glimpse into the past.
#22 laughable ID: that is the name of a Commanche war chief who also was a leader in Peace talks and reservation issues.
I call them the Naturals as they were not Native Americans ! I am sad and angry as to what we did to them in the name of progress, greed and averas ! Its not in our history books !
Princess Leia hairdo is very similar to the Hopi ladies do's, just saying....
Is photo #21 taken post mortem? Or just suffering from particularly bad photo restoration?
We didn't do it,CONGRESS did.Responding as registered Native American with CDIB on file.This land is not YOUR land,Tnhis land is OUR land,A-ha-lonnie-chuh,paleface
They were the purest human souls that ever walked the earth. Our greed, ambition, ignorance signed their fate...