A Witchita

Witchita · Portfolio 19 · Plate 653

$12,500

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A Witchita chief in full regalia, holding the pose with the ease of long practice.

Curtis spelled it “Witchita.” The modern spelling is Wichita. The people call themselves Kitikiti’sh — raccoon eyes — from the distinctive tattoos around their eyes that resembled a raccoon’s markings. Francisco Coronado encountered the Wichita in 1541 in present-day Kansas, searching for a mythical city of gold called Quivira. The city of Wichita, Kansas carries their name. The ceremonial regalia in this profile — circular disc ornament, geometric headband, cylindrical pendant earrings — is documented here and almost nowhere else.

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