Total Number Of Pages: 1
Source: Scanned from the original photograph which is 10 inches in height and 8 inches in width.
Language: English
Coverage: Unknown
Creators:
Red Thunder Cloud [Cromwell Ashbie Hawkins West]
Rights: No Known Copyright Restrictions
Description: The reverse reads:
"This is a very clear photo of Ann Todd Cuffee who was the sister of the man sleeping in the Ice Wagon in Photo 13, and the sister of Amelia Halsey who appears in Photos 2 and 15. Her mother Louisa Cotton Cuffee appears in Photo 5. Like other Long Island Indians of the period around the late nineteenth century and early 20th century, Ann Cuffee made attempts to recreate what she and others thought were copies of ancient tribal regalia. In many cases these costumes only faintly resembled the clothing of their ancestors.
It must be borne in mind that early English missionaries on Long Island did all that they could to discourage the Indians from using their native languages, dances and ceremonies, thus convincing the Indians that the only proper way was to adopt the ideals and customs of Christianity.
Thus it was, that much of the culture of the people was lost, and among them ideas as to what really constituted tribal costumes were most vague. The situation was not the same in upper New York State where the fiercely independent Iroquois tribes, even when many adopted the garb of English settlers, they still treasured old regalia and handed them down from one generation to another."
