Upsichtä, Mandan Man

Description

Upsichtä ( "Great Blackness") was a warrior with a record of many brave deeds, including the killing of three Assiniboins in one battle. His chest and shoulders are painted with white clay, and he has apparently daubed more of the same material on his hair. According to Maximilian, face and body painting were matters of personal taste and whim, except when the paint was applied for ritual reasons or to represent war accomplishments. On social occasions the men would paint themselves in any fashion they thought handsome, each endeavoring to be different from his fellows. A mirror is bound to the base of Upsichtä's eagle wing fan. Mirrors were purchased from the traders and mounted in hand-carved wooden frames. They were carried everywhere by the young men, who used them constantly to check their appearance. The frames were often painted, studded with brass nails, or tied with cloth or fur ribbons.