Virtual Stories That Object Tell
Kiitokiiksi
Danielle Tailfeathers
Animal hides (elk & deer), beads, synthetic hair, shells, cotton fabrics, feathers, jean material, horsehair, brass studs, bells, leather, craft filler, sweetgrass, sage, cedar, and tobacco. Wood, acrylic paint, and metal rods for the stands.
2020
Kiitokiiksi mean “prairie chickens” in Blackfoot. I chose this name because in the process of making the pieces I thought about my own children. To clarify, my children are a part of the Prairie Chicken family. In the beginning stages, my idea was to imagine how my people may be perceived by non-indigenous and how we are interpreted in history. I’ve now transitioned into the concept of having each doll represent a certain era in time.
Each doll is made from a white cotton fabric similar to a thin animal hide texture, stuffed with craft filler and spiritual medicines such as sweetgrass and sage. My children and I smudge and pray with the dolls as often as we can as I’ve considered them protectors and have immense affection for them.
I’ve also added a mask to each doll to protect them while they are away from home.
The first doll (pictured left) represents my oldest child, Scott. Styled in a “buckskin” shirt and pants, this doll shows an 1800’s design with its top knot hair style and plain work shirt. I used this look to symbolize how my people were seen in the beginning of settler contact.
The second doll (pictured left) represents my middle child, Kenneth. This doll shows a chicken dancer in full regalia. I wanted a more traditional look with the exception of a few contemporary touches. Chicken dancing originates from the Blackfoot people and started as a spiritual society, the Kiikokii society. My idea was to show how we come together through song and dance, apart from ceremonial song and dance. This style of wear shows from settler contact to present day.
The third doll (pictured left) represents my youngest son, Jory. He’s shown in an urban styled ensemble from his matching shirt and shoes to his jean pants. This doll shows how we may dress and conform to society norms, but we have and do certain things that display our cultural independence.
About Danielle Tailfeathers
Danielle Tailfeathers is a Blackfoot mother of three, from the Kainaiwa First Nation. She currently resides in Lethbridge, Alberta while attending the University of Lethbridge to pursue a career in Social Work. Primarily, Danielle has been beading and sewing mainly for beadwork and regalia purposes for over a decade, with casual work in painting and sculpting. She finds herself drawn to working with traditional aesthetics and incorporating family symbols into her pieces.
Additional work by Danielle Tailfeathers
