Georgeann Robinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georgeann Robinson
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| Wah-kah-sah | |
Georgeann Robinson, ribbonwork demonstration
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| Born |
Georgianna Gray
October 17, 1917 Pawhuska, Oklahoma
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| Died | September 4, 1985 (aged 67) |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Georgeann Gray Robinson |
| Occupation | teacher, Native American activist, businesswoman, artist |
| Years active | 1937–1985 |
| Known for | Osage ribbonwork preservation |
Georgeann Robinson (Osage: Wah-kah-sah) was an Osage teacher and businesswoman. She was born on October 13, 1917, and passed away on September 4, 1985. She used her amazing talent for ribbonwork to help keep her people's culture alive.
She received a special award, the National Heritage Fellowship, in 1982 from the National Endowment for the Arts. Her beautiful artwork is displayed in famous museums. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan and the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her work is also at the Southern Plains Indian Museum in Anadarko, Oklahoma. Georgeann was also an activist, working hard for Native American rights. From 1958, she was active in the National Congress of American Indians. In the late 1960s, she became the executive vice president of this important organization.
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Early Life and Education
Georgianna Gray, whose Osage name Wah-kah-sah means "My Deer Is Running Pairs," was born on October 13, 1917. Her hometown was Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Her parents were Jennie and Clarence Gray. She was the youngest of five sisters and had two younger brothers. Her mother passed away when Georgeann was young.
Georgeann attended public school in Pawhuska Indian Village. After eighth grade, she went to the St. Louis Boarding School. This was a girls' academy near Pawhuska. It was run by Catholic missions to educate Osage girls. When she was fifteen, her father died. Her older sister, Genevieve, then helped care for her and her younger brothers.
After high school, Georgeann attended Loretto College in Missouri. This school was run by the same nuns who ran her boarding school. Georgeann was the first full-blooded Native American girl to attend Loretto College. After one year, she returned to Oklahoma. She then enrolled at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. However, she found this school too large. She soon left and enrolled at Northeastern Teacher's College in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. There, she earned her teaching degree.
Career and Activism
In 1937, Georgeann Gray married Frank C. Robinson, who was also a teacher. After their marriage, she took summer courses at the State Normal School of Colorado. She became a history and physical education teacher at Coweta High School. She also coached the girls' basketball team. Georgeann and Frank had two children, Janelle and Keith.
In her free time, Georgeann started doing craftwork. She focused on traditional Osage ribbonwork. She wanted to create clothing for her children to wear in ceremonial dances. In the early 1950s, she realized that only three Osage artists still knew how to do this work. To save this tradition, Georgeann began researching old patterns and techniques. She studied old photographs and garments at the Osage Museum. She knew how to sew from her boarding school training. But she had to learn ribbonwork through practice.
She started collecting tribal dresses from many different tribes. These included Apache, Delaware, Cherokee, and others. As she improved her art, she and her sisters got a trademark for "Ribbonwork, A Specialty." They began taking custom orders for garments. These were usually worn for social events or ceremonies.
Sharing Osage Culture
In 1958, Georgeann and her sisters opened the Redman Store in Pawhuska. They sold their beautiful ribbon appliqué work there. Around this time, she became active in the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). She attended their convention in 1958. By 1960, she was the recording secretary for NCAI. In 1966, she became the first woman elected as vice president of the organization.
Robinson took part in many meetings and conferences. For example, she attended a 1967 conference to improve education for Native American children. This meeting brought together Native American leaders, experts, and government officials. In 1967, she started an annual style show. This was part of the Indian Trail Festival in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The show featured modeling of garments. It also explained the techniques, materials, and meanings of the designs.
In 1968, Georgeann Robinson made headlines. She served as acting president of NCAI for their 25th Annual Convention. It was very unusual for a woman to lead such a meeting. By 1970, she was known as one of the "most influential Indian women in the country." In 1971, she led the Oklahoma Federation of Indian Women. She worked on many issues for Native American civil rights. These included job opportunities, fairness, and education.
Her sisters passed away by 1972. Georgeann then spent more time at the Redman Store. She closed the store in February 1979. After closing the store, she began teaching ribbonwork techniques. She also showed her work across the country. She appeared at places like the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Wyoming. She also demonstrated at the Folklife Festival of the Smithsonian. In 1982, she received the National Heritage Fellowship. This award recognized her work to preserve Osage needlework crafts.
Death and Lasting Impact
Georgeann Robinson passed away on September 4, 1985. She was attending a craft show in Tipton, Indiana. Her funeral was held on September 9 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Federation of Indian Women now gives an annual Humanitarian Award in her honor.
In 1990, a documentary film was released about her. It was called Ribbons of the Osage: The Art and Life of Georgeann Robinson. A book for teachers with the same name also came out. By 1992, the Indian Trail Festival Fashion Show she started had designs from twenty-two different tribes. All the money earned went to scholarship funds for Native American youth.
In 2016, a new medal was created for the National Heritage Fellowship. The ribbon for the medal was designed using Robinson's traditional Osage ribbonwork patterns. Her granddaughter, Lisa Powell, created the ribbon. The new medal was first given to recipients in 2016. Georgeann Robinson's artwork is part of the permanent collections of major museums. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of International Folk Art. It is also at the Southern Plains Indian Museum.
