Tichkematse facts for kids
Tichkematse (born in 1857, died in 1932) was a talented Cheyenne artist. People also knew him as "Squint Eyes" or Quchkeimus. He worked for the famous Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. This was between 1879 and 1881.
His Life and Art
Tichkematse is most famous for his unique "ledger art." He started creating these drawings while he was held as a prisoner of war at Fort Marion in Florida. This was from 1875 to 1878. Even after he was released, he kept making this special art.
What is Ledger Art?
Ledger art is a type of drawing made by Native American artists. They often used old ledger books, which were like accounting notebooks. These books had lines and sometimes numbers. Artists drew on these pages, telling stories about their lives and culture. Tichkematse's art is now part of the Smithsonian Institution's collection. They even published a book filled with his amazing drawings.
Working with the Smithsonian
Tichkematse was not just an artist. He was also very skilled at collecting things. He collected many different bird and mammal specimens. He also gathered various Cheyenne crafts. During this time, he worked with an anthropologist named Frank Hamilton Cushing. An anthropologist is someone who studies human cultures. Together, they helped record Plains Indian Sign Language. This was a way people communicated without speaking.
