"Keah-ko ~ Ka'igwu" (Kiowa Winter Count) Poster

Pictorial art was used by Plains Indians to maintain formal calendar records as well as to illustrate stories. The Kiowa had a particularly complex calendar system with events recorded for both summer and winter of each year. Most calendars had very simple pictures that helped calendar keepers remember the name of each year. The Kiowa were also notable for their pictographic histories of tribal events, recorded twice each year. Buffalo hides, as well as deer, elk, and other animal hides, are painted. Clothing and robes are often brain-tanned to be soft and supple. Parfleches, shields, and moccasin soles are rawhide for toughness. In the past, Plains artists used a bone or wood stylus to paint with natural mineral and vegetable pigments. Sections of buffalo rib could be ground to expose the marrow, which was absorbent and worked like a contemporary ink marker. Swelling cottonwood buds provided brown pigment. (Lakota artists used to burn yellow clay to produce ceremonial red paint. Lakotas associated blue pigments with women.) In earlier times, all members of a tribe might paint but highly-skilled individuals might be commissioned by others to create artwork. Before the 20th century, when a Kiowa man needed to repaint his lodge, he would invite 20-30 friends to paint the entire tipi in a single day. He would then treat them all to a feast.