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Cayuse twins in cradleboards, October 2, 1898
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| Title | Cayuse twins in cradleboards, October 2, 1898 |
| Photographer | Moorhouse, Lee |
| Studio Location | United States--Oregon--Pendleton |
| Date | 1898 |
| Notes | Various Plateau Indian tribes in interior Washington and Oregon traditionally put their infants in cradleboards. Being wrapped tightly and laced into the cradleboard seemed to have a calming effect on the babies. Cradleboards were often made of wood, with a covering of leather or fabric. Some were quite plain while others were highly decorated with beadwork and shells. Larger cradleboards were made for the infants as they grew.
In this photo, Cayuse twins Tax-a-Lax and Alompum (Emma and Edna Jones) look out from their undecorated wood and fabric cradleboards. One source identifies the twins as grandnieces of Chief Joseph. The photograph, taken in or before 1898 and also known as "The Cayuse Twins, " was one of Lee Moorhouse's most popular images. The Cayuse people, one of many Plateau groups, live in northeastern Oregon.
Caption on image: "Copyrighted 1898 by Lee Moorehouse" [sic]
Lee Moorhouse, an early Oregon pioneer, took up photography in 1897. He was active in farming, commerce, and politics, documented the growth and social life of Pendleton and Umatilla County until his death in 1926. From 1889 to 1891, Moorhouse served as Indian Agent on the Umatilla Reservation, and many of his subjects were members of the Umatilla, Cayuse, and Walla Walla tribes.
Caption information from Nigel Russell, "Processes and Pictures: The Beginnings of Photography and of Photographing American Indians, " in Spirit Capture: Photographs from the National Museum of the American Indian., p. 127; and Steven L. Grafe, "Lee Moorhouse: Photographer of the Inland Empire." Oregon Historical Quarterly 98, no. 4 (Winter 1997-98): 426-477. |
| Subjects | Tax-a-Lax (Cayuse Indian); Alompum (Cayuse Indian); Cayuse Indians--Children; Cayuse Indians--Arts & crafts; Cradleboards; Children--Oregon--Pendleton Region; Twins--Oregon--Pendleton Region |
| Location Depicted | Oregon--Pendleton Region |
| Object Type | Silver gelatin prints |
| Physical Description | Silver gelatin print |
| Negative Number | SHS 17, 303 |
| Digital Collection | American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Images
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| Collection | Seattle Historical Society Collection |
| Repository | Museum of History and Industry, Seattle
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| Ordering Information | To order a reproduction or inquire about permissions see:
http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/ordering.php
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| Restrictions | http://content.lib.washington.edu/aipnw/copyrights.html |
| Transmission Data | Image/JPEG |
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