Under the supervision of Dr. Reilley Bishop-Stall, my ARIA project examined a prominent series of photographs foundational to Turtle Island’s photographic history in representations of Indigenous people. These photos were taken at Notman Studios in Montréal in August of 1885, picturing William ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody and his Wild West Show’s actors in several quintessential portraits and group photographs. The project focused on the Hunkpapa Lakota leader Tatanka Iyotanka, whose English name was Sitting Bull. He performed as an actor in the Wild West Show briefly in the summer of 1885 and was present at the show’s debut in Montréal. As a Chief, a Medicine Man, and a critical activist for his community, his historical impact cannot be understated, yet within historical memory, much of his political fortitude has been forgotten in the shadow of his mythologization within the narrative of the American ‘West.’ Tatanka Iyotanka’s resistance to settler-colonialism reached far beyond his work within the Wild West Show; however, these photographs are among the images by which his celebrity was cemented. My research project looked to critically analyze the fame of these photographs as a springboard to launch a critical conversation about representations of Indigenous people in Canada’s history.
I was interested in undergoing an ARIA project when I attended the 2023 Annual Faculty of Arts Undergraduate Research Event. While observing the ground-breaking work of fellow undergraduate students, I found myself incredibly inspired. I recall a fellow Art History student who had researched ethical practices of display for contemporary Indigenous art, and I admired how she mobilized the study of art to create meaningful ripples in the world.
I connected my ambition to undergo research within Art History with my marvellous professor, Dr. Reilley Bishop-Stall, who taught a course focusing on Indigenous photography in Canada. After approaching her with my research ideas, we decided to concentrate on archival photographs of Indigenous people in Canada to trace the ongoing implications of settler-colonial photography today. This led us to the famous Tatanka Iyotanka and Buffalo Bill photographs from 1885.
My primary learning objectives revolved around understanding how to conduct effective archival research. The Notman Archives are located at the McCord Stewart Museum, so I was able to take part in archival research in person. My supervising professor guided how to do such research, and this included working with an archivist at Notman, Heather McNabb. Using the Notman Internal Database taught me how to use advanced databases, and how to properly search to achieve the desired results. As well, this research project developed my online research skills through a variety of mediums including the McGill Library Catalogue, online archives such as Library and Archives Canada, and Bibliotèque et Archives Nationales du Québec (BAnQ). With BAnQ, I spent many hours scouring digitized newspapers from Montréal published in 1885, and these sources were indispensable to understanding the context of the Wild West Show’s visit.
Furthermore, this ARIA project provided me with the chance to handle the physical archival photographs, and this was a rewarding experience. As an Art History student, so much of studying involves viewing prints of art, so it is rare indeed to be able to see an object of study in person. I learned about the importance of reaching out to archivists and scholars to enrich my findings. My experience at the Notman Archives was exceedingly gratifying and valuable.
This research project involved uncovering disturbing truths in Canadian and American history and the greatest challenge was seeing the racism and cruelty committed by settlers against Indigenous people. Understanding and reckoning with this past is essential to decolonial efforts on Turtle Island; however, it was upsetting to research at times. Also, so much of archival research—newspapers, official government correspondence, and bureaucratic documents—is filtered through colonial and often racist mindsets. These biases lead to misinformation, and certain findings were difficult to verify.
As a student who hopes to pursue graduate studies and work within the art industry, ARIA has profoundly shaped my goals. I believe in the significance of art to combat apathetic resignation by compelling individuals to change their corner of the world. In my career, I hope to research more about activist art and to direct my academic pursuits towards the justice-seeking powers of art.
I am indebted to the Garmaise family and Mr. Bram Garber for funding this Award and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity you have provided me with.
