February 24, 2013 – January 16, 2014

Oskate Wicasa:  One Who Performs

         An Oskate Wicasa or “one who performs” was an American Indian, most frequently Lakota, who performed in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West.  The museum’s temporary exhibit “Oskate Wicasa: One Who Performs,” is aimed at both recognizing the important role that the American Indians played in the Wild West and continuing efforts to show the positive relationship that they had with Buffalo Bill.  The exhibit features a series of outstanding photographs of some of the individuals who performed in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West, taken by William Rau in 1900, as well as artifacts from the show.  Those artifacts include a full headdress that belonged to Iron Tail, and presented to Buffalo Bill, and a business card used by Sam Lone Bear.  The former illustrates the friendship between Iron Tail and Buffalo Bill while the latter shows the seriousness and pride with which one Oskate Wicasa approached his role in the Wild West.  A muslin coat that acted as a war record, which belonged to Short Bull, is also on exhibit for the first time in a number of years.  The exhibit will continue through January 26, 2014.