Many today assume that the Plains Indian woman was regarded as little more than chattel, but in reality, the social structure of many tribes was much more matriarchal than is generally supposed. Here the artist portrays a mixture of womanly confidence and tenderness in a Cheyenne, who wears an everyday buckskin dress typical of her tribe. The colorfully decorated cradleboard, formed by loving hands, is indicative of the strong affection the people gave their children. - HT