| A Lil Bout Kathy- |
Katherine Dickerson is a member of the Kiowa Tribe in Oklahoma. Some of her lineage goes back to her great grandfather, Haungooah Silverhorn, who was famous for ledger drawings. She is also a descendant of Tongkeahma and Stumbling Bear. Dohausan, Haungooah's father was the principle chief of the Kiowa tribe. Her Grandpa, James Silverhorn, was also a craftsman. (Silverhorn is often misspelled as Silver Horn by " experts" that don't think the Silverhorn's know how to spell their own name) His brother, Dutch Silverhorn was a famous silversmith. Her great uncle Max Silverhorn was noted for beading and featherwork. The Kiowa migrated from the northern plains around the Yellowstone River and Missouri River down to the southwest part of Oklahoma. The terrain is rocky, with rolling hills, windswept bluffs and wide-open plains. Kathy was raised going between St. Louis and her tribal lands in Oklahoma and has spent her entire life learning the crafts, culture, and history of her tribe from elders and her father (Paul Calcaterra, master craftsman and a historian of the Southern Indian Plains Indians). While Kathy has done demonstrations and such as a child, She didn't go public with her crafts till 2000. Depending on the age of the audience and venue Kathy shares history, storytelling, tribal song and dance and her craftsmanship. She uses the hands on approach most often with children. She makes materials the way they were made back in the 1800's. She scrapes her hides and brain tans them. The bags, belts, beaded fans, beaded gourds and footwear that Kathy makes are used in her presentations. For example she tells about the belt bag, like a utility bag, that women wore around the campsite. They used the belt bag to carry all items used for the campsite and fire making. It saved them from having to make numerous trips back to the tipi. When showing regalia Kathy can explain the different kinds of items that are used with the dances that are performed at pow wows; dances such as the rabbit dance, the Kiowa gourd dance, the round dance, the regular war dance and the veterans dance. In her upbringing she was surrounded by cultural awareness and is expected to carry on the ways of the ancestors. Her particular art form is unique, not all due to ability as it is to decision. Her decision was not to follow the modern pow-wow styles but to stay true to her Kiowa traditional craftwork. Using sinew or sometimes cloth thread (both were used in the 1800's) she is able to bring a little of the glorious past to the present day. Her work is as exact and as traditional as she knows how to do it. Kathy enjoys keeping the Kiowa traditions alive, and has been giving demonstrations and lectures in school and other gatherings ever since she was in grade school herself. A short list of some of the places Kathy has demonstrated for: *National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC *Leris and Clark events on the St. Louis Riverfront *Tulsa Arts Festival (!st place winner in cultural art division). *Cahokia Mounds Museum in Illinois for their Rediscover days *Our Lady on the Snows Shrine Cultural Festivals *Daniel Boone Home of Defiance MO *Monsanto Chemical Company/daycare children with employees *Boy scouts of America/ Girl scouts troops *Deaconess College of Nursing *Truman University-Kirksville MO *Washington University *Son of the Confederate Veterans *Veterans admin. building *Township Festivals such as Wildwood, Warson Woods, Maplewood, Fenton, Wentzville MO, St.Louis and St. Louis Country MO fairs. *Rockwood school district *St. Louis City school District *Wentzville school district *Union Mo School District (the list is to extensive to put on here, please call or write for further information) A video interview with Kathy is on exhibit at the Oklahoma History Museum She was also Secretary of the Board of the American Indian Center of St.Louis. |
| You may contact Kathy by Email or Voicemail Kathy's Email- Kathy@kiowakat.com Phone # (314) 226-9883 (at the moment this is a voicemail, leave a message and she will get back with you promptly) |