daled by their colors, george catlin wrote, "after they took their leave, i was left to reflect. the history and customs of such a people, preserved by pictorial illustration, are themes worthy of the lifetime of one man. and nothing, short of the loss of my life, shall prevent me from visiting their country, and becoming their historian." ( crows cawing ) 1830: catlin became the first american artist to document indian life. ( native chanting ) "clear the way; in a sacred manner i come. the earth is mine." ( birds chirping ) some years later, the artist wrote, "i love a people who have always made me welcome to the best they had; who are honest without laws,ho have no jails, no poorhouse. and , how i love a peopl who don't live for the love of money." they trusted catlin. he was privileged to paint rituals which no white man had ever seen before: the steam baths of the mandan; sacred dancing; ( men chanting ) ( horse whinnying ) the sacrifice; tragedy. ( fire crackling ) to promote the indian cause, catlin dreamed of seeing his paintings in a national museum. finding neither sup

daled by their colors, george catlin wrote, "after they took their leave, i was ft to reflect. the history and customs of such a people, preserved by pictorial illustration, are themes worthy of the lifetime of one man. and nothing, short of the loss of my life, shall prevent me from visiting their country, and becoming their historian." ( crows cawing ) 1830: catlin became the first american artist to document indian life. ( native chanting ) "clear the way; in a sacred manner i come. the earth is mine." ( birds chirping ) some years later, the artist wrote, "i love a people who have always made me welcome to the best they had; who are honest without laws, who have no jails, no poorhouse. and , how i love a people who don't live for the love of money." they trusted catlin. he was privileged to paint rituals which no white man had ever seen before: the steam baths of the mandan; sacred dancing; ( men chanting ) ( horse whinnying ) the sacrifice; tragedy. ( fire crackling ) to promote the indian cause, catlin dreamed of seeing his paintings in a national museum. finding neither