By: Frank Day
Konkow Maidu Tribe
1967

This painting by Frank Day shows an image of a young woman and her child being attacked by a bloodthirsty bear. The bear is portrayed as a monstrous, evil creature preying on an innocent Indian mother and the sleeping child. We can see that the mother and child were resting and enjoying the peace of their land, emphasizing the Native American connection to the natural world. The central image in this artwork however, is the large white horse kicking the predator behind him. The bear represents danger and threats facing the Indians in their own land. The horse is tied to the ground, giving us the sense that he is probably a domesticated animal and owned by the woman, and yet he still attempts to fight off the bear. From the blood on the horse’s hooves, we can infer that the bear was successfully wounded, and potentially scared off.

Frank Day utilizes his ancient family tales that were passed down to paint an image of how close his ancestors were with the animals in their land. The Native American people had a strong love for animals especially for horses which were used heavily in wars, everyday chores, and overall protection, even though they were brought by the Europeans. He conveys this relationship through his artwork, and captures the kinship between the Indians and the animals they relied on. The serene background and tranquil nature of the painting further reiterates the spirituality of the native land.

 In contrast to the European way of thinking, Native American culture emphasized the importance of animals having equal rights in the land. The natives trained and took good care of these animals that the Spanish conquistadors neglected. This gentle and loving Native American attitude towards animals symbolizes the values and tradition of the land. This can be used to broaden the narrative of American history overall, as the Indian emphasis on animals also served to influence the development of the Great Plains culture. Plains Indians had a nomadic cultural way of life and placed importance on an equestrian culture as well, with horse and herding culture dominating the 18^th and 19^th centuries.  It also speaks on how deeply the natives were ingrained into the land. People often tend to think that animals were simply used for the sole benefit of the Indians, but this image represents the mutual love between owner and “pet”.  Native American kinship with horses established strong hunting grounds for buffalo, increased motility and enabled the people to expand further into the Americas, specifically the southern regions which allowed for more trade and spread of culture. Frank Day’s painting captures the essence of Native American relation to the world around them, and allows us to understand the implications of this relationship.