National Museum of the American Indian

Elizabeth K. Steen photographs from Brazil

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAI.AC.196
Creators:
Steen, Elizabeth K.
Dates:
circa 1930-1931
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.02 Linear feet
15 Photographs
Repository:
This collection contains 15 photographs depicting Karajá (Caraja) peoples of Tocantins State in Brazil, circa 1930-1931.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
N36713-N36718,N41496, P11935-P11942
This collection contains 15 photographs (including 7 copy negatives) that were shot by anthropologist Elizabeth K. Steen circa 1930-1931. The photographs depict the Karajá (Caraja) peoples of Tocantins State in Brazil. The photographs include portraits of individuals in traditional dress, as well as scenes of daily life such as preparing meals, body painting, and carrying water.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Collection arranged by Catalog number.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Born in 1886, Elizabeth Kilgore Steen was an explorer and anthropologist. She studied anthropology at the University of California. Steen visited Karajá (Caraja) and Tapirapé (Tapirape) villages in Brazil circa 1930-1931. Her publications include the 1937 children's book,
Red Jungle Boy
, which she wrote and illustrated. She died in 1938.

Administration

Author
Emily Moazami
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Museum purchase from Elizabeth Steen, 1936.
Processing Information
Collection record written by Emily Moazami, 2019.
Separated Materials
This National Museum of the American Indian also holds Karajá (Caraja) objects collected by Elizabeth K. Steen: Object numbers 189729-189853.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Elizabeth K. Steen photographs from Brazil, Item Number, NMAI.AC.196; National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited users to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not changed, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian.

Related Materials
The Smithsonian Institution Libraries hold a copy of Elizabeth K. Steen's book Red Jungle Boy (call no. F2230.S77 1937)

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Karajá (Caraja) Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brazil Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Indians of South America -- Brazil Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Museum of the American Indian
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nmaiarchives@si.edu