James Auchiah
James Auchiah was a prominent Kiowa artist and cultural leader, recognized for his contributions to Native American art and history. As the grandson of Chief Satanta, he held significant cultural heritage, which influenced his work and leadership within the Native American Church. Auchiah studied under the Kiowa Five, a group of influential Native American artists, and gained acclaim for his artistic talents, winning an award at the Southwest States Indian Art Show in 1930. His mural work is notable, including a major commission for the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C., depicting the Harvest Dance. Auchiah's art is preserved in various prestigious collections, such as the National Museum of the American Indian and the University of Oklahoma Museum of Art. Beyond his artistic endeavors, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II and later contributed to the U.S. Army Artillery and Missile Center Museum. His legacy remains significant in discussions of Native American cultural representation and artistry.
James Auchiah
- Born: 1906
- Birthplace: Medicine Park, Oklahoma Territory (now Oklahoma)
- Died: December 28, 1974
- Place of death: Carnegie, Oklahoma
Category: Artist
Tribal affiliation: Kiowa
Significance: Auchiah was one of the Kiowa artists who created the Oklahoma style of Native American painting in the early to mid-twentieth century
Auchiah was a Kiowa and a grandson of Chief Satanta. He was an authority on Kiowa history and culture and also a leader of the Native American Church. He took noncredit art classes with the Kiowa Five group at the University of Oklahoma in 1927.
In 1930, Auchiah won an award at the Southwest States Indian Art Show in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which led to commissions to paint murals in a number of public buildings, including the Fort Sill Indian School, Muskogee Federal Building, Northeastern State University (Oklahoma), and St. Patrick’s Mission School. The most important of his murals was a commission in Washington, D.C., for the Department of the Interior, in which the Bureau of Indian Affairs is located. This mural, which is 8 feet high and 50 feet long, represents the theme of the Harvest Dance.
Auchiah’s work is included in public and private collections, including the National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian), University of Oklahoma Museum of Art, and the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument (Florida). He served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II and later worked for the U.S. Army Artillery and Missile Center Museum, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.