People of the Big Voice

December 1, 2011

Through the prescient stewardship of small-town librarian Frances R. Perry, a neglected collection of glass-plate negatives from the Black River Falls portrait studio of Charles Van Schaick was preserved and now resides safely at the Wisconsin Historical Society. The collection is an eloquent portrait of the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) tribe of Wisconsin, which is considered their settled homeland after decades of forced migrations in the 19th century. This volume presents 330 (of the 5000-plus images in the collection) duotone photographs taken over six decades. Three essays by Jones (photography, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison) and other scholars introduce the images and provide historical context. The meticulous documentation process included eliciting identifications from the tribal elders. Each photograph is captioned with the English and Ho-Chunk name of the subjects along with notes on special dress. Although taken in a studio with backdrops and props, the photographs are rich with cultural information, particularly as they depict clothing and material culture of the period. VERDICT While Van Schaick was a commercial photographer, and the Ho-Chunk paying customers, the images are captivating, respectful, and dignified.--Nancy B. Turner, Syracuse Univ. Lib., NY

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