This is a fantastic original 19th Century image of a Dakota Sioux warrior wearing a mirror otter sash identifying him as being part of the Lakota Ihoka Badger Society. The piece is from Hohhof's Photography of Chicago and is marked on the back, Dakota Sioux. The image shows the warrior with beaded feather headdress pulling back the sinew bow string with arrow in hand having an impressive hairpipe bone breastplate and the iconic mirror and otter fur Badger Society sash as well as beaded moccasins. The Iho’ka or Badger Society was one of the Aki’cita eligible societies. Aki’cita (or Akicita) has been often translated as “soldier” or “warrior” but its more accurate implied meaning is more appropriately as “guard” or “police”. These Aki’cita Societies would act as “guards” and watch over the tribe when the tribe moved from one place to another and keep watch for enemy activity when a camp was chosen. Aki’cita also acted as “civil police” to preserve order in the camp and had the right to punish offenders of tribal codes or conduct. Warriors chosen to serve as Aki’cita also had the responsibility to maintain strict control during a Buffalo hunt. The Iho’ka (Ihoka) Badger Society were considered amongst the most extreme warriors of the Aki’cita. They were said to have been started by a man who dreamed of a badger. They often took great risks against seemingly insurmountable odds, emulating the great tenacity found in the behavior of a badger, who would not think twice about going nose to nose with a bear ten times its own size and winning the fight. Among the notable insignia of this society are the society’s crooked lances wrapped in wolf skin, quirts with one serrated edge and otter fur wrist loops along with otter skin yokes which were later adorned with trade mirrors to blind their enemies. This original photograph cabinet card is well kept. From the Jim Aplan Piedmont, South Dakota collection. Measures 6.5" by 4.25". U6