In the Company of Our Relatives – A groundbreaking new book from the Eiteljorg Museum

The Eiteljorg Museum is proud to announce the release of In the Company of Our Relatives: The Richard Pohrt, Jr. Collection, a Native-led publication that shares the voices, perspectives and stories of Indigenous descendants connected to extraordinary Great Lakes artworks and cultural belongings.

Unlike traditional art books, this 303-page volume centers Native essayists whose reflections honor their Ancestors’ creations. Edited by Monica Raphael (Anishinaabe / Sičáŋğu Lakóta), Eiteljorg curator of Great Lakes Native art, and Mary Deleary (Chippewas of the Thames First Nation), Ph.D., the book preserves oral traditions and personal connections, creating an intimate and authentic account of the collection.

About the Collection

In 2019, thanks to a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., the Eiteljorg acquired the Richard Pohrt, Jr. Collection, an exceptional group of Great Lakes cultural belongings dating from the late 18th to mid-20th centuries. These works, lovingly referred to as “Relatives,” include:

• Beaded bandolier bags and moccasins with floral designs
• Ribbonwork shirts, leggings and sashes
• Elaborately adorned cradleboards
• Carved wooden bowls, tools and more

Represented Nations include the Bodwéwadmi (Potawatomi), Cree, Ho-Chunk, Huron, Kickapoo, Lenape, Menominee, Meskwaki, Mohawk, Myaamia (Miami), Odawa, Ojibwe, Otoe-Missouria, Shawnee and Wyandot. Select artworks are now on view in the Eiteljorg’s Native American art galleries exhibition Expressions of Life: Native Art in North America.

Book Launch Event

Celebrate the release of In the Company of Our Relatives at the Eiteljorg on Tuesday, September 16 during the Great Lakes Native Art Convening. Join us for public panel discussions with editors and contributing authors at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., included with museum admission.

Purchase Your Copy

Starting September 16, books will be available in the Eiteljorg Museum Store for $69.95. Citizens of federally recognized Native American tribes and Canadian First Nations receive a 20% discount.

Contact Jeanette Cleveland, manager of retail sales & operations, at jcleveland@eiteljorg.com or 317-275-1349 to pre-order your copy of the book today.