Tanned hide with glass beads Rows of red, white, and blue beads forms US flags on the back of this vest. Flags became particularly widespread motifs in Plains art in the late 19th century, when the US sought to ban Indigenous religious observances, including the Sun Dance. State-sanctioned Fourth of July celebrations occurred during Sun Dance season, providing Native peoples opportunities to gather communally and maintain some aspects of this worship. Here, crossed poles form a four-direction symbol and evoke Plains cosmologies. The flag holds a wide range of associations within Native nations. For some individuals, the flag may symbolize oppression; for others, it embodies patriotism, especially for Native American soldiers, who have fought for the US military in every war since 1776.