A new glass display case filled with items honoring Chief Satanta and the Kiowa tribe has been installed at Satanta High School. The case itself was purchased with funds from a grant provided by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and contains memorabilia including a red tipi given to the school by Betty J. Sankadota Washburn, great-great granddaughter of Kiowa Chief Set-Tainte (Satanta) on a recent visit to Satanta, Kansas.
It was after this visit during which Washburn, wearing a red shawl with yellow fringe, the traditional war colors of the Kiowa, spoke at the Satanta Chamber Commerce of Banquet that the idea of creating a permanent display case was hatched. Satanta Junior High Social Studies teacher and Haskell County Historical Society board member Erika Alexander suggested that a permanent place for the red tipi, which would face east as per Kiowa tradition, would need to be found.
Satanta Superintendent Karen Burrows drafted a grant proposal for the purpose of securing a glass case for this new display, submitting it to the DAR. Upon receiving the grant, Alexander enlisted the help of fellow Satanta High School teachers Tim Dusin and Ryan Burrows in ordering and later assembling the case with the assistance of students from Dusin’s and Burrows’ Enrichment classes including Edwin Arana and Alexis Macias. The case was moved into position in the concession area on December 1, 2023.
The process of selecting items for the case had already begun, and these historical items, including coins, postcards, and the White Bear Descendants vest that had been given to Burrows at the aforementioned Chamber Banquet, were placed on display. Improvements to the installation are currently underway including hanging white fabric behind the glass case and adding note cards that explain each item’s importance to the Chief Satanta story.
A call has gone out to members of the Satanta community asking for other items to be added to the case as loans or donations. “It is vital,” said Burrows, “that these items be related to Chief Satanta and the Kiowa tribe’s rich history. It is our intention to honor and respect the tribe.” In an effort to further preserve Satanta’s long-standing connection with the White Bear Descendants, Burrows and Alexander are also exploring the possibility of working with students to archive the Satanta Day documents held at the Dudley Township Library.