The murals reveal the artists’ traditional instruction in Kiowa aesthetics, from calendar-keeping to hide-painting and back to petroglyphs. The artists translated from Cáigù to the visual expression in the mural painting. Kiowa elders gathered in dialogue to share historical experiences, speaking in the Cáigù (Kiowa) language and advising the artists on the subject matter. (Kiowa/Wichita/Delaware/Chickasaw, 1947–2007), Sherman Chaddlesone (Kiowa, 1947–2013), and Mirac Creepingbear (Kiowa, 1947–1990) to paint murals depicting Kiowa creation, history, and contemporary cultural expression. The committee selected Parker Boyiddle, Jr. In 1978, the Kiowa Business Committee responded to the tribal community’s requests to preserve culture and sought tribal members who could share their cultural knowledge. Families are often assigned specific responsibilities and encouraged for their essential manners - respect, contribution, and assistance. Grandparents and other elders share songs, hymns, and prayers to children as instruction of protocols and lessons to be a Kiowa.
The role of Kiowa art in the lives of the Kiowa people embodies intangible teachings in our upbringings: our oral histories, our songs, and our prayers.
