PINK, PURPLE, WHITE DYED PORCUPINE QUILL WORK (QUILLS FLATTENED & WRAPPED AROUND BUCKSKIN FRINGE. GLASS BEADS: RED, YELLOW, BLUE, GREEN, BROWN & WHITE ALL GEOMETRIC DESIGNS. SOME BEADS & QUILLWORK IS MISSING. SEE CONSERVATION REPORT.
NORTHERN PLAINS INDIGENOUS CULTURE. USED TO STORE PIPES.
22 OCTOBER 2021 UPDATE: THE LABEL TEXT QUOTED BELOW WAS DEVELOPED WITH KAINAI ELDERS FOR A SUB-THEME WITHIN THE EXHIBIT ‘MADE IN’, TITLED ‘NIITSITAPISSKSAHKOYI’ AND INSTALLED WITHIN THE GALT IN 2021. ELDERS WHO PROVIDED MUSEUM CURATOR AIMEE BENOIT WITH DIRECTION ON SUBTHEME’S CONTENT INCLUDED: AAGOHH GISS STSISTIIGIIAAKII (MANY OFFERINGS WOMAN, GRETA MANY BEARS), GUUYII STAA BAAMUUGHKAA (WALKING ON TOP, RAYMOND MANY BEARS), NIINAA PIIKSII (CHIEF BIRD, MIKE BRUISED HEAD), MO’TOKAANII’PO (WALKING WITH A SCALP, HARRISON RED CROW) AND MIINIIPOKA (SACRED BERRY CHILD, PETER WEASEL MOCCASIN). THE GALT APPRECIATED THE GENEROSITY OF THE ELDERS WHO SHARED THEIR KNOWLEDGE FOR THIS EXHIBIT PROJECT.
“SOYAAHKOINNIMAAN (PIPE BAG): THIS PIPE BAG IS DECORATED USING BOTH BEADS AND PORCUPINE QUILLS.
‘WHEN MY DAD WAS STILL ALIVE, HE MADE TWO FORKED STICKS AND HE HAD A BLANKET. AND IF WE EVER SAW A PORCUPINE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, WE STOPPED. AND THEN MY BROTHER OR MY NEPHEW WOULD PUT ONE STICK ON THE PORCUPINE’S HEAD AND ONE ON THE BACK. MY DAD WOULD THROW THE BLANKET OVER THE PORCUPINE AND THEN ALL THE QUILLS WOULD GO INTO THE BLANKET. THE HAIR WAS ALSO USED TO MAKE ROACHES. THE ANIMAL WAS SET FREE AGAIN AFTER THAT.’ – AAGOHH GISS STSISTIIGIIAAKII
‘THE MOUNTAIN DESIGN, THE DIAMOND DESIGN, THESE ARE TYPICAL BLACKFOOT ORIGIN, BUT THIS PIECE MAY HAVE BEEN A GIFT FROM DIFFERENT TRIBES. QUILLWORK WAS USED AMONG ALL TRIBES; ALL TRIBES DID USE THIS TECHNIQUE, BUT THE PATTERN LOOKS MORE CHEYENNE. THIS WAS PIECED FROM SOMETHING ELSE; YOU CAN TELL THERE WAS A POCKET. EVERYTHING WAS PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS RECYCLED.’ – MO’TOKAANII’PO”