Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

SHOULDER BAG

Date

1892

Materials

BUCKSKIN, COTTON, BEADS, WILLOW STICKS

No. Pieces

1

Length

96.5

Width

26.7

Description

5.7 CM WTH. (BAND), 30.4 CM LTH.(FRINGE LENGTH). FRONT SIDE: BAG DECORATED IN BEADED "CROSS-IN-DIAMOND" GEOMETRIC PATTERN IN PINK, WHITE, RED, BLUE BEADS ON A GREEN BEADED BACKGROUND. BORDERED IN WHITE AND RED BEADS. TOPPED WITH GEOMETRIC FLOWER DESIGN IN BLUE, RED & WHITE BEADS. SLING OR BAND: DECORATED IN GEOMETRIC DESIGN OF RED, WHITE, BLUE AND BRASS BEADS. BACK SIDE: BAG DECORATED IN BEADED "CROSS-IN-CROSS" GEOMETRIC PATTERN IN RED, WHITE, BLUE BEADS ON A WHITE BEADED BACKGROUND. BORDERED IN RED BEADS. TOPPED WITH GEOMETRIC FLOWER DESIGN IN RED, WHITE, BLUE BEADS. BACK SIDE OF SLING UNDECORATED. TOP & BOTTOM OF SLING UNDECORATED. TOP & BOTTOM OF BAG SEWN TO WILLOW "SPREADER" STICKS SET IN COTTON CLOTH. BOTTOM DECORATED WITH LONG FRINGE. BAG ACCESS/MOUTH FROM BACK SIDE.

Subjects

PERSONAL GEAR

Historical Association

DECORATIVE ARTS

ETHNOGRAPHIC

History

BLACKFOOT ORIGIN, CROW INFLUENCE AS EXEMPLIFIED BY CENTRAL PANEL DESIGN. A BLOOD WOMAN, WHOSE CHILDREN HAD DIED OF SMALL POX, GAVE THE BAG TO MRS.COULTRY IN 1892, IN THE RIVER BOTTOM AREA. MRS. COULTRY CAME TO LETHBRIDGE IN 1890. HANDBAG LIKELY MADE FROM LEGGING STRIPS OR BANDS & REMADE INTO HANDBAG. CENTER PANEL LOOM STITCH, INSIDE CENTER PANEL APPLIQUE STRIPS. STRAPS OR LEGGING PIECES VERY TYPICAL OF SIOUX DESIGN & TECHNIQUES. 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: AAKAOHKSI'KITSTAKIYAAKII (MANY OFFERINGS WOMAN, GRETA MANY BEARS), KAIYIITSAPAOMAHKA (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. “SKINITSIMAAN (SHOULDER BAG): THIS BAG HAS BEEN PIECED TOGETHER FROM LEGGING STRIPS OR BANDS AND REMADE INTO A SHOULDER BAG. ‘THIS LOOKS MORE LIKE THE CHEYENNE OR THE SIOUX STYLE. THEY DO SHARE THE MOUNTAIN DESIGN [RED TRIANGLES], BUT WHAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IS THE BLUE RECTANGLES; THEY LOOK LIKE DOORS. AND THE USE OF THE LANE STITCH, COMPARED TO YOUR REGULAR APPLIQUE, GIVES YOU AN INDICATION AS TO WHAT TRIBE. THE CHEYENNE TENDED TO USE THE LANE STITCH IN ROWS. THIS BAG HAS LOOM BEADWORK, AND APPLIQUE, AND THE LANE STITCH – SO THERE’S THREE DIFFERENT TRIBES GOING ON HERE, POSSIBLY. THE LOOM WAS NOT TYPICAL OF BLACKFOOT BEADWORK.’ – MO’TOKAANII’PO ‘THEY HAD INTERMARRIAGE, PEACE TREATIES—THAT’S WHERE A LOT OF THE DESIGNS CAME FROM. THE INTRICATE BEADWORK SLOWLY CHANGED, OR THERE WAS ONE STYLE OF BEADWORK AND MORE WAS ADDED ON… SO, THE BEADWORK ITSELF IS LIKE A WHOLE BOOK; THE TRAVEL AND THE STORY OF THE BEAD IS INTERESTING.’ – NIINAA PIIKSII”

Catalogue Number

P19739452000

Acquisition Date

1973-11

Collection

Museum

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