Quills and plant fibres

Quill wrapping, quill work imbrication, twined plant fibres, woven plant fibres, and fancy quill plaiting.

Laura Peers believes the bag was constructed like other Great Lakes bags. The plant fibres are used for the warp. The weaver would have started with the bottom, so that what looks like the “top” of the pouch is actually the bottom or end of weaving process. There is also quill plaited in red, and then plant fibre along the top edge. Alan Corbiere also noted that bigger bags are made in this style: using woven vegetal fibre with a thong and quill wrap, though he didn't realize they could be decorated using imbrication as is seen with this bag.

Geometric designs produced in four quadrants. White triangles are connected to form zig zags diagonally across each quadrant, bisecting each into an orange half and a brown half. The bottom of the top left quadrant (brown in colour) flows into the top of the bottom left quadrant (brown in colour). Similarly the bottom of the top right quadrant (orange in colour) flows into the top of the bottom right quadrant.

Alan Corbiere and Laura Peers agreed that colours and patterns of this pouch are reminiscent of prisoner ties and burden straps, though they are not sure if the technique used is the same. Alan Corbiere noted that prisoner ties were used in the 17th century, which may support the earlier date range for this bag.

The quill wrapping was identified by the shininess of the material.

The following notes were provided to GRASAC by Tom Paulsen via the Contribute Knowledge webform in December 2023:
The tradition of weaving and use of adding moose hair into the twinned elements is called "false embroidery." These bands number less than about 12 known items. All except one have this red/orange mirrored design, which Tom Paulsen believes to have been produced using blood root. The black colour is walnut combined with iron in order to get a really intense black, while the white is the natural color of moose hair. These bags are usually attributed to the Huron people, and the only one out of the few that he has seen did not have this style or color/design arrangement. Also, the majority of these bags exist in European museums in France, England, Germany, etc., but that does not mean that there are not others located elsewhere not identified as coming from the Americas, in this case Canada. It is also possible that this relative is of Huron origin rather than Ojibway or Iroquoian, as no other examples of this type have been attributed to either community, to the best of his knowledge (Tom Paulsen).

The heritage item’s record states that it was made in the second half of the 17th century, but it is unclear if that is true. GRASAC researchers believe it is possible that it was made in the early to mid 18th century.

Curator Monika Zessnik noted that this pouch came with other items from the Kunstkammer in California, and that the Catalogue card indicates similarities with a pouch in the Sloane collection at the British Museum, Catalogue Number AM,SLMisc.203 (see Related Items, GRASAC ID 26695).
Previously, the location for this item in the GKS was listed as Georgian Bay - though it is unclear why that location was given.

Museum documentation. Additional information is available on the catalogue card in German.

Monika Zessnika mentioned a 1973 article - further details are needed.

Maker Unknown. Gaya:ˀ bag, pouch. GRASAC ID 1229. Ethnologisches Museum Berlin, Catalogue Number IV-B-1.

Data is based off of notes taken during a GRASAC research trip to the Ethnologisches Museum Berlin in May 2019. Members were: Alan Corbiere, Laura Peers, Cara Krmpotich, Hannah Turner (photography), Charlie Feaver (photography), Maureen Matthews, and Monika Zessnik (curator).

Edited by Alesha Grummett-Roesch on July 30, 2020.