Made of black wool fabric, silk, cotton fabric, canvas, caribou hide, glass beads, sinew, thread.

Bag lined with cotton and bound with sinew. Interior has a separator of cotton fabric to make two pockets. Top has a slight curvature. Strap of canvas is attached to pieces of caribou hide stitched to upper corners.

Bilaterally symmetrical floral beaded designs decorate pouch front and flap. Central rosette, rosebuds, thistles and tiny paired leaves occur along with other floral motifs. Tiny four-lobed figures occur at centre top of both design areas; some outlining of motifs with a second colour.

Shot pouches were used as containers to hold shot, percussion caps and gun powder. The size of the hunter's fist determined the size of the bag, approximately 20cm x 20cm (Oberholtzer 2005: 294).

Cath Oberholtzer notes "TheEeyou (Mistissini- Eastern James Bay Quebec Cree) explains the decoration of clothing and hunting equipment as not only showing respect to the prey but also ensuring that the spirit of the object "does its proper job in the hunt" (Tanner 1979:142). According to Tanner, although the Mistassini were reluctant to provide any direct symbolic meaning, they did reveal that the instructions for making the decorations on the various charms and items of hunting equipment are dreamed by the hunters, although some wives may decide the correct design" (Oberholtzer 2005:293). Cath Oberholtzer, "Material Culture of the Mistassini Cree: Local Expression or Regional Style?" Papers of the Thirty-sixth Algonquian Conference. Christoph Wolfart, editor. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba. pp. 287-321.

NMAI Catalog Card.

Item to be cited by Catalog Number, Collection and Institution.

This record was created as part of a practicum in fall 2008.

None. Eeyou (Mistissini- Eastern James Bay Quebec Cree)