emkwaan gnikwaa, spoon or scoop

emkwaan gnikwaa, spoon or scoop

emkwaan gnikwaa, spoon or scoop

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Introduction

This ancestor is a spoon or scoop, emkwaan or gnikwaa. Red brown in colour, this ancestor is carved from wood and has a shallow oval shaped bowl. The front side of the spoon has a zig-zag shaped handle which may represent a lighting bolt or an elbow. The projecting handle is in the shape of an arm and hand, with a black border. The back side of the handle has a human head with a peaked cap, and possible a beard. GRASAC researchers thought the tall hat could indicate that the human is a non-Native person, potentially a Frenchman called "men who wear hats," or that it could be a coup due to the hand touching the head. According to this relative's provenance, this ancestor was used with a beaver bowl. This ancestor is currently located in the Detroit Institute of Arts. 

 

Traditional Knowledge Label
TK Culturally Sensitive
TK Culturally Sensitive

This material has cultural and/or historical sensitivities

Nation of Maker: Ojibwe
Place of Origin: Michigan, USA
Date Made or Date Range: early 1800s
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Detroit Institute of Arts records and GRASAC research notes.

Materials

wood

Techniques or Format

Carved wood, shallow oval bowl.

Motifs and Patterns

Projecting handle in the form of an arm and hand with a human head in a peaked cap on lower side of end. Handle has a zig zag shape as if it were a bolt of lightning, but could also simply represent the elbow.

Additional Context

Alan Corbiere thought that the tall hat could represent a non-Native person (e.g. Frenchman called "men who wear hats"). He identified that there was possibly a beard under the chin. David Penney wondered if it could represent a coup; Alan Corbiere thought it could be, due to the hand touching the head. A coup, or counting coup, is an act of bravery during war: a warrior would try to touch an enemy--on the battlefield or in the enemy's camp--without killing them, and return alive.

Other Notes

According to Pohrt notes, purchased and used with 51.10 (Bowl in the form of a beaver).

Dimensions: 9.625 × 4.875 × 2.375 in
Current Location: Detroit Institute of Arts, MI, USA
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 51.10
Link to Institution's Collections Database: https://dia.org/collection/scoop-or-spoon-2346
Collection at Current Location: Harrow Collection
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1951
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: George J. Heckroth
Collection Narratives and Histories

From the family of Alexander Harrow (1755-1811), British naval officer on the Great Lakes and pioneer settler on the St. Clair River above Algonac.

Source for Provenance information

Detroit Institute of Arts records

GKS Reference Number: 24983
Record Creation Context

This record was augmented by Natasha Fares on January 31st, 2024. The photographs were removed by Natasha Fares January 31, 2024 to respect an agreement between the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Michigan Anishinaabeg Communities of Practice group.

Approximate Place of Origin

43.7918, -84.2994

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