purple cotton with floral motif, unbleached cotton, wool, coloured glass beads, white cotton thread, beige cotton thread, black velvet, beige plaited worsted tape, red plaited worsted tape

The bag is constructed from a piece of unbleached cotton backed with purple cotton with a floral motif. The front of the bag has a central panel that is split into two sections. The bottom section is larger and is solid beadwork appliqué. The top section is a strip of black velvet with beadwork design and is separated from the bottom by two strips of beige plaited worsted tape framing two rows of pink ottertail design. Below the central panel are thirteen beaded tabs that were attached to the bag using thread. Above the central panel is a strap edged with red plaited worsted tape. It was attached with a double strand of beige cotton thread in running stitch. The right and left sides of the central panel are faced with both the beige plaited worsted tape and the black velvet. Three rows of beaded ottertail design, the first in blue beads and the second and third in yellow beads, adorn the velvet. Red plaited worsted tape forms the edge of the bag, attached to the far side of the velvet.
This bag is an example of appliqué beadwork and was made using the overlaid stitch. It has a width of 46.0 cm and a total length of 115.5 cm, including the strap and fringe.

The beadwork on both sections of the central panel is floral. The solid appliqué beadwork of the larger panel has a white background. There is a flower in the lower left hand corner of the panel with two buds off to the right. Out of this flower a stem circles around the bag and ends in the lower right hand corner. Along this stem are six leaves. There are three maple leaves, two are identical, and three additional leaves, two are identical. On the top velvet section there is a white beaded vine the length of the panel. Underneath the vine, on both the left and right sides, there are trefoil leaf sprays. On top of the vine, in the middle of the panel, there is a quatrefoil floret. The thirteen tabs along the bottom of the bag are beaded with seven geometric motifs and have wool tassels at their bottom. They are castellated lines, diagonal stripes, checkerboard, double diamond and X’s in different forms.Theappliqué beadwork on the strap has similarities to the central panel. The background is solid white with a black vine running the length of the strap. On the right side there are three leaves: two maple leaves framing a smaller leaf. On the left side there are two different maple leaves framing a small bud and a small leaf.

Ceremonial dress

Taken from the CMC catalogue card for item

Albert B. Reagan was school superintendent of the Bois Forte Reservation in Northern Minnesota. It was here that he collected the bag. He says that the bag belonged to Ogebaygeshig or All Day.

ARTH 5210 course at Carleton University taught by Ruth Phillips, in collaboration with Judy Hall from the Canadian Museum of Civilization.