box, birchbark

box, birchbark

box, birchbark

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Introduction

Late 19th century oval lidded Mi'kmaq container made of birchbark sewn with spruce root, with a possibly white ash wood (?) bottom and interior birchbark liner. Fully decorated with quillwork and wrapped spruce root. Geometric motifs include: semi-circular shapes, checkered patterns, chevrons, diamonds, triangles, crosses and possible indications of the four-quadrants, parallel lines, possibly zig-zag lines. Likely made in Nova Scotia between 1870-1880. Collected by Herman ten Kate.

Nation of Maker: Other
Nation of Origin

Museum register indicates: "Micmac"

Place of Origin: Nova Scotia, CAN
Date Made or Date Range: 1870s to 1880
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation, GRASAC generated

Materials

birchbark; possibly white ash wood (?); spruce root; porcupine quills dyed possibly yellow, green, blue, red (?)

Techniques or Format

The sides and lid of this container are made of birchbark decorated with quillwork and sewn with spruce root. The bottom of the container is made of one piece of possibly white ash wood (?). The sides of the lid are decorated with thin strips of wrapped spruce root interwoven with possibly flattened quills to create an intermittent checkered design. Interior band of birchbark forms a liner for the body of the container and projects above the box side which the lid fits over.

Motifs and Patterns

Geometric designs; semi-circular shapes, checkered lines, chevrons, diamonds, triangles, crosses and possible indications of the four-quadrants, parallel lines, possibly zig-zag lines

Additional Context

The semi-circular motifs on the lid of the container are said to have been identified as an earth symbol. (See: Pieter Hovens, with contributions by Duane Anderson, Ted Brasser, Laura van Broekhoven et al. "The Ten Kate Collection 1882-1888". Leiden: ZKF Publishers, 2010.);
It has also been said that the chevron pattern may be a stylized representation of the fir tree (See: Ruth Holmes Whitehead, "Elitekey Micmac Material from 1600 A.D. to the Present". Halifax: Nova Scotia Museum, 1980; and Ruth Holmes Whitehead, "Micmac, Maliseet and Beothuk Collections in Great Britain". Nova Scotia Museum, Curatorial report 66. Halifax, NS.

Other Notes

Quillwork visible on the inside of the lid. "Mic Mac" written in pencil on the container bottom.

Dimensions: 11.7 × 6.5 × 5 cm
Condition: Overall good, fading to quillwork dyes
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Museum documentation

Current Location: Museum Volkenkunde, Leiden, Netherlands
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 362-8
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 1883
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Herman ten Kate
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1870-1880
Collection Narratives and Histories

Purchased from Herman ten Kate in 1883. Publication material indicates that other Mi'kmaq objects in the ten Kate collection were likely purchased by him at a souvenir shop in Niagara Falls.

Publication History

Pieter Hovens, with contributions by Duane Anderson, Ted Brasser, Laura van Broekhoven et al. "The Ten Kate Collection 1882-1888". Leiden: ZKF Publishers, 2010;
Ruth Holmes Whitehead, "Elitekey Micmac Material from 1600 A.D. to the Present". Halifax: Nova Scotia Museum, 1980;
Ruth Holmes Whitehead, "Micmac, Maliseet and Beothuk Collections in Great Britain". Nova Scotia Museum, Curatorial report 66. Halifax, NS.

GKS Reference Number: 25755
Approximate Place of Origin

45.3658, -63.3665

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