box, quill

box, quill

box, quill

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Introduction

Round lidded birchbark container fully decorated in quillwork with floral quatrefoil or four-petalled flower design on the lid. Sweetgrass wrapped with black commercial thread forms the lid trim. Created by Josette Debussige ("Debassige"), Anishinaabe from M'Chigeeng, Manitoulin Island in 2007, and purchased and collected by Pieter Hovens during a field trip in 2008.

Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Nation of Origin

Museum documentation indicates: "Chippewa"

 

Place of Origin: M'Chigeeng First Nation
Date Made or Date Range: 2007
Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

Museum documentation, GRASAC generated

Materials

birchbark; sweetgrass; porcupine quills natural and dyed brown, green, purple and yellow; black commercial thread

Techniques or Format

This container is made of birchbark that is fully decorated with quillwork. Sweetgrass wrapped with black commercial thread is secured along the bottom of the lid to form a trim. It appears that the quillwork on the body of the container only goes up half-way along the sides, allowing the lid to fit securely over top.

Motifs and Patterns

Purple four-petalled flower or quatrefoil with yellow centre, surrounded with green and brown stem and leaves.

Additional Context

Quatrefoils may be a possible adaptation of the wild rose which grew vastly throughout Anishinaabe territory; four-petalled flowers may be possible indication of the four-quadrants. (See: Frances Densmore, "Chippewa Customs", Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 86, Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1929, pp 186).

Other Notes

Lid is very tight, refrained from removing

Dimensions: 0 × 0 × 7 cm
Condition: Very good, all quillwork intact
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: 6089-8
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 2008
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Pieter Hovens
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 2008
Collection Narratives and Histories

Pieter Hovens

GKS Reference Number: 26688
Approximate Place of Origin

45.8293, -82.516

Source of Information about Places

Museum documentation indicates "USA"; but maker, Josette Debassige, was from M'Chigeeng (formerly West Bay), Manitoulin Island

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