Materials

Fabric: velveteen, cotton, yarn, thread, cotton, bias tape, Seed beads, glass, clear, red (transparent medium red, opaque dusty rose, opaque rose), orange (opaque yam), yellow (opaque lemon), green (transparent dark green), blue (opaque light periwinkle, opaque azure), purple (transparent dark mauve);

Techniques or Format

Hand sewn, Consists of two parts, straps and pocket, Bias tape trimming, Alternating length of tabs with double tuft red, wool yarn knotted to warp ends, Loom-woven beadwork (single warp with double weft); pouch panel sewn shut

Motifs and Patterns

geometric floral; teardrop; parallelogram; diamond; four petalled flower?; eight petalled flower?;

Original and Subsequent Uses

Bandolier bags most likely originated in the Upper Great Lakes region during the 1840s and 1850s. Fashioned exclusively from European materials and adorned with thousands of beads, bandolier bags were primarily for show, as a symbol of identity, wealth and status. Although initially functional, by the late 19th and early 20th centuries many of the bags had false pockets or none at all. Sometimes called "friendship bags", they were often created as gifts to strengthen relationships within communities or between nations. By the 1870s they had become an important element of formal dress worn mainly at ceremonies and celebrations by men, and occasionally by women. They wore them - singly or several at a time - crossed over the torso or draped around the neck. “The wearing of more than one bag was generally the prerogative of a leader or a person of high honour." (McCord, 2013) “Bandoliers were adopted by Ojibwa in 19th century after seeing bullet pouches used by British soldiers. Bullet pouches were plain and decorated with crest or coat of arms. When idea adopted by Ojibwa, they were greatly prized and highly decorated ceremonial accessories. They became so highly prized by Ojibwa and other tribes (especially Sioux), that one bandolier could be traded for one pony. They became a status symbol of highest ranking Midewiwin priests. (Flanders, 1977)

Dimensions: 99 × 30.5 × 0 cm

Condition: Trimming and backing stained and worn; bead panel on strap base separating at pouch panel seam; velveteen panel frayed and stained beadwork pouch panel, loose at top edge; the thread is broken along side; corner of woven tab missing and woolen tuft

Current Location: Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: H4-0-899

Link to Institution's Collections Database: https://manitobamuseum.ca/main/collections-research/collections-database/

Collection at Current Location: Cultural Anthropology Collection

Previous Collectors: Reverend Pritchard

Collection Narratives and Histories

Bandolier may have been acquired by Reverend Pritchard during his missions at Denorwic or Eagle Lake, Ontario or at his brother Tom's mission at Lac Seul, Ontario

Source for Provenance information

McCord Museum, Wearing Our Identity. Montreal: The McCord Museum, 2013; and “Beads: Their Use By Upper Great Lakes Indians” by Richard Flanders, 1977

Sources to Learn More

McCord Museum. Wearing Our Identity. Montreal: The McCord Museum, 2013. Print.

GKS Reference Number: 45167

How to Cite this Item

Manitoba Museum

Record Creation Context

Content from the Manitoba Museum's catalog records. Uploaded by Orvis Starkweather as part of their summer internship.