Wampum

Wampum

Wampum

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Introduction

This relative is composed of one long strand of wampum with three large loops. It includes white and purple shell wampum beads, threaded over a natural vegetable fibre. According to Ruth Phillips' text, Patterns of Power, this wampum was presented to British Army officer Jasper Grant at Amherstberg in 1809 with the farewell addresses of the local Huron-Wendat, Potowatomi, Odawa, and Ojibwe chiefs. They appear to have been restrung into a single string.

This relative currently resides at the National Museum of Ireland.

Name of Maker(s): Unrecorded
Maker role: Artist
Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe Hodenosaunee/Haudenosaunee Huron-Wendat Odawa Potawatomi
Nation of Origin

Odawa, Anishnaabe (Ojibwa), Potawatomi.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

This information was informed by the following resource: Phillips, Ruth. Patterns of Power. Kleinburg, On.: Patterns of Power, 1984.

Date Made or Date Range: 1800-1809
Materials

White and purple shell wampum beads; natural vegetable fibre.

Techniques or Format

Beads strung on three separate loops of vegetable fibre.

Original and Subsequent Uses

According to Ruth Phillips, the "sixteen strands of wampum" presented to Jasper Grant with the farewell address of the local Huron-Wendat, Potowatomi, Odawa, and Ojibwe chiefs at Amherstburg were apparently restrung at some point into one long strand and two loops.

Dimensions: 139 × 0 × 0 cm
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Jasper Grant served as commandant of Fort George in the Niagara Peninsula and of Fort Malden at Amherstburg opposite Detroit from 1800-1809. At his departure from Amherstburg, this wampum was presented to him.

Current Location: National Museum of Ireland
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 1902.354-358 (1902.354 and 356 are white strings; 1902.355 and 357 is a white loop; 358 is a blue loop with a few white beads
Collection at Current Location: Jasper Grant Collection
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Jasper Grant's grandson, Robert Ussher, donated the collection to the National Museum of Ireland in 1902.
Collection Narratives and Histories

Jasper Grant (1762-1812), Anglo-Irish officer who spent 9 years in Canada between 1800-1809. Served as commandant of Fort George in the Niagara Peninsula and of Fort Malden at Amherstburg opposite Detroit.

Source for Provenance information

GRASAC researcher notes from the July 21, 2010 visit.

Exhibition History

In 1984-1985 the Jasper Grant Collection was featured in a special travelling exhibition for the Ontario bicentennial, which was organized by the McMichael Canadian Collection and entitled "Patterns of Power."

Publication History

Phillips,Ruth. Patterns of Power. Kleinburg,On.: McMichael Canadian Collection, 1984.

Philips, Ruth B. (1986-87). “Jasper Grant and Edward Walsh: the Gentleman-Soldier as Early Collector of Great Lakes Indian Art.” Journal of Canadian Studies 21(4): 56-71.

GKS Reference Number: 856
How to Cite this Item

Maker, Name unknown. Wampum. GRASAC ID: 856. National Museum of Ireland.

Record Creation Context

This record was augmented by Dana Murray on July 3, 2024. It is informed by the information collected during the GRASAC research trip to the National Museum of Ireland on July 21, 2010. Participants included Alan Corbiere, Bhnens Corbiere, Crystal Migwans, Nikolaus Stolle, Rachel Hand, and Ruth Phillips assisted by Padraig Clancy.

Approximate Place of Origin

42.1359, -83.094286

Source of Information about Places

"Amherstburg" is identified on the map as a possible origin for this relative, but this reflects only one place where the relative lived. It is not a known place of origin; it is only one location where the collector, Jasper Grant, served in the British Army. 

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