unbleached cotton, grey velvet, black velvet, cotton thread, red plaited worsted tape, pink plaited worsted tape, wool, coloured glass beads

The bag is constructed from a piece of unbleached cotton on which the loom beadwork is attached using thread. The front of the bag has a central panel that is split into two sections. The bottom section is larger and is woven beadwork on a loom with eleven tabs at the bottom of it. Both the top and sides of this section are faced with grey velvet with two rows of white ottertail design. The top section of the central panel is a strip of grey velvet with beadwork design and is separated from the bottom section by a strip of red plaited worsted tape. Red plaited worsted tape forms the edge of the bag, attached to the far side of the velvet. Above these central sections is a strap attached with cotton thread. This bag is an example of loom woven beadwork and has a width of 40.0 cm and a total length of 97.8 cm, including the strap and fringe.

The loom woven beadwork of the bottom portion of the central panel is a bi-symmetrical arrangement of geometric motifs. In the middle are two vertically stacked diamonds with square crosses in their centre. On both the right and left side of these central diamonds is a symmetrical geometric motif of an outline of a diamond with branching diagonal arms to its top and bottom that end in triple points. Three crosses are dispersed within the branching arms. To the outside of this design are two vertical stepped chevrons. The smaller top portion of the panel is beaded with a floral and leaf motif. A central flower has three leaves to its right and three leaves to its left. Although the leaves are symmetrical, their colours are not. Between each of the leaves is a vine with three vertically stacked discs. On the edges of this panel are two rows of the same white ottertail design that frame the rest of the bag.
The eleven tabs at the bottom of the bag form a single, continuously woven piece of beadwork with the bottom half of the central panel. They have wool tassels at their bottom. The tabs are patterns of vertical and horizontal stripes in five different colour combinations. The strap at the top of the bag is a bead woven panel faced with black velvet and edged with pink plaited worsted tape. The panel has a solid white background outlined with four rows of beads. The main geometric motif is similar to that of the central panel: the outline of a diamond with diagonal branching arms that end in quadruple points. Smaller diamonds are dispersed within the branching arms and to both sides of this design there are multiple vertical stepped chevrons.

ceremonial dress

Taken from CMC catalogue card for item, which attributes the date to H Burnham.

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.

Tercentenary, Pembroke; Art Association, Ottawa; Imperial Institute, London; Indian Affairs Ottawa, CCE

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