Materials

Cotton broadcloth, seed beads, bias tape

Techniques or Format

Hand sewn, Lined with blue and white checked fabric, Loom-woven beadwork, Overlaid spot stitch appliqué on panel above pouch, Fringed with twelve loom woven beadwork tabs and wool tassels;

Motifs and Patterns

Loom woven seed beadwork on a cotton backing, lined with blue and white checked fabric, Pouch decorated by a loom woven, vertically symmetrical, beadwork panel in a geometric “X” design, in a white field Pouch is bordered on sides and top by four rows of interlocking diamonds, Fringed with twelve loom woven beadwork tabs each of geometric design and each with paired strands of semi-translucent yellow faceted tube beads, green translucent tube beads, opaque green pony beads and alternating green and white yarn wool tassels, Decorative panel above pouch adorn with symmetrical overlaid spot stitch appliqué, blue, yellow and green seed beadwork, in floral design, Decorative panel and outer perimeter of straps bordered by one line of interlocking diamonds, Design of loom-woven beadwork on straps vertically symmetrical in a repeating geometric “X” motif;

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: 102 × 35 × 0 cm

Condition: Good; Bias tape faded, Pouch partially stitched closed at top corners, and inside, possibly to support woven beadwork, Beadwork broken in few places

Current Location: Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: H4-11-61

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

Collection at Current Location: Cultural Anthropology Collection

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: date of acquisition by MM unrecorded but was catalogued in late 1979

Previous Collectors: G.W. Allen

Collection Narratives and Histories

Tag found inside pocket states "Rainy River Indian Chief's"

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

Exhibition History

Currently on long term exhibit in MM - Parklands/Mixed Woods Gallery (PMW-26)

Comment on Source of Exhibition & Publication Data

from catalogue records

Sources to Learn More

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

GKS Reference Number: 45179

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.