Materials

Fabric, cotton, flannel?, blue, white and pink striped; Fabric, velveteen, black; Binding tape, tan; yarn, faded from medium blue?; Tube beads, transparent teal & semi-transparent pearly white; Seed beads, glass, opaque white, red (transparent wine), orange (transparent yam, opaque dark orange, opaque bright orange), yellow (opaque and transparent mustard), green (opaque pear, transparent pear, transparent chartreuse), blue (opaque sky, opaque admiral, 2 shades of opaque navy).

Techniques or Format

Hand sewn and machine sewn; Overlay stitched beadwork (stitched at 2 bead intervals).

Motifs and Patterns

Floral, stem and leaf; 4-petalled flower; 6-petalled flower; Ragged leaf; Lanceolate leaf; Heart-shape; Maple leaf?; Fruit?.

Additional Context

Spirit beads -> "First Nations and Métis beadworks often intentionally positioned on or two beads out of place on a garment. Frequently they stitched an oddly coloured or shaped bead into an otherwise perfect motif. This practice reinforced the belief that only the creator is perfect" (McCord Museum, p.199)

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)

Other Notes

Spirit beads incorporated into beadwork. This piece is very similar to H4-11-65 in design, colours, manufacture and materials used. The provenience and donor are both the same, suggesting they have the same maker.

Dimensions: 103 × 41.5 × 0 cm

Condition: One yarn tassel missing; Bias tape worn in number of places; Beadwork broken in some places; Lining faded in some places.

Current Location: Manitoba Museum, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: H4-11-66

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

Collection at Current Location: Cultural Anthropology Collection

Source for Provenance information

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

Sources to Learn More

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

GKS Reference Number: 45182

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.