Beaded bands (garters)

Beaded bands (garters)

Beaded bands (garters)

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Introduction
Beaded bands (garters) with beaded geometric design. Mistissini- Cree pre-1910. Collected by Frank G. Speck.
Nation of Maker: Cree Eeyou (Eastern James Bay Quebec Cree)
Place of Origin: Mistissini
Date Made or Date Range: 1800s to 1910
Materials

Made of glass beads, sinew, caribou hide, cotton fabric and thread.

Techniques or Format

The loom-woven strips are backed with cotton fabric, remnants of caribou ties.

Motifs and Patterns

Geometric design composed of diamonds, squares and "hourglass" motifs.

Original and Subsequent Uses

Adrian Tanner, an anthropologist who studied the Eeyou (Mistissini- Eastern James Bay Quebec Cree) her observations, "I observed garters (ciisceypiinaan), which were woven using the fingers and made of coloured wool, being worn at Eastern time. All hunting ceases between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and during this period certain animals, such as the porcupine, are said too fast. They were, in the above instance, worn only once, after which the garters were made into a new carrying strap for the hunting bag (niimuutaan)" (Tanner 1979: 142).

Dimensions: 31.5 × 2.8 × 0 cm
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

NMAI Cataolog card.

Current Location: National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, D.C. USA
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: 2/8911
GKS Reference Number: 24621
How to Cite this Item

Item to be cited by accession number, collection and institution.

Record Creation Context

Record created as part of practicum, fall 2008.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Contributing Members: Gloria Bell

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