box, quill

box, quill

box, quill

top image
Introduction

Quill box made by Josphine Assinewe of Wikwemikong Unceded Territory. Partially quilled, with an image of the Great Lakes on an eagle's chest, inside a medicine wheel with four feathers.

Name of Maker(s): Josphine Assinewe
Nation of Maker: Anishinaabe
Materials

Birch bark, sweetgrass, black thread, quills (undyed (white, brown), red, black, yellow, brown)

Motifs and Patterns

Image of eagle incorporated with image of the Great Lakes, inside a medicine wheel circle with four feathers, in the four colours (red, yellow, black, white). Feathers around the body of the box.

Additional Context

The eagle is an image associated today with native culture and strength. The Great Lakes superimposed on it refer to the native people of the Great Lakes (probably specifically to the Anishinaabe, as the maker is Anishinaabe), and the medicine wheel and feathers encompassing it refer to their traditions.

Condition: Excellent.
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: A1.01.012
GKS Reference Number: 25920
How to Cite this Item

Josphine Assinewe, box, quill. Currently at the Ojibwe Cultural Foundation, A1.01.012. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip; GRASAC item id 25920.

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Dummy GRASAC records of collections made by Lakota Preston, April 2010, items labelled and info updated by Juanita Migwans, summer 2010.

Photos and item spreadsheet created June 2011 by Adrianna Greci-Green (visiting to research quill boxes in the OCF collection), Crystal Migwans (OCF curatorial assistant) and Emanuela Rossi (visiting researcher), using information from Sophie Corbiere, Kate Roy, and 2003 appraisal sheets by P.Krueger.

Records edited and filled out by Crystal Migwans, June 2011.

Approximate Place of Origin

43.0703, -80.1184