Materials

wood, skin (leather), metal (nails), string

Techniques or Format

Backboard is made from a single rectangular piece of recycled natural wood which tapers toward the foot. Grain of wood is in longitudinal position. Painted on reverse with a blue stamp is "J. Koehnstedt. Wikwemikong"

Rectangular cross-stay is made from a single piece of wood which projects for 2.5cm on either side of board. Cross-stay is secured to the back 4.1 cm from upper edge with four circular headed metal nails. Semi-circular bow is made from a single piece of wood steamed and bent into shape (possibly cedar). Ends are mortised into rectangular holes in cross-stay and project for 2.3 cm on reverse. Bow is further secured with skin thong threaded through hold along each side of bow, twisted to form a cord and threaded through holes on each side of board 1.8cm and 12.8cm from upper edge. U-shaped support (possibly black ash) is made from a single piece of wood. Upper ends are secured with skin thong threaded and knotted through two holes in support and two holes at each side of board 30.5cm from the foot. Another rectangular cross-stay is secured to reverse of board 2.3 cm from foot with four circular headed nails. Double strand of white string is tied around skin thong in front of bow to form a loop on reverse. Skin thongs are braided.

Original and Subsequent Uses

"An Indian child soon after it is born is swathed with cloths or skins, laid on its back and bound down on a piece of thick board, spread with soft moss. Hoop protects the face. The cradle-board is suspended on the mother's back when travelling other wise hung by the head strap" (Weld, 1799, p. 387).

"Dikina΄gōn 'The purposes of the cradle board are to train the baby's back to be straight, to permit the mother to carry the baby on her back when travelling, and to keep it safely in place while she is working" (Hilger, 1951, p. 23).
"The hoop serves many functions, such as support for sunshape, rain protector, mosquito net, dangling trinkets to please the child etc" (Mason, 1899, p. 204)

"tikinagan, tikinaganan. From the hoop that protected the baby's head were hung charms, coins, thimbles, bells and other play things. To the top of the board was attached a long leather strap or thong to to be used as a tumpline which passed around the mother's forehead when she carved the cradle on her back" (Lyford, 1942, p. 35).

Dimensions: 33.5 × 0 × 5 cm

Condition: Vertical split down centre of board, nails rusty, bead of one nail missing from cross-stay at foot, foot cracked and splintered, cracks along upper cross-stay, water stain at foot and upper edge, skin brittle, layers of wood separating on bow, support loose (Nov 1980)

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

CMC record

Current Location: Canadian Museum of History, Ottawa, Canada

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: III-G-1168

Date of Acquisition by the Institution: 13 August 1980

Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Edmundo Faubert

Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: c. 1920

Collection Narratives and Histories

(Faubert) "Sold by Mrs. Dave King. Was used by relatives of her husband. Ojibwa Wikwemicong, Manitoulin Is. c. 1920".

Sources to Learn More

Farabee, William Curtis. "Indian Cradles." The Museum Journal, University of Pennsylvania, Philidelphia, December 1920.
Densmore, F. "Chippewa Music II." Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 53 Washington, 1913, Plate 39.
Densmore, F. "Chippewa Customs." Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 86 Washington, 1929:48-52 Plate 22.
Gilfillan, J.A. "The Ojibways in Minnesota." Collection of the Minnesota Historical Society 9 (1901):86.
Hilger, Sister M. Inez. "Chippewa Child Life and Its Cultural Background." Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 146 Washington 1951, 21-25 Plate 2.
Jenness, D. "The Ojibwa Indians of Parry Island, Their Social and Religious Life." National Museum of Canada, Bulletin No. 78, Anthrop. Series No. 17, Ottawa, 1935, 90-91.
Johnson, M.G. "Chippewa Cradleboards." Powwow Trails 4.4, 1967.
Thayer, B.W. "Notes on Minnesota Aboriginal Cradleboards." The Minnesota Archaeologist 3.4 (April 1934):37-38.
Weld, I. Travels through North America and Canada, London, 1799.

GKS Reference Number: 24820