Fabric, cotton, blue/white striped, beige, velvet, black; Beads, blue, white, red, yellow, pink, green, mauve, beige; Yarn, wool, twisted blue; Thread: sinew, cotton; Bias tape.

Machine and hand sewn, Lined with two types: Beige cotton, Blue/white striped cotton and purple wool, Bottom edge and black outer side trimmed with black bias tape, Beads sewn with cotton and sinew thread.

Flowers and leaves

Worn during grass dance ceremony by a youth. Grass dances have elements of war dances, victory celebrations, old animal and bird dances. Was once exclusively danced by experienced warriors since they were the only ones allowrd to belong to the grass dance society. In recent years is has become a "good time dance" and lost mush of its symbolism. Called "grass dance" because a bunch of braided grass was attached to the waist of each member and acted as a badge or mark of the members in the society. It was an emblem of abundance and charity.

Cuffs may have also been recycled

Manitoba Museum

Summer Internship

Photos taken by Dr Cory Willmott.