dyed tanned skin, porcupine quills, metal, hair, glass, sinew, string

Whole item: Made from a single piece of black dyed tanned skin which has been folded into a rectangular shape with the back longer than the front. Back is folded over the front to form a down-turned flap with scalloped edge. Side and bottom edge is bound with blocks of orange/red porcupine quills separated by alternating blocks of black and white quills applied with sinew alternating blocks of black and white quills applied with sinew in one quill edging technique around a skin thong filler (Orchard, figure 39).

Pouch Body:
Pouch front is decorated with porcupine quill appliqué in two horizontal rows. Central cross is worked in white quills in zig-zag band technique outlined with orange quills in simple line technique; smaller crosses at each corner are worked in same technique with colours reversed (centre of one is red; the other orange – no Munsell correlations). Two "hoof print" motifs are applied across centre of front using white quills in simple line technique.

Flap: Rectangular panel of porcupine quills applied in zig-zag band techniques with the quills folded over two parallel rows of sinew in spot stitch (Orchard, figure 2).
Four circles of white quills work in simple line technique. Rectangular strip of brown material is attached to interior of flap with string in four places.

Flap Panel: Panel is outlined by a row of white quills in simple line technique. Undulating line and straight horizontal line border of white quills applied in same technique. Edge of flap is bordered with blocks of orange, black and white quills applied in one quill edging technique as on body and a row of orange quills in simple line technique.

Strap: Carrying strap is made from fine skin thongs. Centre portion (15.5 cm long) is wrapped with flattened porcupine quills in netted technique (Orchard, figure 59). In this technique, the thongs are wrapped in alternate pairs to form a decorative lattice.
Weave is secured with a row of twining using sinew at one end and skin thong at the other. Remainder of strap consists of five pairs of skin thongs decorated with red quills in one quill plaiting technique (Orchard, figure 32). Alternating blocks of white and black quills in same technique are worked near the end of each strap. Each thong (5) at one end of carrying strap terminates in a metal cone enclosing a tuft of red dyed hair. Tassels have been re-attached to strap with a wrapping of string. Strap at opposite end is longer. Two fringes terminate in a pair of skin thongs; a tassel of 12 thongs partially quill-plaited is attached to the end of one fringe with a wrapping of sinew and string. Remaining two fringes are knotted together with a tassel of five skin thongs. Two opaque white glass beads are threaded on one thong; a single bead of same is threaded on another thong. Strap is attached to each upper corner of pouch with a wrapping of string. Structural sewing and appliqué are by hand using sinew.

Pouch Body: Three cross motifs are worked across lower edge. Two "hoof print" motifs flank two crosses across centre of pouch.

Flap: Decorated with a rectangular panel of four parallel horizontal rows of porcupine quills. Centre two rows consist of alternating blocks of white and black quills; outer two rows are of orange quills. Upper and lower edges of panel are bordered with undulating line and straight horizontal line. Four circles worked on each scalloped edge.

Strap: Design element consists of three black rectangles surrounding a central white rectangle on a red background. Alternating blocks of white and black quills near the end of each strap.

The two motifs flanking two smaller crosses is a caribou hoof print according to Darlene Johnston and Heidi Bohaker (AC). The motif used to be referred to as an "antler design". The caribou printmark can be found (or "reindeer" they call it) in the Penetanguishene area. DJ and HB found that Okawh (1796 St. Joseph's Island), in the treaty drew a body of caribou with two similar symbols to represent the clan; and his grandson Debassige (Taibosegai signed 1862 Manitoulin Treaty), drew it with a ball at the end, two lines, split hooves -- hence this new interpretation that this relates to a clan symbol.

RP: The equal crosses and the circles have some references to travel between upper and lower worlds, can see these on objects that have reference to power in this period; the portal. Could be a personal reference to a spiritual experience.

AC: Four directions, four circles; four main spirits in each direction - the cross and the circle reinforce that.

AC: This pouch does not look like made for trade; the strap seems low, so maybe work up on the chest as we see sometimes; strap resembles in construction the prisoner ties/trump line. RP: Strap may be a garter re-utilized as strap.

Comparison Specimen: 12 artifacts collected by C.A. Messiter are in the Southwest Museum, Los Angeles, California. See <span style="font-style:italic">Akicita: Early Pains and Woodlands Indian Art from the collection of Alexander Acevedo</span>, The Southwest Museum, 1983. Also relates to items in National Museum of Scotland and the Autry Museum in Los Angeles</p>

Purchased at Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc. New York, 24 April, 1982 Lot 289 "Eastern Great Lakes Quilled Rectangular Hide Pouch, Ojibwa or Ottawa type..."

(Sotheby Catalogue) “Collected by Carles Alston Messiter, F.R.G.S., D.S.O. (1841-1920), of Barwick House, Barwick, near Yeovil, Somerset. Born into a family of some means, Mr. Messiter pursued a profession that might be best described as that of an Adventurer. He has a particular interest in hunting and traveled extensively around the world, particularly Africa and North America, in order to carry out this interest. He traveled to North America in 1862, 1866, 1874 and several occasions after that. During his second trip he met and married Lucy Ashton Bayard. The collection was kept at the family home of Barwick House until 1969 and has remained the property of the family up to this date.”

Messiter, Charles Alston. <span style="font-style:italic"> Sport and Adventures among the North American Indians.</span> New York: Abercrombie & Fitch, 1966. </p>
Describes the author's three expeditions between 1862 and 1875 to Saskatchewan, Montana, Minnesota, Kansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and the Dakotas. Originally printed by R.H. Porter, London, 1890.

Orchard, W.C. "The Technique of Porcupine-Quill Decoration Among the North American Indians." <span style="font-style:italic"> Museum of the American Indian. </span> Heye Foundation, 4.1 (1916).</p>

Brasser, T.J. <span style="font-style:italic"> Bo'jou Neejee! Profiles of Canadian Indian Art.</span> 1976, 27-28. </p>
For interpretation of black dyed pouches.