aagam; snowshoes

aagam; snowshoes

aagam; snowshoes

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Introduction

These relatives, a pair of aagam (snowshoes), are composed of wood frames with meshwork in hide and twisted tendon. While their maker's name was not recorded, they are believed to be Ojibwe and were made in the nineteenth century.

These relatives currently reside in the Aberdeen University Museum & Special Collections, Aberdeen, Scotland.

Name of Maker(s): Unrecorded
Nation of Maker: Ojibwe
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Based on style and GRASAC researcher notes.

Date Made or Date Range: Prior to 1887
Materials

Wood, hide, tendon

Techniques or Format

This form of snowshoe utilized two wooden strips, which are secured at both the top and bottom of the shoe.

According to the Hudson Museum at the University of Maine, snowshoe makers say that this form of frame construction is much easier to make than bending a single wooden strip.

Dimensions: 1380 × 348 × 0 mm
Condition: Good
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

The snow shoes were listed in a 1887 catalogue. They might also be the snow shoes listed in an 1840 catalogue.

Current Location: University of Aberdeen Museums & Special Collections, Aberdeen, Scotland
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: ABDUA:5401
Link to Institution's Collections Database: ABDUA:5401
Collection at Current Location: ABDUA University of Aberdeen Human Culture Collection
Date of Acquisition by the Institution: Prior to 1887 - possibly prior to 1840
Who the Institution Acquired the Relative or Heritage Item From: Possibly Alexander MacDonald Esq of Keppoch
Source for Provenance information

Aberdeen University Museums & Special Collections documentation.

Publication History

Reid, R W (1912) Illustrated Catalogue of the Anthropological Museum, University of Aberdeen, p246

Comment on Source of Exhibition & Publication Data

An 1840 catalogue lists "Snow shoes used in Canada. Presented by Alexander MacDonald Esq of Keppoch". That most likely refers to this pair (ABDUA:5401) or ABDUA:65301

Both pairs are listed in the 1887 Mitchie catalogue and were definitely present in the collection by that year.

GKS Reference Number: 59095
How to Cite this Item

Maker, Name unrecorded. Snowshoes, pair. GRASAC ID 59095. University of Aberdeen Museums and Special Collections, ABDUA:5401. Licenced under CC By 4.0.

Record Creation Context

This record was augmented by Dana Murray on February 17, 2026. It was informed by notes and photographs collected during the Caring and Sharing project 2020-2022.

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