In 1606, in Cape Cod, Samuel de Champlain noticed that the Massachusett-speaking Nauset, “adorn themselves with feathers, porcelain patenôtres [rosaries], and other baubles, which they arrange very...
Adventures outdoors and Southwestern culture in a city at a high altitude Situated in the shadow of the pink-hued Sandia Mountains and bisected
Northeast Indian, member of any of the Native American peoples living roughly between the taiga, the Ohio River, and the Mississippi River at the time of European contact, including speakers of Algonquian, Iroquois, and Siouan languages. The most elaborate of the political organizations was the Iroquois Confederacy.
Kids will love making a PVC Tepee and their own FREE reader in this fun, hands on Native Americans Plains Tribes Lesson for elementary age kids.
Art to Remember is scheduled to ship out to Bradley this Monday, November 18th and we should receive all the art by that Wednesday. My goal...
Vintage Ornithology print on linen kerchief tapestry of "The Aviary: or Bird Fancyers Recreation" from an 18th century copperplate engraving by J. Laughton. Produced by Colonial Williamsburg Restoration - marked on corner of linen, visible from back of frame. Brown ink on white linen showing a American Colonial country landscape of figures, surrounded by a variety of native birds and a short description of each. Factory distressed beveled wood frame. Features The Sky Lark, Bull Finch, Robin, Starling, Heath Thrush, Canary Bird, Woodlark, The Nightingale, Linnet, Wren, Goldfinch, Black Bird, and Tom Tit. Dimensions: 30" x 0.75" x 27.5" / Sans Frame - 28" x 25.5" (Width x Depth x Height) less
I've been looking for patterns for the entire World of Warcraft 18th c. men's ensemble, but with very little luck. The costume is built on a basic men's mid-18th c. wardrobe - shirt, breeches, waistcoat, jacket - but I am having quite a lot
Vox is a general interest news site for the 21st century. Its mission: to help everyone understand our complicated world, so that we can all help shape it. In text, video and audio, our reporters explain politics, policy, world affairs, technology, culture, science, the climate crisis, money, health and everything else that matters. Our goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of income or status, can access accurate information that empowers them.
Art to Remember is scheduled to ship out to Bradley this Monday, November 18th and we should receive all the art by that Wednesday. My goal is to have all students bring home their keepsakes by Tuesday, November 26th. Kindergarten students created a mixed media art project this week to celebrate Native American Heritage month. The tepees were made with construction paper, markers, and Popsicle sticks and the backgrounds were painted. 1st grade students are creating 3d tepees and will be completing them soon. We are using brown lunch bags to create the tepees. 2nd grade students also created art to celebrate Native American Heritage month. This project was a mixed media project. We used brown butcher paper, markers, construction paper, and beans. The main focus of this lesson was on symbols. We discussed how Native American Indians drew pictures to tell stories. 2nd graders also made these very cool looking birch trees. We used a technique called masking and used watercolor paint. We added tree shadows to add a nice finishing touch. Students had the choice of either a blue sky or a sunset sky. These birch tree forest turned out wonderful! 3rd graders had fun being "mad scientist" and creatied their own science lab. First we drew our science labs and then painted them... but in a different way. Students learned a new technique - blowing on wet paint. This technique gave the appearance of explosions and helped to make their science labs look as tho a real mad scientist had created it. 4th grade students are finishing their Leaf project and should have them completed by next week. 5th graders are working on different projects at this time. I've learned that all my classes work at different speeds and trying to keep them all on the same schedule is impossible. My goal was to have all students start on their "Fall Harvest" art last week, but we still have many students working on completing their Modigliani self portrait. Hopefully by the first few weeks of December, they will all be caught up and working on the same project. For those students who have started on their "Fall Harvest" art, they are half was complete.
On the banks of the Ohio River in what is now Baden, PA (Beaver County), 15-18 miles northwest of Pittsburgh PA, once stood a town of as many as 80 structures called Logstown. This small town would…
On special request, this Native American Unit Study is for the more advance readers or approximately grades 4-6. I hope you and your children find this Unit Study to be useful and enjoyable. As always please screen these resources for yourself before showing them to your children. Follow this link to the accompanying Notebooking Pages before you begin your adventure. First off start by reading up on Native American History. There is a lot here so pick and choose what you are most interested in or do it all. (scroll down to the American-Indian heading) The titles in brown are Intermediate and the titles in read are Advanced. Take a Virtual Field Trip to a Longhouse. Native American History Video Part 1 Native American History Video Part 2 Native American History Video Part 3 Native American History Video Part 4 Watch these videos and learn everything there is to know about the dreamcatcher! The Dreamcatcher Part 1 The Dreamcatcher Part 2 The Dreamcatcher Part 3 The Dreamcatcher Part 4 The Dreamcatcher Part 5 The Dreamcatcher Part 7 Now make your own dreamcatcher. Learn about Native Americans contributions to Science. Learn the science behind constructing a canoe and build your own. Native American Virtual Field Trip (even includes a pdf worksheet to go along with your adventure) Math Lesson: Take your time to go through this amazing resource for Native American Geometry. Make your own Tepee craft. Or make a Tepee Diorama If you are really adventurous make an outdoor Tepee that you actually fit in. Listen to American Indian Fairy Tales and learn their culture. Book of IndiansAuthor: Holling C. Holling Unit Study at HomeschoolShare Here are some more resources from HomeschoolShare. Native American Coloring Pages (most geared for older children and including educational value.) Here are some more The Homeschool Mom has ton of stuff to pick through so pick and choose. Learn everything you ever wanted to know about Totem Poles. Make sure you explore this site! There is a ton to see and learn here. Craft Activity: Soap Totem Pole Use these free totem pole designs to create a soap totem pole. Decide how many soap bars high you will want your totem pole. Next, draw your design in pen on your soap bars. Make sure they aren't too detailed. After you have your design then you will want to gather some carving tools (tooth picks, butter knife, a finger nail kit) Follow your design and carve into the soap with your carving tools. After your design is carved you can paint it with finger nail polish or leave it plain. Lastly use tooth picks to stack the bars of soap into a totem pole. You may need more then one tooth pick to secure each layer. Or you can cheat and do this easy Paper Totem Pole Craft. ONLINE AMERICAN INDIAN MUSEUMS Learn about different kinds of Native American Headdresses. Now make your own Native American Headdress (not the cheesy construction paper feather kind) Indian Heroes and the Great Chieftains (Baldwin Project Free Online Book) Indian Boyhood (Baldwin Project Free Online Book) The Soul of the Indian (Baldwin Project Free Online Book) Blackfeet Indian Stories (Baldwin Project Free Online Book) Red Indian Fairy Book (Baldwin Project Free Online Book) Take A Virtual Tour: A Virtual Tour of the National Museum of the American Indian ExhibitionsCreation’s JourneyandAll Roads Are Good Watch this video of a Native American Pow Wow Use the picture dictionary below to make your own American Indian Fairy Tale. First you need a paper grocery sack or for a mini-version a paper lunch sack. Then crumple up the paper sack. The more the better! For the best results use charcoal (or substitute with black crayon) and write your Native American Picture Story on your crumpled sack. Thank you for visiting Noah's Ark Homeschool Academy's Upper Elementary Native American Unit Study.
A group of Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians, as well as pupils and faculty from the[...]
The experts at HGTV.com share destinations that are just right for those seeking spiritual renewal and self-reflection.
Turtles can live up to 150 years, which is why they symbolize good health and a long life. The shell of the turtle represents perseverance and protection.
by C. Alice Baker (Author) ""True Stories of New England Captives: Carried to Canada During the Old French and Indian Wars"" is a historical book written by C. Alice Baker. The book narrates the stories of New Englanders who were captured by the French and their Native American allies during the French and Indian Wars in the 17th and 18th centuries. These captives were taken to Canada, where they lived with the French and the Native Americans. The book is based on primary sources, including letters, diaries, and other historical documents that were written by the captives and their families. The author has used these sources to reconstruct the experiences of the captives, including their capture, their journey to Canada, and their life in captivity. The book provides a detailed account of the cultural differences between the New Englanders and the French and Native Americans, as well as the challenges that the captives faced in adapting to their new environment. It also highlights the efforts made by the captives' families to secure their release and the negotiations that took place between the French and the English. Overall, ""True Stories of New England Captives"" is a fascinating and informative book that sheds light on an often-overlooked aspect of American history. It offers a unique perspective on the French and Indian Wars and provides insight into the lives of the people who lived through this tumultuous period in American history.Recounts In Detail The Indian Attacks At Wells And York, Maine, Dover, New Hampshire, And Hatfield, Haverhill, And Deerfield, Massachusetts. Focuses On A Few Of The Participants With Extensive Genealogical And Biographical Data. The Families Treated Are: Baker, Nims, Otis, Plaisted, Rishworth, Rising, Sayward, Sheldon, Silver, Stockwell, Stebbins, Wheelwright, And Williams.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work. Number of Pages: 440 Dimensions: 0.98 x 9 x 6 IN
Native to the United States, this plant bears tiny, wild strawberries. They are flavorful and sweet, albeit seedier than their cultivated cousins. Great for the homestead garden! These tiny wild strawberries have a very widespread habitat, and can be commonly found in the wild. Native Americans and early settlers used them extensively for culinary purposes, while wild animals of all kinds found them a valuable source of food. Their rich, delicious flavor makes them a valuable genetic parent of nearly all modern strawberry hybrids, along with a South American native strawberry. This hybridization first took place in the late 18th century at the Royal Gardens at the Louvre in France, where scientist A. W. Duchesne (1747-1827) found that the flavor of one native variety and the size of the other would combine to make an extremely superior variety of strawberry. Common Names: Virginia Strawberry, Thickleaved Wild Strawberry Latin Name: Fragaria virginiana Species Origin: US Native Wildflower Type: Native Wildflowers Life Cycle: Perennial USDA Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 US Regions: California, Mountain, Arid/Desert, Plains/Texas, Midwest, Northern, Northeast, Southeast Seeds per Ounce: 71,500 Stratification: Cold/Wet for 8 Weeks Germination Ease: Stratify 8 Weeks Sunlight: Full Sun, Part Sun, Shade Height: 6 Inches Color: White Bloom Season: Blooms Early Spring, Blooms Late Spring Uses: Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Butterflies
Art to Remember is scheduled to ship out to Bradley this Monday, November 18th and we should receive all the art by that Wednesday. My goal is to have all students bring home their keepsakes by Tuesday, November 26th. Kindergarten students created a mixed media art project this week to celebrate Native American Heritage month. The tepees were made with construction paper, markers, and Popsicle sticks and the backgrounds were painted. 1st grade students are creating 3d tepees and will be completing them soon. We are using brown lunch bags to create the tepees. 2nd grade students also created art to celebrate Native American Heritage month. This project was a mixed media project. We used brown butcher paper, markers, construction paper, and beans. The main focus of this lesson was on symbols. We discussed how Native American Indians drew pictures to tell stories. 2nd graders also made these very cool looking birch trees. We used a technique called masking and used watercolor paint. We added tree shadows to add a nice finishing touch. Students had the choice of either a blue sky or a sunset sky. These birch tree forest turned out wonderful! 3rd graders had fun being "mad scientist" and creatied their own science lab. First we drew our science labs and then painted them... but in a different way. Students learned a new technique - blowing on wet paint. This technique gave the appearance of explosions and helped to make their science labs look as tho a real mad scientist had created it. 4th grade students are finishing their Leaf project and should have them completed by next week. 5th graders are working on different projects at this time. I've learned that all my classes work at different speeds and trying to keep them all on the same schedule is impossible. My goal was to have all students start on their "Fall Harvest" art last week, but we still have many students working on completing their Modigliani self portrait. Hopefully by the first few weeks of December, they will all be caught up and working on the same project. For those students who have started on their "Fall Harvest" art, they are half was complete.
What follows are some of the latest designs I’ve been working on; something to occupy my time during the covid epidemic. For Native peoples around the world, shields served as a form of protection from both physical and spiritual harm. They are also strong symbols of good medicine. My intention is to create a series of shields, some inspired by designs on old Northeast Woodland beaded bags and others by animals or some other aspect of nature. Many of the old beadwork designs had hidden meanings woven into them, cultural motifs to be preserved for future generations. The earliest beadworkl has a spiritual quality about it that is akin to fine art. Inaugurated at a time when the Northeast Woodland nations were impoverished and struggling to continue under conditions of devastating cultural loss, not only was each piece the product of hard work, but it was also a stratagem of cultural resistance and continuance. It was an art of survival. Historically, this work has been described as a family undertaking that was performed when beadworkers gathered. As they worked in a communal setting, they thoughtfully wove stories into their designs, which told of what it meant to be Haudenosaunee or Wabanaki. Beadwork was a bridge that united the generations. As the younger beaders were learning their craft, their elders would relate the oral histories of their families. The process of making beadwork evokes memories and connects the Iroquois to their ancestors (From a text panel in the “Across Borders” travelling exhibit). On the surface, the bags were the canvas upon which an artist displayed their technical skills and artistic vision. But below the surface, the power inherent in a beautiful object was a central feature of life. Beadwork was a language through which artists expressed their deepest beliefs about the universe. We may never know the full extent of their meanings, but embedded within the designs are stories of a people told in symbols and motifs that spoke of a sacred relationship with the natural world. The shields are my humble attempt to honor the creators of this original and unique form of art with my own work. Figure 1 - While studying a selection of old Iroquois beaded bags, I noticed that several of the ones that had a prominent heart motif also included tri-lobed strawberry leaves in the design. Given the importance and sacred value of strawberries in Iroquois culture, and from conversations with contemporary Haudenosaunee beadworkers, I've come to understand that some of the heart motifs on the old bags were likely a stylistic representation of the strawberry or heart berry. The old souvenir bags functioned as a non-verbal medium for historic beadworkers to weave key cultural concepts into their work and also served as a conduit to communicate those ideas to future generations. When used in a covert way, these traditional motifs allowed an artist to include these concepts in a way that was non-threatening to a 19th century patron. Although made for sale to outsiders, the motifs recorded in the beadwork were a way to keep a tradition alive and they were also a form of resistance to assimilation pressures. It was a method of preserving key aspects of Haudenosaunee beliefs and traditions for both present and future generations. This early Haudenosaunee bag with the heart or "heart berry" motif was the inspiration for the design in figure 1. The bag dates to the first quarter of the 19th century. Figure 2 – This design is based on an early Seneca bag with what might be interpreted as a whirling sun motif. This is the bag that was the inspiration for the design in figure 2. The bag dates to the 1830-1840s period. Figure 3 - Many contemporary Wabanaki beadworkers see medicine plants in the designs that were woven onto their old beaded bags: plants that could heal cuts and burns, break fevers, and a host of other ailments. Wabanaki artists had to look no further than the nearby fields and and their gardens to find inspiration for their beadwork designs. This is the bag, likely Mi'kmaw, that was the inspiration for the design in figure 3. A beautiful example with a bilaterally symmetrical design and linear beadwork. The bag dates to the 1840s and has flora that likely represented sacred or healing plants to the maker. It’s a beautiful example of Wabanaki workmanship from this time period. Figure 4 – This piece is based on a mid-19th century Tonawanda Seneca design. I did it as a tribute to Caroline Parker and her family who were from Tonawanda. It’s unclear if Caroline actually made the piece that inspired this design but a documented table cover in the Rochester Museum and Science Center was made by her and there are many similarities between the two pieces. There were several Parker family beadworkers during the mid-19th century, notably Caroline Parker, her mother Elizabeth, and Mariah, the wife of Caroline’s brother Levi. There may have been others in their immediate circle of beadworkers as well. Scholars, such as Ruth Phillips, have indicated that the rapid shift from curvilinear and geometric designs to floral motifs in mid-nineteenth century Iroquois work has been linked to Victorian fashion trends and women’s domestic sphere (Phillips 1998). The floral style in this piece appears to be unique to the mid-nineteenth century Seneca on the Tonawanda Reservation. Lewis Henry Morgan, an attorney from Rochester, New York, who was loosely affiliated with New York State Cabinet of Natural History (NYSCNH), retained the Parkers to produce examples of Seneca material culture for the NYSCNH, the predecessor to the New York State Museum in Albany and the Parkers produced numerous examples for the State collection. Morgan’s correspondence with the Parkers indicates that Caroline made many of the items that were supplied to the Cabinet of Natural History although some scholars dispute this point as Caroline was attending school in Albany at the time and wrote that she was overwhelmed with school work and other obligations. It’s possible that the beadwork she provided was from an existing inventory and it’s impossible to determine at this point how much of it was made by her or by other members of her family. The table cover in the Rochester Museum and Science Center is a documented example of Caroline’s work and there are numerous other objects that have survived that incorporate virtually identical floral motifs. Except for the table cover, I’m not aware of any other documented examples of her work, but the bead colors, delicacy and refinement of the designs and their stylistic similarity to the table cover suggests that she could have made them; they represent the highest level of 19th century Haudenosaunee beadwork. Art historian Ruth Phillips has written that Caroline Parker’s work is characterized by its flatness, great delicacy, relatively high degree of naturalism, and its use of small, pastel, white, and translucent beads (Phillips 1998:224). Other distinguishing features on Tonawanda Seneca bags include a tight band of beads along a scalloped perimeter. Additionally, like the table cover, they incorporate some variation of the dendrite or spray work along the perimeter of the flower that might symbolizes the world tree from the Iroquois creation story. The large flower could be a stylized representation of the sun depicted atop of the celestial or world tree also from the creation story. This is the bag I used as the inspiration for figure 4. It dates from the mid-19th century and is in the Tonawanda Seneca style. Although the Parkers adapted their lifestyle to co-exist with Europeans and presented their work to Victorian consumers in a way that was acceptable to them, they could still covertly incorporate symbols in their work that had cultural significance to them. “The art of flowering” – as the Parkers termed it – is what they were noted for: In doing this work,” Morgan reported that “the eye and the taste are the chief reliances… In combining colors certain general rules, the result of experience and observation, are followed, but beyond them each one pursued her own fancy. They never seek for strong contrasts, but break the force of it by interposing white, that the colors may blend harmoniously. Thus light blue and pink beads, with white beads between them, is a favorable combination; dark blue and yellow, with white between, is another; red and light blue, with white between, is another; and light purple and dark purple, with white between, is a fourth. Others might be added were it necessary. If this beadwork is critically examined, it will be found that these general rules are strictly observed; and in so far as beadwork embroidery may be called a systematic art. The art of flowering, as they term it, is the most difficult part of the beadwork, as it requires an accurate knowledge of the appearance of the flower, and the structure and condition of the plant at the stage in which it is represented (Morgan 1852:111). Figure 5 - Over the years, I’ve come across a small number of Haudenosaunee beaded items that had designs that reminded me of insects. For this latest shield I used an old bag with what could be interpreted as a spider as my inspiration. Some days I think it is, but other days I’m not sure. It is certainly an intriguing design and since many 19th century beadworkers covertly included concepts in their work that had both personal and cultural meaning, there might be something entomological to the design. Although many folks have a fear of spiders, diverse tribal people around the world consider them sacred. The Bhil and Mat people of central India have a great sense of connection between the living and the dead. They believe that spiders are the spirits of their ancestors. The Chibchas from the northeast highlands of Columbia and present-day Panama are culturally similar to the Inca, and central to their beliefs is that a departed soul uses the webs of spiders to cross the divide from the physical to the spirit world. In North America, the Pueblo and Navajo people have a great tradition about Spider Woman, who, according to their traditions, was the first being in the world. She brought all life into existence and connected herself to each of her creations through the threads of her web. Below, I’ve included a few other images with motifs that could be interpreted as insects. Of course, it’s unclear if these designs actually represent insects or were just a variation of the double-curve motif by their maker. Today, our interpretation of these designs is not necessarily an accurate representation of the maker’s original intent. This is the bag I used as my inspiration for figure 5. The design could be interpreted as an insect, possibly a spider. It's an early Seneca bag that dates to the first quarter of the 19th century. Another early bag, likely Seneca, with what could be interpreted as an insect design. From the Maine State Museum collection. Another early Seneca bag with what could be an insect motif on the flap. Possibly from the first quarter of the 19th century. This is a mid-19th century Haudenosaunee watch pocket with a design that could represent a butterfly or a moth. Figure 6 - Many Native people consider the turtle a sacred symbol that represents Mother Earth. The turtle’s long life, and hard shell are symbolic of good health, perseverance and protection. As such it represents a powerful theme for a shield. Figure 7 - My rendition of a thunderbird shield. The thunderbird is a powerful spirit who has taken the form of a bird. The flapping of its wings produced the sound of thunder and lightning bolts were believed to radiate from its beak. It brought the rain which advanced all life on earth. Figure 8 - Eagle shield. October 1, 2020 References Morgan, Lewis Henry 1850 “Report to the Regents of the University, upon the Articles Furnished to the Indian Collection.” In The Third Annual Report of the Regents of the University on the Condition of the State Cabinet of Natural History and Antiquarian Collection, Annexed Thereto pp. 63 – 93. Revised Edition: Printed by Weed, Parsons and Company, Albany. 1852 “Report on the Fabrics, Inventions, Implements and Utensils of the Iroquois, Made to the Regents of the University, Jan. 22, 1851; Illustrative of the Collection Annexed to the State Cabinet of Natural History, with Illustrations.” In The Fifth Annual Report of the Regents of the University on the Condition of the State Cabinet of Natural History and the Historical and Antiquarian Collection, Annexed Thereto, pp 68 – 117. Printed by Richard H. Pease, Albany. Phillips, Ruth 1998 Trading Identities: The Souvenir in Native North American Art from the Northeast, 1700 – 1900. University of Washington Press, Seattle and London: McGill-Queen’s University Press, Montreal and Kingston.
There’s evidence that British colonists in 18th‑century America gave Native Americans smallpox‑infected blankets at least once—but did it work?
Discover Cheshire's rich cultural tapestry through 23 diverse museums showcasing art, history, and exploration in a vibrant journey through time.
In this blog posting we will examine some of the variations in historic 18th and 19th century Iroquois regalia through old paintings, photographs and examples of early material culture. Since first contact with Europeans, artists have depicted the Haudenosaunee wearing diverse attire; the images below are by no means a complete visual record of those that exist but should suffice in this brief review. The dictionary defines “traditional” as “existing in or as part of a tradition; long established, customary, time-honored, classic, accustomed, etc.” Today, what is generally considered “traditional” Haudenosaunee regalia can trace its origins to early examples from the 18th century, culminating with the work of Caroline Parker in the mid-19th century (figures 1 & 2). Fig 1 – Circa 1850 daguerreotype of Caroline Parker, a Seneca from the Tonawanda Reservation in western New York. Private collection. Fig 2 – Circa 1850 daguerreotype of Caroline Parker, a Seneca from the Tonawanda Reservation in western New York. Private collection. Caroline’s outfit has had a major influence on the design of Seneca regalia and it has also been adopted by other Six Nation peoples; it came about from a synthesis of European and Haudenosaunee attire. Deborah Holler, in writing about Caroline’s outfit, said “The navy blue skirt, with the striking ‘celestial tree’ design in the corner and luminous beaded border, incorporates the bold color aesthetic of the Iroquois in design motifs that are traditionally representative of the feminine forces associated with Skywoman, the first woman to inhabit earth in Iroquois culture. These two images of Caroline can be seen as a formal statement of cultural identity that became a prototype for the Seneca Women’s national costume. By incorporating the highest fashion styles of the times into a bold statement of Seneca womanhood, Caroline set a standard for fashion that has had lasting appeal for Haudenosaunee artisans. The combination of Victorian and Native elements shows her inventive adaptation of the Native aesthetic to European fashion goods, and is a demonstration of Caroline’s adaptability in both worlds” (Holler 2011:15-16) Some of the earliest depictions we have of American Indians are allegorical representations that served to symbolize concepts or ideas. That changed in 1710 when the Mohawks sent a delegation to England on a diplomatic audience with Queen Anne (figures 3 & 4). Fig 3 – Some of the earliest depictions we have of the Haudenosaunee are from a group of four paintings that were done by Jan Verelst, a Dutch artist working in London. This portrait of Tee Yee Neen Ho Ga Row (1660 – c. 1735) was made in 1710. He was a Mohawk chief who went to London to meet with Queen Anne and her court. Except for his belt, which is decorated with dyed moosehair in false embroidery, he is completely dressed in European style clothing, with buckled shoes, lace breeches and a fashionable coat. From the collection of the Library and Public Archives of Canada. Fig 4 – Portrait of Sa Ga Yeath Qua Pieth Tow, a Mohawk said to be the grandfather of Joseph Brant of Revolutionary War fame. It was painted by Jan Verelst in 1710 when Sa Ga Yeath Qua Pieth Tow visited London. His clothing is made primarily from European fabrics although he wears bullnose moccasins that were decorated with porcupine quills, a belt decorated with dyed moosehair in false embroidery and a leather pouch over that belt. He also has some great tattoos, although their meaning is unknown. From the collection of the Library and Public Archives of Canada. Attacks on British settlements by both the French and their Indian allies demonstrated to the Crown that they needed to maintain the loyalty of their Iroquois allies. Stephanie Pratt has written that “in the same way as Queen Anne’s ministers needed to establish an appropriate settlement with the Iroquois, so those [artists] who sought to represent them [in their work] needed to establish an appropriate mode of depiction” (Pratt 2005:36). In the case of the Mohawk chiefs illustrated in figures 3 & 4, who, except for a few personal accoutrements, were not in traditional regalia but rather are dressed in a combination of European and Native elements in a manner designed to suit European dress standards. Their handlers were provided with funds to ensure that the sachems’ had “the correct clothing to wear before Her Majesty” (Pratt 2005:163). What the artist Verelst attempted to show was how “the supposed gentlemanly and noble status of the Indian ‘Emperor’ might be constructed using portrait conventions. This nobility is entailed in their stately poses and the relationship of the figure to landscape, indicating ‘ownership’ in European terms” (Pratt 2005:52-53). We see this Europeanizing of Native people in portrait depictions throughout the 18th century. Fig 5 – Oil on canvass painting titled The Indian Family, by Benjamin West. 1761. From a private collection in England. The artist Benjamin West was in Italy in 1761 where he took on a commission to produce a painting for John Murray, a British aristocrat living in Venice (figure 5). Although scholars consider this image to be a generic piece, and the historical accuracy of his paintings is disputed by others, the cultural artifacts depicted are accurate representations of Northeast Woodland material from the period. Some of the items depicted are illustrated in another of West’s paintings, notably General Johnson Saving a Wounded French Officer from the Tomahawk of a North American Indian, in the Derby Museum and Art Gallery in Derby, United Kingdom where the male subject’s bag, the moosehair decorated knife sheath that hangs from his neck and his tomahawk, are identical. Although the items themselves are authentic, the fact that they appear in more than one of West’s paintings suggests that they did not necessarily belong to the subjects portrayed but were rather used by West as studio props for his paintings. The decorations along the bottom of the woman’s dress in figure 5, which were likely done in a combination of ribbon work and moosehair or porcupine quill embroidery, as well as the style of her dress, are an incipient form of what would later emerge as the “traditional” Haudenosaunee woman’s outfit. Like the mid-19th century portraits of Caroline Parker, the woman in this image wears decorated leggings, a blue overdress, skirt, blanket and decorated moccasins in a dress style that is very similar to Caroline Parker’s outfit. During the 18th century, American Indians were often depicted with a blanket draped over their shoulder. This practice likely originated with the use of bear, moose or deer skins robes long before the introduction of the European blanket. The adoption of ready-made, European trade goods was a practical consideration for Native people because these items offered a perceived advantage over traditional items. Fig 6 – Portrait of Joseph Brant, Thayendanegea, by George Romney, 1776 – the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Fig 7 – Portrait of Joseph Brant by Gilbert Stuart, 1786. From the collection of the Duke of Northumberland, London. Another Mohawk leader, Joseph Brant (figures 6 & 7) visited England in the late 18th century on two separate occasions, in part for securing the promise of restitution of Mohawk lands after the American Revolution. Like the Mohawks in figures 3 & 4, he is also depicted wearing a combination of European and Native elements. In figure 6, he is adorned in a pink shirt and what were likely wool breeches, in addition to his Native raiment. In describing the symbolism behind this portrait, Stephanie Pratt says that “Brant’s European garments combined with American Indian accoutrements… define his figure as a warrior, rather than a leading sachem. If he wanted to be seen as the latter, according to the colonial customs of the 1740s to 1760s, he would sport a tailored coat, and possibly lace collar and cuffs, in the manner of an English gentleman… [His outfit] in its combination of English and Woodlands elements, speaks of Brant’s own position between two worlds…. What distinguishes Romney’s picture is its cultural location within Mohawk attitudes to England. As with his predecessors in 1710, Brant’s figure combines items of European manufacture such as guns, hatchets, or pipes alongside the more American Indian accoutrements such as earrings and the headdresses, not as a costumier’s miscellany but as tokens of trade and good relations” (Pratt 2005:97-98). Native attire that combined trade items with Native made material made sense on the American frontier where dry goods were scarce but would have appeared exotic in England. Fig. 8 – A book engraving from 1774. The individual depicted could be an Iroquois as he is holding a wampum belt in his extended hand and his headdress appears to be an early version of the gustaweh. He is standing next to a large waterfall (possibly Niagara). Private collection. In another portrait of Brant (figure 7) he is similarly dressed in a combination of European and Native attire. Old images are also found in which individuals are wearing less formal (more traditional?) attire but the older symbolic and allegorical representations were never far from the surface (figure 8). In this book illustration the subject is holding a wampum belt in his extended hand and his plucked scalp and feather top knot of hair could be an early version of the gustaweh, an Iroquois man’s headdress. I’ve seen similar 18th century illustrations where the subject was identified as Iroquois. He is standing next to a large waterfall (possibly Niagara). His attire could be made from animal skins or it could be a European trade textile. Although the image may have been a fanciful depiction of an Iroquois warrior, it appears that the artist got some of the details right. He doesn't appear to be wearing leggings. Fig. 9 – 18th century leggings from the St. Lawrence Valley, possibly Iroquois. They are decorated with porcupine quills and moosehair on black dyed buckskin. Collection history unknown. Fig. 10 – 18th century Iroquois leggings on dyed deerskin, decorated with either porcupine quills or moosehair embroidery, trade beads and silk ribbon work. National Museum of the American Indian. Leggings have long been an integral part of traditional Iroquois regalia. Figure 9 is a pair of late 18th century leggings that are possibly Iroquois. Although they are simply decorated with porcupine quills and moosehair, they are an honest representation of a “traditional” clothing item from this period. In another pair of exceptionally decorated leggings we get a better look at some early “traditional” motifs (figure 10). Along the bottom of the leggings is the sinuous line representing the sky dome with the celestial tree above it and the earth tree below. The leggings are also decorated with extensive ribbon work and the square and diamond motifs appear to be done in either porcupine quills or moosehair. These geometric designs had deep cultural meaning as they are found on various items of early Iroquois material culture. Although not specifically part of someone’s regalia, other 18th century items that were made by Iroquois artisans, such as burden straps (figures 11 & 12), aptly demonstrate some of the bold and colorful geometric design motifs that were prevalent during this period. In an 18th century watercolor of a Mohawk woman and child, she is wearing a burden strap across her forehead that is holding her cradleboard (figure 13). She is dressed almost completely in European trade goods. The lower border of her dress appears to be decorated with silver brooches and silk ribbon appliqué. Fig. 11 – Four burden straps from the 18th century. (A) - Iroquois: from the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, Russia. (B) - Iroquois or Huron – Mid- to late 18th c. Made of hemp, dyed moosehair false embroidery and glass beads. (C) - Collected in the St. Lawrence River valley, c 1775, and possibly Iroquois. It’s edged with white imitation wampum. (D) - Iroquois, sometime before 1775. Colors are orange, blue, black and white. Dyed Moosehair in false embroidery. Fig. 12 – Three Iroquois burden straps . Circa 1780. Decorated with dyed moosehair in false embroidery. Most surviving burden straps are of Iroquois origin although they were also made by the Huron and neighboring Algonkians. Private collection. Fig. 13 – Mohawk woman with child – 18th century watercolor by an unknown artist. Her attire is almost completely made from European trade material. Collection history unknown. Another traditional item from the 18th century is the shoulder or bandoleer bag (figure 14). They seem to have been in vogue during that period and this tradition continued well into the 19th century. There are a number of examples of these in 19th century photographs (see my blog posting on these) but the example in figure 14 is earlier and is decorated with imitation or glass wampum beads. It’s another illustration of the use of geometric designs in pieces of material culture from this period. Fig. 14 – Iroquois shoulder bag – pre 1778 – a vogue for these bags, with fronts made of imitation glass wampum beads, existed at the end of the 18th century. The geometric designs they display resemble those on belts and ornaments made of shell wampum. From the collection of the Braunschweigisches Landesmuseum, Germany. In 1778, Thomas Davies painted a scene near Quebec of an Indian encampment (figure 15). It is filled with details of encampment life. It also gives us a glimpse into the mode of dress that many of the inhabitants wore. Many of the adults are attired in garments that were made from European textiles and most also have a blanket draped over their shoulders. Of particular interest are two of the women in figure 15a who are wearing a peaked cap, not unlike those the Wabanaki made. Fig. 15 – A watercolor over graphite illustration titled: A View near Point Levy Opposite Quebec with an Indian Encampment by Thomas Davies, 1788. From the collection of the National Gallery of Canada. Possibly Mohawks or Hurons from Lorette. Fig. 15a - detail view. Fig. 15b - detail view. In another painting by Tuscarora artist Denis Cusick that was executed in 1822, (figure 16), the seated woman is also wearing a peaked cap but this one appears to be decorated, possibly in beads. Fig. 16 – Tuscarora village, 1822. Watercolor signed “Dennis Cusick, son of the chief. Fecit.” Private collection. I am aware of at least one of these peaked caps/hoods that has survived (figure 17) and it does have similarities to the Wabanaki examples. These caps are quite rare but their appearance in both the Quebec painting and the one from Tuscarora suggests that they were made and used by more than one Haudenosaunee community and this was no doubt a piece of “traditional” attire during this period. Fig. 17 – Seneca headdress – late 18th early 19th century. From the collection of the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. The standing woman’s dress in figure 18 is also similar in style to the Caroline Parker example in figures 1 & 2, and the edge of the dress could be decorated with beadwork. Fig. 18 – Christening of the Tuscarora Asa Thompson – Watercolor attributed to Dennis Cusick, August 21, 1821. From the collection of the National Museum of the American Indian, Washington, DC. As we get into the early 19th century, we find a number of realist paintings, done by Iroquois artists that give us a glimpse into the “traditional” dress styles from the period. In a watercolor painting by Denis Cusick (figure 18) we see examples of both men’s and women’s dress styles from the early 1820s. The bottom edge of the woman’s dress, which appears to be decorated in silk ribbon work, might also be edged in beadwork. Unlike the man who is wearing pants, she appears to be wearing leggings and both wear moccasins. The man has a frock coat that is held closed by a hand-woven sash. In a more defined image from this period (figure 19) we can see a lot more detail in the men’s outfits. It’s hard to say from the image if their leggings are beaded or simply decorated in ribbon work but it may well be a combination of the two. Fig. 19 – An undated photograph of a now-lost watercolor of four Tuscarora men wearing sashes, perhaps by Thomas Jacobs. Early-to mid-19th century. Titled: “The Intains [sic]. Tuscarora tribe.” The National Museum of the Anthropological Archives of the Smithsonian Institution. In 1833, the young Laura M. Sheldon of Barnet, Vermont, married the Reverend Asher Wright, a preacher to the Seneca at the Buffalo Creek Reservation, and she devoted the rest of her life to the Christian well-being of the Iroquois. Very clever in devising ways to get them to listen to her moralizing and religious instructions, she would invite them to what we might now call a “tea meeting.” They were at the liberty to bring their needlework, which consisted in ornamenting their deerskin moccasins with porcupine quills, or their broadcloth skirts and leggings with beads, or perhaps fastening a quantity of silver brooches upon their short gowns or hats. While thus occupied, she read and explained the gospel truths in their own language, sang hymns with them, and frequently encouraged them to tell her some story of old times. The simple repast, which had really brought them there and held them through the afternoon, was then served, and they went away to think of the “good words” that had been spoken to them about the “new way” (Caswell 1892:65). Two Seneca ladies are depicted wearing an ample amount of silver broaches on their collars in a circa 1860 tintype (figure 20). Fig. 20 – Circa 1860 tintype of two Seneca women in their traditional dress. Their collars are decorated with silver brooches. Private collection. Fig. 20a - detail view Fig. 20b - detail view Fig. 20c - detail view Caroline Parker’s outfit in figures 1 and 2 is also decorated in silver brooches. Although none of the brooches depicted in these images are in the shape of a heart, many 18th and early 19th century Iroquois brooches were. The heart shaped brooch has been called the national badge of the Iroquois because of its popularity among them. It is found in both single and double forms, often surmounted by a crown. The design is thought to have come to North America from Scotland, where it was a popular love token and betrothal symbol. The “Luckenbooth” brooch, as it was known in Scotland, may have been introduced by British-trained silversmiths such as Robert Cruickshank or James Hanna. Another possibility is that the Indians requested the brooch after seeing it worn by Scottish traders and settlers (Fredrickson and Gibb 1980:53). The earliest heart-shaped brooches were manufactured in Europe as early as the seventeenth century. “They were mostly used as luck tokens, or betrothal gifts, and the choice of the heart shape … is sufficiently obvious (Parker 1910:354).” Many were later made by Iroquois silversmiths who found their inspiration in European models, and historically, the Iroquois continued fabricating them until at least the 1860s. Any brooch pinned to the garment of a child was regarded by the Scotch as an efficient charm against witches.…When the Iroquois silversmiths copied the Scotch patterns they left off many things that were common in the original patterns and interpreted the design as their own education, environment, or customs dictated … (Parker 1911:285). The use of silver brooches as charms to ward off evil spirits was an early component of many Native peoples’ traditional beliefs. Silver was a gift from the underworld with a natural luminosity – a quality much revered by native people. They believed that the luminosity, especially in ornaments of personal adornment, constituted a power that reflected or blocked evil spirits and radiated the good powers of the sun and moon in the Upper World. Reflective silver ornaments were placed at strategic locations on the body by adults and children, the living, and the dead. Luminosity represented knowledge and wisdom and gave life to inanimate objects. Iroquois ceremonial masks have reflective surfaces at the eyes to give them life and the Naskapi word for mirror translates as “see soul metal” (Hamilton 1995:49). About the same time that Caroline Parker was photographed in the famous daguerreotypes of her (figures 1 & 2), the artist Thomas Jacobs produced a watercolor illustration of three Iroquois women in traditional attire (figure 21). Fig. 21 – Three Iroquois women in colorful attire – Watercolor signed “Thomas Jacobs 1852.” Jacobs is a Seneca name, and it may also be a Tuscarora name. The women’s apparel is typical of mid-19th century formal dress, with silver brooches and beadwork decoration. Their outfits appear to be embellished almost exclusively with silver brooches. In another watercolor from the same period (figure 22) the women’s outfits are also decorated with silver brooches and additionally their leggings and dress appear to be beaded. One of the unusual features of their outfits are the scarves/shawls they are wearing. Some early 19th century observers mention these scarves but to the best of my knowledge, none exist in either museum or private collections. Fig. 22 – Watercolor of four Iroquois women, artist and date unknown. Looks to be from the mid-nineteenth century. Private collection. Caroline Parker’s mid-19th century outfit in figures 1 and 2 is clearly decorated with curvilinear designs and floral motifs. None of the other outfits in the early images we have examined in this posting, as well as others I have seen, are decorated this way. By the mid-19th century, floral beadwork replaced the abstract and geometrical designs that had been the accepted art form among Iroquois traditionalist for centuries. Why this happened may have its origins in Euro/American reasoning. In the early nineteenth century non-Native girls were schooled to be pious, chaste, submissive, patient, and adept at “every variety of needlework,” and to “have a special affinity for flowers” (Welter 1966:165). During the same period, the Haudenosaunee incorporated symbolic and representational floral imagery in their work and this development came about rather suddenly. Although scholars have demonstrated eloquently that flowers were related to Victorian ideals of womanhood (Phillips 1998), the sudden emergence of this type of ornamentation is a fundamental question that has yet to be fully explained. Ted Brasser also points out that there is only scant evidence that representational floral motifs, in Iroquois decorative arts, were in use prior to the Revolutionary War. Aboriginal decorative designs were originally abstract and geometrical, but a curvilinear art style became popular in the 1750s. This new art style was adopted by all native peoples around French Quebec, suggesting that it was inspired by some form of French art (Brasser 2009:71). Others have argued that the complex foliate designs arrived in North America with the French missionaries and fur traders and that they originate in European decorative arts, introduced, in the French convents, by the Ursuline nuns to their Indian students. The course of instruction that was taught to young women in Europe and America that Welter described above was no doubt adopted in the French convents as part of the curriculum for their Indian students. These decorative ideas were subsequently dispersed across the region as their Native students returned to their scattered homes through the northeast (Barbeau 1930). Perhaps, as a partial concession to ministerial educational programs, some Indian artists modified their traditional iconography and adopted the floral imagery. The inspiration may have been European floral designs, but Native aesthetics and cultural meaning were incorporated into the final works of art. Ruth Phillips has suggested that “the Western and Victorian association of flowers with ideal ‘feminine’ qualities of fragility, beauty, and godliness converged with traditional Haudenosaunee associations of plants and the crops cultivated by women with the sustenance of human life to create a shared visual artistic language” (Phillips 1998). Flowers and plants did have a place in Iroquois ceremonial life, although not necessarily in the forms depicted on clothing. The fact that floral designs were adopted for ceremonial clothing indicates that there had to be more to their use than mere imitation and commercial motives. They had become an accepted part of the art style, and a source of group identity (Harding 1994:26). In summary, many believed that the shimmering patterns, fashioned by the beads, attracted the spirits that inhabited the woodlands of the Northeast. Richly decorated clothing was, after all, intended to please benevolent spirits and to protect the wearer against harm from malevolent ones. Clothing styles and fashion accessories change over time; this is true in most cultures. The reasons for the change are varied and sometimes complex. Jennifer Neptune, a contemporary Penobscot artist, aptly points out that the floral motifs that appear in Northeast Woodland beadwork were meant to convey a message about the individual or group identity of those who created them. I see medicine plants in the designs, and it’s obvious to me that people were beading designs of plants that were highly valued to themselves, their families, and their tribe. When I look at the floral designs I see plants that ease childbirth, break fevers, soothe coughs and colds, take away pain, heal cuts, burns, and bruises, and maintain general health.… A hundred years ago plants were the main source of medicine for Natives as well as non-Natives. With the knowledge and importance of these plants in our culture beadworkers needed to look no further than their own backyards for their own floral designs. A hundred years later these same plants are still in our backyards, are still being used for healing, and are still being used to inspire our beadwork designs (Faulkner, Prince & Neptune 1998:41). If you have an interest in Northeast Woodland beadwork you might find my book of interest. Titled: A Cherished Curiosity: TheSouvenir Beaded Bag in Historic Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Art by GerryBiron. Published in 2012. This is a brand new, hard cover book with dust jacket. 184 pages and profusely illustrated. 8.5 x 11 inches. ISBN 978-0-9785414-1-5. Since the early nineteenth century, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) beaded bags have been admired and cherished by travelers to Niagara Falls and other tourist destinations for their aesthetic beauty, detailed artistry, and the creative spirit of their makers. A long neglected and misunderstood area of American Indian artistry, "souvenir" art as it's come to be called, played a crucial role in the subsistence of many Indian families during the nineteenth century. This lavishly illustrated history examines these bags – the most extensively produced dress accessory made by the Haudenosaunee – along with the historical development of beadworking both as an art form and as a subsistence practice for Native women. In this book, the beadwork is considered in the context of art, fashion, and the tourist economy of the nineteenth century. Illustrated with over one hundred and fifty of the most important – and exquisite – examples of these bags, along with a unique collection of historical photographs of the bags in their original context, this book provides essential reading for collectors and researchers of this little understood area of American Indian art. REFERENCES CITED Barbeau, C. Marius 1930 “The Origin of Floral and Other Designs Among the Canadian and Neighboring Indians.” Proceedings of the Twenty-third International Congress of Americanists, held at New York, September 17 – 22, 1928. Nendeln/Leichenstein. (Krans reprint, NY 1968). Brasser, Ted J. 2009 Native American Clothing – An Illustrated History. Firefly Books, Ltd. Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. Caswell, Harriet S. 1892 Our Life Among the Iroquois Indians. Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society, Boston and Chicago. Faulkner, Gretchen Fearon, Prince, Nancy & Neptune, Jennifer Sapiel 1998 “Beautifully Beaded: Northeastern Native American Beadwork” in American Indian Art Magazine, Volume 24, Number 1, Winter edition. Fredrickson, N. Jaye and Gibb, Sandra 1980 The Covenant Chain – Indian Ceremonial and Trade Silver. A catalog to a travelling exhibition of the National Museum of Man. Published by the National Museum of Canada / Ottawa. Hamilton, Martha Wilson 1995 Silver in the Fur Trade 1689–1820. Published by the author. Privately printed. Harding, Deborah 1994 Bagging the Tourist Market: A Descriptive and Statistical Study of 19th Century Iroquois Beaded Bags. Unpublished Masters Thesis. Anthropology Department, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Holler, Deborah R. 2011 ‘The Remarkable Caroline G. Parker Mountpleasant, Seneca Wolf Clan.” Western New York Heritage, Volume 14, Number 1, Spring. Parker, Arthur C. 1910 “The Origin of Iroquois Silversmithing” in American Anthropologist, New Series, Vo. 12, No. 3, July-September. 1911 “Additional Notes on Iroquois Silversmithing” in American Anthropologist, New Series, Volume 13. Phillips, Ruth 1998 Trading Identities: The Souvenir in Native North American Art from the Northeast, 1700 – 1900. University of Washington Press, Seattle and London: McGill-Queen’s University Press, Montreal and Kingston. Pratt, Stephanie 2005 American Indians in British Art, 1700-1840. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. Welter, Barbara 1966 “The Cult of True Womanhood 1820–1860.” American Quarterly 18(2), pt.I:151–174.
Far from home and living in a harsh environment, the French residents of Michilimackinac and the rest of Canada were quick to adopt new styles of clothing. While French fashions remained popular fo…
Chateau de Bouceel is a magical 18th century b&b / chateau in Normandie located near Mont Saint Michel. What to expect during your stay + photos and more.
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