Cordage Fragment Item Number: Nd582 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Cordage fragment made from a double length of cedar root. Roots have been dried and twisted or twined together.
History Of Use
Possibly a fragment from an old suspension footbridge?
Narrative
Judge Castillou's granddaughter suggests that this might be a fragment of a rope bridge, based on a CBC interview with Judge Henry Castillou from 1959. In the interview Henry describes in detail how his father Joseph, and a friend, first arrived to the Nicola Valley (ca 1875), and that he kept a portion of the bridge rope: “...So they went up to see this Indian and he described exactly how to get there. My dad and Gregoria, they crossed the old Indian swingin’ bridge, was made out of root. I still have a portion of it my father saved. It was a suspension bridge made out of cedar root and twined together about 6-7 inches, for the main span. Well, they crossed those cattle one at a time across that bridge, and they went up the Anderson River and up Usillachuck [Uztilius?] Creek and down into the Nicola Valley and sure enough, the bunch grass touched the bellies of the horses...”
Item History
- Made in British Columbia, Canada before 1875
- Collected before 1900
- Owned by Henry Castillou before 1965
- Received from Henry Castillou (Donor) during 1965
What
- Name
- Cordage Fragment
- Identification Number
- Nd582
- Type of Item
- fragment
- Material
- cedar root
- Manufacturing Technique
- twisted and dried
- Overall
- height 31.0 cm, width 2.8 cm
Who
- Culture
- Interior Salish: Nlaka'pamux ?
- Previous Owner
- Henry Castillou
- Received from
- Henry Castillou (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- before 1875
- Collection Date
- before 1900
- Ownership Date
- before 1965
- Acquisition Date
- during 1965
Other
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 0107/0080