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coat1927.1734 . 176392

« The pattern of a man's moose skin jacket which opens down the front consists of a single back piece and two front pieces which are sewn down the sides of the garment and at the shoulders. Each sleeve consists of two pieces, a large piece and a narrow, V-shaped section. The major sleeve seam, into which is sewn a narrow strip of moose skin, is under the arm. The seams connecting the front and back pieces also have this strip sewn into them. The collar is a separate piece of skin and another narrow section is inserted between the front and back pieces and the collar. Down the front are five red buttons which are inserted into holes reinforced with red thread. A sixth is on the opposite side at the collar and there are single similar but non-functional buttons on each cuff. The garment is sewn with fine twine (fig. 27). The primary decorative element of this specimen is binding of red cotton tape which extends around the lower edge, up both sides of the front opening, and around the collar. Strips of red wool felt are sewn into the seams which join the sleeves to the front and back pieces and around the edges of the cuffs. A strip of red tape is sewn around each sleeve 6 cm from the edge of the cuff. Along the lower edge of these strips is feather stitching in light blue yarn. Similar stitching in yellow yarn extends around the inside of the binding on the lower edge and up the right side of the front. A round the inside of the binding on the collar is the same stitching in white yarn. Speck describes the embroidered ornaments in blue, red, and yellow cotton thread on either lapel as stylized flowers, but says nothing about their significance. On the left arm near the shoulder is a butterfly-shaped ornament of red wool felt outlined in blue yarn with a small rosette design of the same material in the center. It is described as simply a "decoration" (fig. 28). Speck further noted that the jacket was worn by a hunter and the red binding has "symbolic value, i.e. game." He noted the similarity between this binding and the painted red seams on Naskapi garments from the northern interior. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.15, fig 27 (p.55) et p.16, fig 28 (p.56). « Speck (1935, pp. 190-191) has noted that for the Montagnais, the symbolic pictorial representation of a plant or animal was equivalent to the actual plant or animal and those portrayed were believed to come under the control of the individual human spirit. Dreams played a major part in suggesting the relationship between specific animals or plants and an individual. The spirit was strengthened by having its dream promptings obeyed and success in subsistence activities was thereby assured. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.10.

Culture
Ilnu, Montagnais and Innu
Material
“moose skin coat; beading;” ?
Made in
Pekuakami, Lac Saint-Jean, Lake St. John, Labrador, Canada
Holding Institution
The Field Museum
View Item Record
pot hook1927.1734 . 176384

« Two pot hooks of alder twigs are bent at one end to form a loop and lashed with spruce root. At the other end a hook is formed by a small branch (fig. 5c). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.9, fig 5c (p.33).

Culture
Ilnu, Montagnais and Innu
Material
alder bark
Made in
Pekuakami, Lac Saint-Jean, Lake St. John, Labrador, Canada
Holding Institution
The Field Museum
View Item Record
spoon1927.1734 . 176382
cap pouch1927.1734 . 176348

« Also associated with percussion firearms were cap pouches, which were large enough for the insertion of two fingers (Speck, 1935, p. 213). The collection contains three, all of which are highly decorated. One is made of red wool felt with green cotton tape binding and a strap of the same material. There is light blue cording around the inner edge of the binding. The flap closes with a snap and the front is ornamented with embroidered floral designs in blue, purple, and yellow cotton thread (fig. 22d). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.12, fig 22d (p.50). « Speck (1935, pp. 190-191) has noted that for the Montagnais, the symbolic pictorial representation of a plant or animal was equivalent to the actual plant or animal and those portrayed were believed to come under the control of the individual human spirit. Dreams played a major part in suggesting the relationship between specific animals or plants and an individual. The spirit was strengthened by having its dream promptings obeyed and success in subsistence activities was thereby assured. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.10.

Culture
Montagnais
Material
cloth
Made in
Pekuakami, Lac Saint-Jean, Lake St. John, Labrador, Canada
Holding Institution
The Field Museum
View Item Record
basket with cover1927.1734 . 176331

« The collection contains three covered birch bark baskets, each made from a single piece of folded and sewn bark with a rectangular bottom and sides that taper inward slightly. The dark inner surface of the bark, which is peeled in spring, faces outward. A separate rim of birchwood is lashed to the outer edge of the bark with spruce root. A tight-fitting lid consists of a flat, oval top and a vertically placed, recessed rim approximately 3.5 cm wide lashed to the top with spruce root (figs. 10-12). The largest specimen has a narrow cloth carrying strap (fig. 12). The method of construction of this form of basket is described in detail by Speck (1937) and Lips (1947, pp. 51-59). A fourth basket is similar in construction to those just described, but is much smaller and narrower and has no lid (fig. 9n). A characteristic feature of these baskets is the presence of etched designs on tops and sides. The primary method of producing this ornamentation is by laying cut-out birch bark design patterns on the surface and scraping away the dark inner bark everywhere except where the design has been traced with the point of a knife. The positive design thus stands out dark against a light background (Speck, 1937, p. 71). Ornamentation on the three covered baskets consists exclusively of stylized floral designs. All sides of the two larger specimens are decorated (figs. 11-12), while on the smaller, the two ends have been left undecorated (fig. 10). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.9, fig 10 (p.38), 11 (p.39), 12 (p.40). « The collection contains a set of four birch bark cut-out patterns of floral motifs (fig. 13) used on one of the illustrated covered baskets (fig. 12). Another set of nine patterns, which includes human forms, a fish, a canoe, and floral stencils, is described by Speck as having been used for bead and silk work (fig. 14). However, one of the patterns, that of a fish, was used on a previously described comb case (fig. 91). Speck (1935, pp. 190-191) has noted that for the Montagnais, the symbolic pictorial representation of a plant or animal was equivalent to the actual plant or animal and those portrayed were believed to come under the control of the individual human spirit. Dreams played a major part in suggesting the relationship between specific animals or plants and an individual. The spirit was strengthened by having its dream promptings obeyed and success in subsistence activities was thereby assured. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.10, fig 12 (p.40), 13 (p.41).

Culture
Ilnu, Montagnais and Innu
Material
birch bark
Made in
Pekuakami, Lac Saint-Jean, Lake St. John, Labrador, Canada
Holding Institution
The Field Museum
View Item Record
basket with cover1927.1734 . 176330

« The collection contains three covered birch bark baskets, each made from a single piece of folded and sewn bark with a rectangular bottom and sides that taper inward slightly. The dark inner surface of the bark, which is peeled in spring, faces outward. A separate rim of birchwood is lashed to the outer edge of the bark with spruce root. A tight-fitting lid consists of a flat, oval top and a vertically placed, recessed rim approximately 3.5 cm wide lashed to the top with spruce root (figs. 10-12). The largest specimen has a narrow cloth carrying strap (fig. 12). The method of construction of this form of basket is described in detail by Speck (1937) and Lips (1947, pp. 51-59). A fourth basket is similar in construction to those just described, but is much smaller and narrower and has no lid (fig. 9n). A characteristic feature of these baskets is the presence of etched designs on tops and sides. The primary method of producing this ornamentation is by laying cut-out birch bark design patterns on the surface and scraping away the dark inner bark everywhere except where the design has been traced with the point of a knife. The positive design thus stands out dark against a light background (Speck, 1937, p. 71). Ornamentation on the three covered baskets consists exclusively of stylized floral designs. All sides of the two larger specimens are decorated (figs. 11-12), while on the smaller, the two ends have been left undecorated (fig. 10). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.9, fig 10 (p.38), 11 (p.39), 12 (p.40). « The collection contains a set of four birch bark cut-out patterns of floral motifs (fig. 13) used on one of the illustrated covered baskets (fig. 12). Another set of nine patterns, which includes human forms, a fish, a canoe, and floral stencils, is described by Speck as having been used for bead and silk work (fig. 14). However, one of the patterns, that of a fish, was used on a previously described comb case (fig. 91). Speck (1935, pp. 190-191) has noted that for the Montagnais, the symbolic pictorial representation of a plant or animal was equivalent to the actual plant or animal and those portrayed were believed to come under the control of the individual human spirit. Dreams played a major part in suggesting the relationship between specific animals or plants and an individual. The spirit was strengthened by having its dream promptings obeyed and success in subsistence activities was thereby assured. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.10, fig 12 (p.40), 13 (p.41).

Culture
Ilnu, Montagnais and Innu
Material
birch bark
Made in
Pekuakami, Lac Saint-Jean, Lake St. John, Labrador, Canada
Holding Institution
The Field Museum
View Item Record
basket with cover1927.1734 . 176329

« The collection contains three covered birch bark baskets, each made from a single piece of folded and sewn bark with a rectangular bottom and sides that taper inward slightly. The dark inner surface of the bark, which is peeled in spring, faces outward. A separate rim of birchwood is lashed to the outer edge of the bark with spruce root. A tight-fitting lid consists of a flat, oval top and a vertically placed, recessed rim approximately 3.5 cm wide lashed to the top with spruce root (figs. 10-12). The largest specimen has a narrow cloth carrying strap (fig. 12). The method of construction of this form of basket is described in detail by Speck (1937) and Lips (1947, pp. 51-59). A fourth basket is similar in construction to those just described, but is much smaller and narrower and has no lid (fig. 9n). A characteristic feature of these baskets is the presence of etched designs on tops and sides. The primary method of producing this ornamentation is by laying cut-out birch bark design patterns on the surface and scraping away the dark inner bark everywhere except where the design has been traced with the point of a knife. The positive design thus stands out dark against a light background (Speck, 1937, p. 71). Ornamentation on the three covered baskets consists exclusively of stylized floral designs. All sides of the two larger specimens are decorated (figs. 11-12), while on the smaller, the two ends have been left undecorated (fig. 10). » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.9, fig 10 (p.38), 11 (p.39), 12 (p.40). « The collection contains a set of four birch bark cut-out patterns of floral motifs (fig. 13) used on one of the illustrated covered baskets (fig. 12). Another set of nine patterns, which includes human forms, a fish, a canoe, and floral stencils, is described by Speck as having been used for bead and silk work (fig. 14). However, one of the patterns, that of a fish, was used on a previously described comb case (fig. 91). Speck (1935, pp. 190-191) has noted that for the Montagnais, the symbolic pictorial representation of a plant or animal was equivalent to the actual plant or animal and those portrayed were believed to come under the control of the individual human spirit. Dreams played a major part in suggesting the relationship between specific animals or plants and an individual. The spirit was strengthened by having its dream promptings obeyed and success in subsistence activities was thereby assured. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.10, fig 12 (p.40), 13 (p.41).

Culture
Ilnu, Montagnais and Innu
Material
birch bark
Made in
Pekuakami, Lac Saint-Jean, Lake St. John, Labrador, Canada
Holding Institution
The Field Museum
View Item Record
food dish1927.1734 . 176326

« Four birch bark containers, all from the Chicoutimi band which utilized territory to the east of the Lake St. John Band, are described as eating dishes. Each is made from a single piece of bark and has sides that slope outward to an oval or round rim. The rims of all four dishes are separate pieces of wood, probably birch, secured, in three cases, to the tops of the containers with spruce or larch root which was also used to stitch the corners. At intervals on the rim of one of these dishes, four pieces of red cloth, approximately 9 cm in length, have been woven into the root lashing as decoration (fig. 6). The rim of the fourth vessel is tied on with twine and this specimen has been extensively repaired with both twine and roots. One dish has heart-shaped etched designs on all four sides (fig. 7), a decorative technique that will be discussed in more detail when covered baskets are described. The four vessels range in height from 12 to 20 cm, and in diameter from 36 cm to approximately 49 cm. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), Vanstone p.8, fig 6 (p.34), 7 (p.35).

Culture
Ilnu, Montagnais and Innu
Material
“birch bark; unusual strips of cloth bound on rim” ?
Made in
Pekuakami, Lac Saint-Jean, Lake St. John, Labrador, Canada
Holding Institution
The Field Museum
View Item Record
berry pail1927.1734 . 176324

« An undecorated birch bark container is a large berry pail that may be unfinished. Like the previously described baskets, it is made from a single folded and sewn piece of bark with the outer surface facing inside. The sewing has been done with string and there is a large, rectangular patch on one side; there is no rim (fig. 15). A similar but finished specimen with a flat lid is illustrated by Speck (1930, p. 441, fig. 115). Such baskets might also have been used for storing dried and pounded fish. » Vanstone, James W. "The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture from the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec." Fieldiana. Anthropology. New Series, No. 5 (October 29, 1982), p.10, fig 15 (p.43).

Culture
Ilnu, Montagnais and Innu
Material
birch bark
Made in
Pekuakami, Lac Saint-Jean, Lake St. John, Labrador, Canada
Holding Institution
The Field Museum
View Item Record