Culin purchased this rattle from Saucy Calf who explained the symbolism to Francis La Flesche. It would have been used in what is now the Native American Church. The gourd is painted with a zigzag line of red paint that represents the crown of thorns. The handle is worked with beads that represent lightning, divided into two parts by a band in the middle. The lower part of this band represents earth and the upper the sky, illustrating man ascending into heaven. The metal attached to the handle reads, “Behold the heart of Jesus is with me."

Made entirely from trade materials, these distinctive cloth pouches were accessories for ceremonial clothing. They were called octopus bags because of their tentacle-like fringes. Some of the Tlingit designs may have been influenced by proximity to the Athabascan groups to the east. The reverse of the bag is plain.The pouch has four double fringe "arms" and a black wool strap.

Bequest of W.S. Morton Mead

This skirt would be worn wrapped from back around the sides. The open front would then be covered by a fringed apron. This skirt shows signs of much wear. Most of the materials it is made from are from local sources with the exception of two copper discs, shaped and cut like the abalone. All the ornaments in addition to being aesthetically pleasing would make a sound as the woman moved in the dance. A small blue bead is fastened in the fringe.

Immature golden eagle feather headdress with a beaded headband. Base of feathers wrapped in red felt and made over a felt hat base. Streamers of weasel fur and cloth dangle from headband sides. These types of war bonnets were historically worn for special occasions and may occasionally be worn on the battle field (although men often wore one or two special feathers instead). A man earned the right to make one through his brave deeds. Initially he would be awarded a single feather for each deed; a coup, killing, or horse stealing success. Once he accumulated ten feathers he was generally given permission to obtain the eagle feathers for a full bonnet. Ideally they would have 28 eagle feathers and each may have additional notching to designate an event. The tips of the feathers could be tied with the horsehair if a man had counted many coups. Thus the bonnets became oral histories and each piece signified events in the warrior's life. Feathers were very valuable, i.e., 12 feathers equaled 1 horse. These were worn by warriors, not necessarily "chiefs". Only a few very high ranked warriors would have the bonnets with the long trailers down the back. Today bonnets are still made as recognition for achievements in life, dedication to their community as well as war participation. Golden eagles are a protected bird and Non-natives may not use them, buy them or transport them without special permits.

After review by several different consultants these mocassins are probably Commanche, although there is a possibility they are Kiowa. Yellow painted mocassins with a beaded arrow design in white, red ,and green on the vamp.

This dress shirt matches leggings 50.67.7b-c. A lack of ornamentation suggests it may be unfinished (compare this sparse ornamentation to 50.67.4). The shirt has no pierce work, loom-woven quillwork, or ornamentation on the cuffs. At the neck flap, however, there is an outline of blue beads and at intervals below, an additional two and three bead linear arrangement. There are simply decorated rosettes of concentric rings on either side with centers of plain white skin. Going outward from these centers are rings of quills: light blue; white; red; and a combination of blue and yellow. Following the quills is a ring of white skin, and an outer circle of blue beads. When cleaned in 1992, a fringe damaged by old insect damage became detached at the center of the proper left shoulder. The edges of the torn section were backed and reattached.

This shirt is constructed with very little tailoring. It is left open at the sides and a triangular bib is sewn on at the neck. This bib is decorated with blue pony beads, patterned with rows of triangles. Strips made of porcupine quillwork and maidenhair fern stems have been placed on the arms, shoulders and as epaulets. Long buckskin fringes have been added at the sides of the shirt, the bottom, and the sleeves. The shirt is dyed a yellowish-orange color. On the proper right side, many narrow, brown, horizontal bands that are bisected at one end have been painted. These have been said to stand for horse whips. On the proper left, four hourglass shapes, almost completely filled in with black, have been painted. They have been said to stand for cloth or blankets. The triangular neck flap is beaded somewhat differently from front to back. The front shows two rows of triangles whereas the back includes a third row that contains two triangles. The blue beads visually square off the pointed end of the skin and are similar to the design on Jarvis shirt 50.67.1a.

The object is the shirt of a Yanktonai Sioux Man. It matches leggings #50.67.3b-c. It is constructed of soft light tan pliable leather. The sides of the shirt are open and have leather thongs to lace them together. The lower edge of the shirt is cut into short rectangles like a fringe. The large triangular bibs frame the neck, one at the front of the shirt, and one at the back, and are decorated with red and black dots. The neck is decorated with dark blue cut glass beads spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart. The lower edges of the shirt, the sleeve cuffs, and the triangular neckpieces are decorated with diamond-shaped perforations in lines, triangles and face patterns. There is a porcupine quill medallion in the center of the chest at the bottom point of the triangle. It is made up of concentric rings of red, blue, yellow, brown, and white plaited quills. The seams of the shoulders and the sleeves are decorated with leather fringes and red and blue quills wrapped around hair bundles. Among some tribes it is believed that hair carries some of the characteristics of the person or animal from which it comes. Therefore, using hair in clothing may give the wearer additional strength, speed, or another positive attribute. Each sleeve is decorated on the underside with a series of seven black lines. The body of the shirt is also decorated with drawings of hunting scenes that include horses, a bison, and spears. Holes in the leather are backed with red stroud cloth. Stroud cloth is a coarse, close-weave wool textile that was imported from England and commonly used among Native Americans in garments and blankets. Red was the most frequently used color although navy and green were also produced and traded, and the colored selvedges were often prized as decorative elements. The shirt is in stable condition. There is old insect damage to the medallion quills. Many of the quills are faded. Also, some of the red stroud cloth patches have old insect damage. A leather tassel is torn along decorative perforations. See additional material in Jarvis report in Arts of Americas' files.

The high heeled tennis shoes, size 6, used for the base are made by shoe designer Steve Madden. Then the artist, Teri Greeves, hand sews all the beads and original design elements onto the canvas base. The design is inspired by the Great Lakes tribes’ designs, as Teri's husband, furniture designer, Dennis Esquival, is Anishinabe and she wanted to do something that reflects his region. Floral motifs, in complimentary colors are on the inside panel of each shoe with a coral, spiny oyster shell cabochon forming the center of each flower. The outside panels depict contemporary jingle dress dancers swaying to the throbbing drums and singing that accompanies these popular dances performed during powwows. During these dances each woman competes not only in dance performance but in over-all quality and beauty of their dance regalia. Before the 1830s the jingles on these dresses would have been made from porcupine quills but this material changed sometime in the mid-1800s to commercially traded tobacco can lids, rolled into cones. When prolifically sewn on to the dresses every movement would make them jingle. Each woman depicted on these shoes wears full regalia, inclusive of beaded dress, moccasins, and a belt with real silver conchos. This detailed beadwork melds traditional technique with modern day commerce into a lively, fun and remarkable sense of contemporary aesthetics. The shoes can stand alone as aesthetic sculptural works or as examples of creative change over time.