Round basket with pattern and imagery. Basket is a light brown-yellow colour with images in darker brown. Narrow round base flares upward toward midpoint, lower half embellished with human figures standing square to front, arms hanging at sides, feet turned outwards. Figures are interspersed with large geometric designs resembling ‘C’s. Above midpoint basket recedes toward rim, with alternating open and closed square designs. Rim is short and flares slightly outward, and a dark weave edges the lip.

« The consulting of oracles so as to determine where and when to hunt and to know the future with reference to the weather, illness, and personal matters was extremely important to the Lake St. John Montagnais. It is a subject that has been discussed in considerable detail by Speck (1935, pp. 138-147). A more recent discussion of the subject, with a different interpretation, is found in Tanner (1979, ch. 6). » 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.19. « A bundle of narrow bark strips is described simply as "willow bark medicine." According to Speck (1917, p. 315), the bark of the red willow was scraped and steeped to make a mash that was put in a bandage on the head for a headache. It was also dried and smoked as a substitute for tobacco. » 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.21.

Birch bark basket. Basket is made from white bark on exterior, with a rectangular base from which sides flare widely upwards toward rim. Interior is made of a sheet of brown bark, which also covers the upper exterior sides. Rim is made of a thin branch, pink in colour, attached to the basket by bark wrappings. Corners of the basket are slit and stitched into place with willow thongs.

Gift of Mrs. Ferdinand C. Smith and Mr. L. Hawley Hoffman.

Gift of Mrs. Ferdinand C. Smith and Mr. L. Hawley Hoffman.

The Elizabeth Cole Butler Collection.