Skitswish beaded gloves & bag from the Kateri Club, Desmet Idaho, 1937

Location: 
Cultural Narrative: 

Skitswish beaded gloves & bag from the Kateri Club, Desmet Idaho, 1937: In this image a twined root bag (commonly called a cornhusk bag, once misnamed by historians a "Nez Perce" bag because some noted the Nez Perces' masterful weaving and design artistry) is held by a man wearing gauntlets (a fancy name for hide beaded men's gloves). The geometric motifs on these items and on the tobacco bag or pipe bag, all refer to popular Plateau design elements and construction following traditional construction and decoration parameters. The cornhusk bags became smaller to be used as a handbag, used as a clothing accessory rather than a storage container; later joined by the popular beaded handbag. Hide thongs were usually used as bag handles, drawstrings on berry baskets, and as fringe decoration. Sometimes the number of design motifs (design repitition, shape, color) symbolized an event, or good luck to the maker. Shapes, patterns or central motifs representing something good is a commonly held belief among the Plateau people; just as a four-leaf clover symbolizes good luck to mainstream Americans.

Traditional Knowledge: 

Type of materials used

In this image a twined root bag (commonly called a cornhusk bag, once misnamed by historians a "Nez Perce" bag because some noted the Nez Perces' masterful weaving and design artistry) is held by a man wearing gauntlets (a fancy name for hide beaded men's gloves).

The geometric motifs on these items and on the tobacco bag or pipe bag, all refer to popular Plateau design elements and construction following traditional construction and decoration parameters. The cornhusk bags became smaller to be used as a handbag, used as a clothing accessory rather than a storage container; later joined by the popular beaded handbag.

Hide thongs were usually used as bag handles, drawstrings on berry baskets, and as fringe decoration. Sometimes the number of design motifs (design repitition, shape, color) symbolized an event, or good luck to the maker. Shapes, patterns or central motifs representing something good is a commonly held belief among the Plateau people; just as a four-leaf clover symbolizes good luck to mainstream Americans.

All artistry holds inherent spirituality: the personal touch of the maker, the prayers of thanks to the natural plants or animal skins for providing the materials, the mental and physical well-being of the maker to bring good health to the object's recipient; all contribute to the item's spiritual essense. These spiritual elements of construction are only decades old in becoming a part of artistic analysis by scholars who study Native Americans. Vivian Adams, Yakama

Historical Significance

All artistry holds inherent spirituality: the personal touch of the maker, the prayers of thanks to the natural plants or animal skins for providing the materials, the mental and physical well-being of the maker to bring good health to the object's recipient; all contribute to the item's spiritual essense. These spiritual elements of construction are only decades old in becoming a part of artistic analysis by scholars who study Native Americans. Vivian Adams, Yakama