Aboriginal History Unit: Neat Stuff - Ethnology
Cradleboard
The cradleboard, which originates from either the Touchwood Hills or File Hills reserves, shows an unusual combination of Plains Cree and Saulteaux (Plains Ojibway) attributes. The heart-shaped cut-out in the backboard and the geometric beadwork motifs on the bag are derived from the Plains Cree tradition. The beaded design on the wings attached to the bag is a classical Ojibway motif variously called “beaver tail,” “otter tail,” or “otter track.” This motif went out of style in the late 1800s.
In the late 1800s to early 1900s, Cree and Saulteaux graduates of industrial and residential schools were intentionally resettled in these reserves north of the Qu’Appelle River valley to isolate them from what government officials saw as the corrupting influence of the traditional beliefs and life-style of their parents and grandparents. The artistic styles that developed in the Touchwood and File Hills area reflected this linguistic and cultural mixing.
This cradleboard was purchased with the assistance of a grant from the Moveable Cultural Property Review Board, Department of Canadian Heritage.
Why is there a Swastika on the saddle in the First Nations Gallery?
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Long before the National Socialist (Nazi) party came to power in Germany in the 1920s, many cultures around the world, including North America, used the running wheel symbol to stand for good fortune and prosperity. This ancient symbol has been incorporated into the designs on at least three items in the ethnology collection: a belt, a pair of gloves, and the saddle. All these items were made before 1920. |
For further information contact the Curator of Aboriginal History.
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