Headband

Museum number:

2-17097

Permalink:

ark:/21549/hm21020017097

Accession number:

Acc.1942G

Description:

Beaded.

Donor:

George A. Gould

Collection place:

Nespelem, Okanogan County, Central Washington

Verbatim coll. place:

Washington; Okanogan; Tonasket

Culture or time period:

Sanpoil

Maker or artist:

Ellen Runnells

Collector:

Marian K. Gould

Collection date:

1916-1918

Object type:

ethnography

Object class:

Headbands (headgear)

Production date:

1916-1918

Accession date:

March 7, 1942

Context of use:

For woman; goes with 2-17096-99b. Part of a costume given to Mrs. Gould at the time she was adopted into the tribe

Department:

Native US and Canada (except California)

Comment:

Information from typed sheet found in accession folder, prepared by Mary S. Heim, dated 10-5-65: "The costume was made for Mrs. Gould for the occasion of her adoption into the tribe...the dress was made by a woman named Old Ellen who was the daughter of the last "quiquitass" - the official story-teller of the tribe. It was begun in 1916 and completed in 1918 for the ceremony...This outfit is "tepee-tanned"...Old Ellen was 73 when she beaded the dress...Mrs. Gould was given the name "Mohatqua" - wild-flower - and the beaded designs on her moccasins are wild-flowers...Mrs. Gould was an anthropologist, and did a lot of travelling, and was adopted as a messenger of the tribe. The crosses on the belt indicate the four directions, and the wavy lines the roads she travelled. The arrowheads were so that she might travel without fear...The dress design consists of projectile points; the ones at the neck to protect the vital spots of the jugular vein and the nape of the neck. Because she wore the dress frequently while lecturing, they were to protect her from any evil thoughts emanating from the audience. The wavy green and white lines across the shoulders and neck symbolize the mountains where the Sanpoil make their home. The beads for the costume are old trade beads and were given by every member of the group, because Mrs. Gould represented the entire tribe." Information from handwritten sheet found in accession folder, presented by Mr. George A. Gould: "This costume...was made 1917-19...by "Old Ellen" at the age of 83 yrs...to give spiritual protection from enemies...to enable her to speak truthfully and to the point...headband was made of beads over a hundred years old...the moccasins were "fitted" by having Mrs. Gould put her bare feet in the dry dust, and an outline was drawn around the footprint with a stick, thus ensuring a pattern and perfect fit...The tipi tan buckskin is scraped and cured entirely indoors,...As this method is hard on eyes and throat, it is reserved for ceremonial dress and wearing...

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