Alabama-Coushatta Tribal Council and University Appropriation
Collection place:
Dulac, Terrebonne, Louisiana
Verbatim coll. place:
Louisiana; Terrebonne; Dulac
Culture or time period:
Houma
Maker or artist:
Mrs. Clarence Dion [Houma]
Collector:
Alabama-Coushatta Tribal Council
Collection date:
September 10, 1964
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Saddle blankets (animal equipment) and Saddle blankets (blanket type)
Function:
1.3 Agriculture and Animal Husbandry
Accession date:
1964
Context of use:
Saddle blanket. Used as a saddle, no 'actual' saddle being used. Used by either sex.
Department:
Native US and Canada (except California)
Dimensions:
width 57 centimeters and length 63 centimeters
Comment:
Native name and meaning: "somo tcitcuba papatka" = moss horse pad [Alabama language]. Remarks: Made by women. "Obtained in trade [by the Alabama] from the Houma tribe in Louisianna because snakes were too plentiful to gather moss in the Alambama area at certain times of the year. The spanish moss saddle blankets of the Houma tribe are essentially like the Alabama or Coushatta ones except that they are not nearly as finely woven." "cf. 2-30974: Alabama spanish moss saddle blanket 2-30969: Alabama spanish moss twister".