Materials

This piikstaan was created from hides, beads, and sinew. The hides were harvested from animals which were hunted for food, and were tanned over a period of time which may have lasted as long as two weeks. The beads used in this piikstaan were created by european settlers, and were brought to the Americas by European colonists. They were purchased through trade by the Indigenous Piikani. The sinew was likely harvested from the spine of a deer or buffalo, and was used as thread. The beadwork in piikstaan may represent kinship alliances, in addition to the spiritual identity of the beader. In indigenous artwork, the color yellow often represents the dawn, or heroism. Blue is a color associated with femininity, and wisdom.