Four Views of Bandolier Bag- Ben Frericks

Dublin Core

Title

Four Views of Bandolier Bag- Ben Frericks

Subject

The history of bandolier bags

Description

Smarthistory – Bandolier Bag
Makers and Masterpieces: Baldric Sashes and Bandolier Bags at the Smithsonian (choctawnation.com)

Creator

Smarthistory

Publisher

2024 SMARTHISTORY

Date

05/17/24

Rights

Legal

Text Item Type Metadata

Text

The first view I chose to discuss was the whole bandolier bag. This artifact stuck out to me because of the vibrant colors and the exotic design. These items were created across all of the Indigenous lands throughout the U.S. It is believed that these items were made due to the Indian Removal act of 1830, which was when the Lenape were removed from their land by force. The patterns really stick out which make every bandolier bag different. This bag was used to complement men’s ceremonial outfits. Sometimes, the men even wore more than one bag which allowed them to dress in many colors and patterns. Typically, women were the ones to design these bags for the men. The women would gather trade cloth together which was made from cotton or wool along with other animal hides. With the materials they would gather, they could then craft the bandolier bags.

The second view that I will be taking a look at is the composition. Bandolier bags were primarily composed of quills back when they were in their prime. Quills were first softened up until they were flexible enough to be woven onto Indigenous clothes. However, beads were another material that were stitched onto the cloth. These beads were called “seed beads” and the Indigenous people received them from European traders. The seed beads were made of glass and they were highly sought after due to their outstanding colors. Before beads were used to decorate the bags, porcupine quills were used instead. The porcupine quills were softened, dyed, and once malleable, the quills were stitched onto the cloth. The reason that people stopped using quills is because they required different techniques when it came to forming the bag. The quills got outdated and people started using beads instead.

The third and most interesting view that will be discussed is the pattern of these bags. There are many different styles of bandolier bags, but one of the main styles is called the “prairie style.” The prairie style bag typically used glass beads with a floral pattern. While most of the bags stuck to a floral pattern, the patterns could also vary to more abstract pieces. Floral patterns are seen as a symbol of transformation in making art along with the creativity of people as they go through new experiences. Colorful and exotic patterns also determined who certain people associated with along with their social status.

The final view I will be discussing is how bandolier bags are seen today in modern society. Bandolier bags are still worn and used today by people due to their significant history. Also, they are still seen as a large part of culture and ceremonial events. Artists are still gaining inspiration from these bags when it comes to their modern work. They continue to find new ways of interpreting these artifacts. There are even groups of bandolier bag artists that work together in designing creative artifacts like these. As the artists work together, they bounce ideas off of each other which allows them to come up with new patterns and models.