Winnebago (Ho-Chunk)
The Winnebago lived near Green Bay
on the shores of Lake Michigan
during the 1600s but were forced westward during the 1820s and
1830s. In 1865 the Winnebago were moved to a reservation in northeast
Nebraska. Many tribal members missed their homeland in Wisconsin
and returned there. Today, many Winnebago people live and own
land around Black Water Falls, Wisconsin, as well as in Nebraska.
The Winnebago of Nebraska made most of the Winnebago bags in
this exhibit. Several features characterize their bags:
- Offset shoulder straps, identical designs
on both sides of the strap
- Similar or closely related bag and strap
designs
- Linear designs that are often repeated
- Straight line fill-in appliqué
floral elements
- Short back panels that are only 25 to
50 percent the height of the beaded panel
Winnebago, about 1890
Source: Loan from the Anthropology Division,
University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln
[A73.1.111]
Winnebago, about 1900
Source: Loan from the Anthropology Division,
University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln
[A06239]
Winnebago, about 1900
Source: Loan from the Anthropology Division,
University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln
[A93.13.06]
Winnebago, about 1910
Collection records indicate these bags
were collected from a member of the Santee tribe at Niobrara
in the early 1900s, although design elements are characteristic
of Winnebago bags. Perhaps this bag was a trade item or the maker
was influenced by the Winnebago style.
Source: B. Y. High Collection, courtesy of Alice Cobb, Santa
Barbara, CA.
[8634-261]
1933 Winnebago powwow
Note the two boys at the front center with
bandolier bags.
Source: Nebraska State Historical Society
[order
photo] [RG2067-8-6]
These photo-postcards, produced between
1910 and1919, feature Native Americans
thought to be members of the Nebraska Winnebago tribe prominently
displaying bandolier bags.
Source: Images courtesy of Peter Bleed.
