beaded sash, unrecorded Potawatomi artist

Exhibition Label: "Roots and Journeys: Encountering Global Arts and Cultures," Jul-2011, Nancy Mahaney In the early 19th century, the United States government moved ten thousand American Indians to reservations on Kansas land. The Potawatomi were forced to leave their homes in the Great Lakes region for unfamiliar climates, economies, resources, and neighbors. The Potawatomi endured many hardships, including prohibitions against openly expressing their culture, practicing their religion, and speaking their language. In order to preserve tribal identity and retain a sense of cultural autonomy, Potawatomi mothers incorporated a secret language into beadwork and ribbonwork, using designs to communicate information about family, birth order, religion, and medicinal plants. To agents of the federal government, these beautiful costume accessories appeared decorative, but for the Potawatomi, the designs represented and conveyed important cultural information. The meaning of the beaded symbols in this sash and garter remain unknown.