Journey Around the World: North America- Everyday Objects Used By Indigenous People

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The Museum is open Fall and Spring semesters, Monday-Friday from 1:00-5:00 or by appointment. During winter break and during the summer, the museum will be open by appointment only. Admission is free but donations are accepted. If you would like to visit or schedule a tour please call 316-978-7068 or email holmes.museum@wichita.edu holmes.museum@wichita.edu.

North Ameirca- Everyday Objects Used By Indigenous People

Many Native American objects are beautiful and unique and very often they serve a practical purpose as well. Shoes, bags, baskets, tools and lacrosse sticks are just a few of the everyday objects displayed here. All the objects on display had a practical function for the Native Americans.

Bag made out of tan leather with multi-flower seed beads on each side. The bag has a drawstring and there is fringe that goes around the bag.

Beaded Medicine Bag

North America

Leather, seed beads, white glass beads

2016.01.001 Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology

Lacrosse stick made of wood that has been bent into a loop at one end with a leather net in the center.

Lacrosse Sticks

North America, Plains

Wooden sticks with leather webbing

Transfer Butler County History Center

1984.04.006, 2008.08.004 Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology

Basket

Cherokee, Southeastern United States

Pine needles, dyed raffia

Coiled round pine needle basket with orange and black dyed raffia knots.

Transfer from Ulrich Museum of Art

1994.07.031 Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology

Beige and brown basket with leaf pattern.

Basket

Northeastern United States

Natural materials and a leaf motif on the outside.

Hatcher Collection

2006.10.011 Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology

A hollowed black cow horn.

Powder Horn

North America

Cow horn

Used to store gun powder.

1969.03.016 Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology

Bone shaped to a point on the end.

Awls

Casas Grandes, Mexico

Bone

Awls were tools used to make holes in materials and for sewing.

Jackman Collection

1991.03.192,193,194 Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology

The pair of moccasins are made of furry hide on the interior and exterior. The tie and sole of the shoes is made up of white pleated leather. On top of that is a band of red leather decorated with blue and white beads. On the center of the shoes is a bead design of three circles touching each other.

Moccasins

Alaska, North America

Made of leather, seal or caribou fur, and snowshoe rabbit fur with beading.

On loan from Robert Swinson

1970.16.001a, b Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology

The deerskin bag is decorated with a large six-pointed star of blue, gold, and orange beads, with a cross of blue and pink beads in the center. The bottom half is lined with fringe.