Affiliation: Métis, c. 1850-1880

Region: Lake Winnipeg/Red River

Materials: Sun-bleached caribou hide, embroidered with non-alkaline-dyed silk thread in chain stitch, bound with purple silk ribbon, lined with plain cotton fabric, hand-sewn.

L 3. 9 cm (to hanging loop) W. 8.8 cm

Location Found: Gift of Shelagh Rogers


Wall Pocket

Affiliation: Métis, Cree, c.1880

Region: Lake Winnipeg/Red River

Materials: Sun-bleached caribou hide uppers embroidered with silk threads in buttonhole and chain stitch, sun-bleached caribou hide soles, lined with teal silk fabric, sinew-sewn.

L 24.1 cm W.11.6 cm

Location Found: Oakville, Ontario 


Dance Slippers

Artist: Unknown
Affiliation: Métis, 1850-1860
Region: Lake Winnipeg/Red River/Western Canada
Materials: Very fine black wool broadcloth or stroud underneath black velvet (deteriorated) beaded with sinew-strung thread couched-sewn very small glass seed beads and trimmed with black glass bugle beads, lined with black glazed cotton fabric, hand-sewn.
Diameter: 19.0 cm Circumference: 63.5 cm L. 7.6 cm
Location Found: Victoria, British Columbia via Ontario


Métis Smoking Hat

Affiliation: Métis, Cree, c. 1850-1870

Region: Red River Diaspora/James Bay/Hudson Bay/Red River

Materials: Very fine black wool broadcloth or stroud, bound with purple silk ribbon (faded), lined with fine cotton fabric, very small sinew-strung and cotton thread-couched glass seed beads, green glass melon trade beads, hide, red and green wool tassels and holding cord, elaborately beaded on both sides. 

l. 48.2 cm (including wool tassels) W.24.1 cm

Location Found: Hamilton, Ontario 


Octopus Bag

Affiliation: Métis, Cree, c. 1850-1860

Region: Lake Winnipeg/Red River/Hudson Bay/ James Bay/York Factory/Oxford House 
Provenance: Chandler family; Beautiful Plains, Manitoba. 1875-1899

Materials: Very fine black wool broadcloth or stroud, bound with blue silk ribbon, lined with black silk fabric, very small sinew-strung cotton thread-couched glass beads, beige, rust, olive and mustard-coloured wool tassels, glass-faceted, polished iron beaded fringe, glass beaded woven panel, two-beaded outer edging in white beads, beaded on both sides of the bag. 

L. 45.7 cm (including wool tassels) w. 20.3 cm 

Location Found: Salmon Arm, British Columbia 

Description: The fire bag with woven panel has a possible connection to James Bay as the motifs are small and stylized with a limited bead colour palette, which is indicative of Cree-Métis work from the James Bay region. However, this type of bag along with its historical provenance would suggest it is more likely connected to Lake Winnipeg, and in particular the Red River. A similar bag was illustrated in a sketch by Frank Blackwell Mayer in 1851, entitled “Winter Dress of the Red River half-breeds.”


Fire Bag with Woven Panel

Affiliation: Métis, Cree, Red River Saulteaux, c.1875-1890 

Region: Lake Winnipeg/Red River/Northwest 

Materials: Smoked moose hide sole, sun-bleached caribou hide vamps and ankle cuffs with floral silk embroidery in buttonhole stitch, four rows of dyed horsehair wrapping vamp edge, bound red silk ribbon cuff edging, sinew-sewn, T-shaped heel seam. 

L 27.9 cm W.10.1 cm. 

Location Found: Detroit, Michigan 

Men's Moccasins

Affiliation: Métis, Cree, c. 1880-1890 

Region: Lake Winnipeg/Red River 

Materials: Smoked caribou hide, embroidered in silk thread in buttonhole stitch, lined with red wool broadcloth or stroud, treadle-machine sewn. 

L 29.2 cm W. 10.1 cm (at wrist) W. 17.7 cm (at top of cuff) 

Location Found: Cincinnati, Ohio


Métis Women's Gauntlets

Affiliation: Métis, Cree, Dene-Métis, c. 1850-1860

Region: Red River Diaspora/Great Slave Lake Mackenzie River Region/Lake Winnipeg/Red River/North Saskatchewan River 

Materials: Unsmoked/sun-bleached caribou hide, smoked caribou hide, silk embroidery thread on the back of hand and thumb, embroidery done in chain stitch, cuffs of very fine black wool broadcloth or stroud, lined with red wool broadcloth or stroud, band silk ribbon cutwork in blue, white, red, yellow, pink and orange, remnant of neck cord in clue and yellow wool. 

L. 24.1 cm W.16.5 cm 

Location Found: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Description: A similar pair of mittens was collection by Emma Shaw Colcleugh at Fort McMurray in 1894. Ribbon-work was widely produced in the Subarctic, and by the mid-19th century was largely produced by Métis women to decorate mitten cuffs and the edges of rectangular hoods. Like many pieces in the collection, it is important to remember many Red River Métis moved to Subarctic regions where they intermarried with groups such as the Dene, Slavey, Gwich’in, and Chipewyan. 


Métis Mittens

Affiliation: Métis, Cree, Dene-Métis, c. 1880-1900

Region: Red River Diaspora/Great Slave Lake-Mackenzie River Region

L 19 cm W.13.9 cm

Materials: Black velvet, silk fabric, lined with unsmoked caribou hide, sinew-strung, cotton thread-couched glass seed beads, faceted, polished iron beads, silk drawstring, remnants of flour-paste bead design outline.

Location Found: Toronto, Ontario
