Tunic

Collezione Missioni Cattoliche Americane 1893

XIX - 1890 - 1890

C.A.336

Canada

La casacca faceva parte dell'abbigliamento maschile e originariamente era realizzata con due pezzi di pelle di cervide conciata cucite lateralmente a formare una sorta di poncho. In un periodo più tardo, in seguito al contatto e ai conseguenti scambi con i bianchi, il modello tradizionale fu influenzato dagli abiti degli europei e la pelle fu sostituita da tessuto. Le decorazioni potevano essere realizzate con frange, pitture, aculei di porcospino, che venivano divisi a seconda della misura, ammorbiditi in bocca e, presso alcune tribù, spaccati; quindi erano appiattiti con i denti o con le unghie e conterie di vetro. Le decorazioni variavano a seconda delle tribù: più sobrie nelle pianure del sud e più ricche al nord. Per la conciatura la pelle veniva tesa su dei pioli e con un raschiatoio si eliminavano residui di carne e cartilagini, quindi veniva lasciata stesa al sole ad asciugare per parecchi giorni. A questo punto la pelle veniva capovolta per rimuovere il pelo, tenuta a mollo e strofinata con una mistura di grassi animali per ammorbidirla. Dopo averla lasciata nuovamente ad asciugare, veniva stirata e lavorata sulle due facce con una correggia ritorta di cuoio grezzo.

Protezione/estetico-ornamentale. Cerimonie.

Tunic made from four rectangular pieces of black cloth sewn together only at the shoulders and around the sleeve and fastened at the sides and under the sleeves by knotted cotton ribbons. The front and back are each decorated with three discoidal leather appliqués, the central one with a pinwheel motif and the two side ones with concentric circles, made of white, yellow, blue, red, green and blue glass beads. The neckline, both on the front and back, is decorated with two shaped applications made of black cloth with geometric and floral motifs in white, green, red, pink, yellow and azure glass beads bordered by a band of alternating white, azure, pink and yellow glass beads. Along each sleeve is sewn a rectangular blue cloth appliqué bordered by a red ribbon and decorated on the shoulder with a disc in concentric circles and on the arm with a floral motif in white, yellow, red, light and dark green, light blue, silver, pink and blue conteries. On the wrist of each sleeve is sewn a rectangular red cloth appliqué decorated in bands with geometric motifs in green, yellow, white, blue and pink glass beads. Four rectangles of black and brown velvet are sewn in pairs horizontally on the lower part of the sleeve and vertically on the shoulders. The tunic was part of men's clothing and was originally made of two pieces of tanned deer skin sewn sideways to form a kind of poncho. In a later period, as a result of contact and subsequent trade with whites, the traditional pattern was influenced by the clothing of Europeans and the leather was replaced by fabric. Decorations could be made with fringes, painting, porcupine quills, and glass beads. Decorations varied according to tribe: more sober in the southern plains and richer in the north. This type of floral decoration was of French derivation.