Native American Clothing: An Illustrated History

With more than 300 photographs of clothing and artifacts from museums, collectors and private dealers, this lavishly illustrated book offers a glimpse into the daily lives of Indigenous peoples from 12 regions of North America. The book’s author, a retired curator and expert in Indigenous North American clothing and culture, shares his vast knowledge with readers, explaining the many influences on Native art and design: mythology, social and political status, wealth, climate, geography and European contact. After a fairly lengthy introduction, the book is divided into 12 chapters, each of which consists of a map of the featured area (for example, Northwest Coast, Plains, Eastern Sub-Arctic), an essay showcasing the history and the daily and ceremonial clothing of the various Indigenous peoples who lived there at the time, followed by a gallery of clothing and artifacts from that region.

The author describes various articles of clothing (leggings, skirts, shirts, dresses and shoes) as well as accessories such as visors, neck rings, headdresses, sashes, belts, pouches and blankets and the materials and methods used to create them. Adornments (feathers, quills, freshwater pearls and shells) were influenced not only by the availability of materials in specific geographical regions, but also by contact with Europeans who brought beads, ribbons, coloured threads and silk. Featured artifacts include pottery, baskets and containers, dolls, utensils, wooden bowls, cradles and cradleboards, rattles, war clubs, knife sheaths, shields and masks. A few of the artifacts are particularly interesting. Firstly, a memory board, whose engraved animal images represented rulers of the underworld, was used to help in the recitation of sacred chants.

Secondly, soul catchers, used by the Haida/Tsimshian people, were made of mountain goat horn and inlaid with abalone shell and metal. Soul catchers were used by shamans and were believed to hold the souls of patients until the souls could be returned to their rightful owners.

Illustrations consist of maps, coloured photographs, black and white archival photographs, drawings, paintings (oils and watercolours), pastels, engravings and lithographs. Some of the paintings, from the early 16th through the mid-19th centuries, were done by European artists to show how Indigenous people were clothed at the time. A table of contents and an index are included.
An outstanding resource, Native American Clothing: An Illustrated History is not only educational but also a visual feast. Superbly done!