Description: Lacrosse: Oldest organized sport in North America - Played by the ancestors of Paul St John, Mohawk since 1100 A.D. ---- For the Iroquois Lacrosse is a social event, a spiritual endeavor played to give praise and thanks to the creator- and in times past was sometimes used to settle disputes; preferable to a battle or all-out war. (Haudenosaunee Nationals Men’s Lacrosse Team, formerly known as the Iroquois Nationals, represents the Iroquois confederacy in international field lacrosse competition. They are currently ranked third in the world after winning Bronze at the 2018 international competition. In June 2022, the Nationals dropped Iroquois from their name, adopting the name the Haudenosaunee Nationals.)Here is Paul's homage to Lacrosse - a beaded shoulder bag depicting an Iroquois warrior with war paint .. a roach worn on head with a dangling feather at the side. Two crossed lacrosse sticks are below the warrior. Paul's pictorial beadworks, such as this are, in my opinion, some of his finest works. Front, back and strap of the bag are of vintage scarlet red wool, The bag and strap are edged with black grosgrain ribbon. The interior is lined with a gray and white calico design of short and a bit longer white lines on gray background. On the strap - near the bottom where the ends attach to the bag are trade silver brooches - the type known as "washer brooches" - These were one of the most common trade silver items made by European and early American silversmiths to be traded for furs during the "trade silver era", 1680-1820. These brooches are 1.25" in diameter (they originally were made in many sizes) ... and while I have no way of knowing when these were made, they are not recently made. The style has been replicated over the years... Traditionally worn across the shoulder, this bag has the warrior/lacrosse sticks made of vintage solid white, black, red and 2 blue color glass seed beads. - The design, warrior and lacrosse sticks, is edged with a border of red beads. The bag is 11" long, the width is 9" and the strap is 22" from top center of strap to side of bag at it's attachment point. Strap is 2" wide. ....... Design is 8" at longest from top of warrior's roach to bottom of either of lacrosse sticks' bottom edge. It is 8" at wides - at the bottom edge of the lacrosse sticks. You can use this as part of your regalia, it would hold quite a lot inside - wallet, medicine pouch, etc. Or you can use it as a spectacular display piece. 4th Photo in slideshow is a part of a painting by David Wright - showing a warrior with red painted face, roach, trade silver items and a ball head club, - a weapon similarly shaped as a lacrosse stick. Paul St. John now lives in Maine, near his mother's Passamaquoddy, Maliseet and Micmac relatives. He is an enrolled Mohawk and grew up on the Mohawk lands in New York, his father's tribe. 2nd from last photo in slideshow is of Paul St John and 2 of his other works. Last photo is of his Mohawk grandmother, Amelia St John who taught him beading. Paul St John also makes birchbark, porcupine quill and coiled sweetgrass baskets, beaded knife cases, traditional dolls, water drums, birch bark rattles, beaded barrettes and moccasins among numerous other traditional crafts - check out more of his work in this ebay store.
Price: 210 USD
Location: Sedgwick, Maine
End Time: 2023-11-24T15:20:05.000Z
Shipping Cost: 6.75 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Seller
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Original or Reproduction: original
Region or Culture: Northeast
Country of Manufacture: United States
Material: trade wool, glass beads, silk ribbon
Artisan: Paul St John
Tribal Affiliation: Mohawk
Handmade: Yes
Modified Item: No
Culture: Native American: US
Native American Age: CURRENT - NEW!
