Spirit Dance Shirt

Item number A9360 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

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Data
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Description

Black trade felt (flannel-like) fitted shirt. Deep opening down the front closed with three buttons. Cuffs, hemline, shoulder blades and breast area heavily beaded with floral designs in blue, white, yellow, grey and green. Rows of unpainted carved miniature paddles sewn across each sleeve, lower front and back. The beaded panels and lower edge are bordered with a thin strip of light cloth and off white beads.

Cultural Context

dancing; spirit dancing; ceremonial

Specific Techniques

The miniature paddles appear to be sewn to black typewriter ribbon that is sewn to the jacket.

Narrative

The style of the embroidered shirt suggests it may have been made by a Tahltan person, then traded down the coast to a Salish community, where the paddles would have been added, by a Salish owner, for use in the Spirit Dance.