Photographs (left to right): All Mendon Ponds Park, Mendon, New York

Wampum Belt Archive

 

Huron or Wyandotte

Ok8adoron (Lorette Huron)

Original - NMAI Cat. #117512.000

18th century

 

Original Size:	Rows: 5. Est. 18 inches 138.5x5 cm (53.3 by 2 inches)
Reproduction:
Beads:
Materials:	Cordage on leather

Description:

Huron or Wyandot condolence belt belonging originally to Oksadoron, who married on June 9, 1766. The cross in the middle represents the Catholic faith of the four clans (the Wolf, the Deer, the Bear, and the Turtle) of the Huron tribe. The six spaces of blue beads represent the six nations composing the tribe. Site: Canada; Québec; Capitale Nationale Region; Wendake Reserve (Lorette, Village des Hurons).

Formerly owned by Okouandoron (Oksadoron/Pierre-Augustin Picard, Wendat, ca. 1741-1818); inherited by his great grandson Louis-Philippe Ormond Picard (Lorette Huron, 1879-1930); purchased by MAI from L. P. O. Picard in 1923.

 

In the NMAI description, it says the provenance is Oksadoron, which is an error. It should be read Ok8andoron” (pronounce Okwandoron). It happens sometimes that the “8” (pronounce like a “ou”) is mistaken as an “S”, when hand-written (probably by Picard or Speck during the sale). Okwandoron was Pierre-Augustin Picard, one of the first Picard we have in the Wendat genealogy (registers for French Regime have been lost during, or after, the British Conquest). See Annexe H of my book (Lainey) for the Picard genealogy (p. 274).

In December 1895, David Ross McCord (who later founded the Montreal McCord Museum), very interested by Wendat material culture, met with the Huron Chiefs of Lorette and made drawings of their wampum belts, and medals (see p. 158 of my book for the drawing of that NMAI belt). McCord took the following note: « This collar was not made here, but by others – the five nations – who brought it here when on some occasion they had business with the Hurons »; (p. 155 of Lainey).  At that time, Gaspard Picard Ondiaraléthé (grand chief from 1905-1909, but life-chief (of the warriors and of the council) since the 1860s) was “possessing” that belt, for having received it from his grand-father, according to McCord’s notes (I don’t know it the provenance is the same Pierre-Agustin though…).   We have a couple of old photographs showing Gaspard wearing it: see two example on p. 157. (other references are given on page, 259). See also attached – “laliberté” you can enlarge the image) (on the other one, the belt he is wearing is currently at the Canadian Museum of Civilisation)   Regarding the fact that it would be a “condolence” belt…. I just can not see where this is from! I would not pay too much attention to this information.

Stolle, Nickolaus (2016)

Purchased from Oksadoron, Wendake, in 1923, formerly owned by Gaspard Picard in 1895, worn by Huron-Wendat in 1880. See Jules-Ernest Livernois photography as Figure 14, p. 244.

Reference:

Lainey, Jonathan. 2011. Personal Communications. Archives autochtones / Aboriginal Archives  Section des Archives sociales / Social Archives Section Bibliothèque et Archives Canada / Library and Archives Canada 550, boul. de la Cité, 7e étage (85), Gatineau (Québec), K1A 0N4 tel: (819) 934-7385 / fax: (819) 934-7404 Lainey, Jonation. 2004. La Monnaie Des Sauvages: Les Colliers de Wampum D'Hier a Aujourd'hui. Published by Les Editions Du Septentrion. 296pp. : http://www.septentrion.qc.ca/catalogue/livre.asp?id=2152National Museum of the American Indian.