Photographs (left to right): Mt. Charleston, Nevada; Tetons, Wyoming; Snapper, Mendon Ponds Park, New York

Wampum Belt Archive

 

Mohawk Kanesatake Wampum Belt

Courtesy NMAI 20/839

 

Original Size:

ROWS: 14. est. length 40 inches. Width: 3.4 inches.

Reproduction:

4,145 purple 419 white

Beads:

Wampum belt of 4,564 beads (4,145 purple and 419 white ones)

Materials:

Cordage on leather.

Description:

It came from Oka, or Kanesatake.  Three nations lived there which would explain the three diamonds (Bonaparte, 2014).

The Mohawk Wampum Belt ca. 1700-1750
Oka, Kanesatake Reserve, Canada
Whelk shell, quahog shell, hide, bass fiber yarn
Photo by Ernest Amoroso
Smithsonian NMAI 20/839

A treaty belt between converts and the Roman Catholic church, and at the time considered of great importance and meant to be kept intact, as shown by the extra thong wrapped on the edges. The three hexagonal figures refer to nations or castles, the cross to the church, and the other figure is probably a white man with arms outstretched standing on a base of "good" and topped by thoughts as equally as well intentioned. (White beads meaning good or peace) The white lines at each end signify the seven nations (three Iroquoian and four Algonquian) Collected in 1908 by Brother Cyprien of the monastery at Oka, Quebec and purchased from him.

Kanesatake Reserve, Quebec, Canada

CULTURAL SERIES -Perry Ground

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN (part 4): Today's artwork is a very interesting Wampum Belt that was crafted between 1700-1750 at Kanesatake (Oka, Quebec [in the record it notes Ontario but that is incorrect]) which is a Mohawk Reserve. This belt is made of quahog and whelk shells with 'hide' as the strings; there are 4,145 purple beads and 419 white beads. The notes say that this was a treaty belt between Native converts living in that area and the Roman Catholic Church. The three hexagons represent the nations and their villages (sometimes referred to as Castles) in proximity to Oka while the cross represents the church. The figure at the other end may represent a priest or other colonist with outstretched arms, probably welcoming people into the church. The lines at the top and bottom of the figure may indicate something good (thoughts, standing on church grounds, etc) as white beads usually meant something peaceful or positive. The seven white lines on each end of the belt represent the seven Nations (three Haudenosaunee and four Algonquian) who were entering into the treaty. The belt was held at the monastery at Oka until 1908 when it was 'collected' by a Brother Cyprien; he later sold it to the Heye Foundation (in the records noted as MAI for Museum of the American Indian) in 1939.
There are a wide range of feelings that Haudenosaunee people have toward the Catholic Church because of the complicated history between the Church and Native people. I post this image not as an endorsement nor denial of any of those feelings or beliefs. Rather, I share it as both a piece of artwork (imagine making all of those beads by hand and then sewing them together in this pattern) and as a piece of history because there were Haudenosaunee (and Algonquian) people that developed relationships with the church during the colonial era. Most of the belts held by the Museum are not available for view as ceremonial objects (or have been returned) so this was one that was available with an interesting back story.

Perry Ground wrote on this belt (2021)

Wampum Belt that was crafted between 1700-1750 at Kanesatake (Oka, Quebec [in the record it notes Ontario but that is incorrect]) which is a Mohawk Reserve. This belt is made of quahog and whelk shells with 'hide' as the strings; there are 4,145 purple beads and 419 white beads. The notes say that this was a treaty belt between Native converts living in that area and the Roman Catholic Church. The three hexagons represent the nations and their villages (sometimes referred to as Castles) in proximity to Oka while the cross represents the church. The figure at the other end may represent a priest or other colonist with outstretched arms, probably welcoming people into the church. The lines at the top and bottom of the figure may indicate something good (thoughts, standing on church grounds, etc) as white beads usually meant something peaceful or positive. The seven white lines on each end of the belt represent the seven Nations (three Haudenosaunee and four Algonquian) who were entering into the treaty. The belt was held at the monastery at Oka until 1908 when it was 'collected' by a Brother Cyprien; he later sold it to the Heye Foundation (in the records noted as MAI for Museum of the American Indian) in 1939.
There are a wide range of feelings that Haudenosaunee people have toward the Catholic Church because of the complicated history between the Church and Native people. I post this image not as an endorsement nor denial of any of those feelings or beliefs. Rather, I share it as both a piece of artwork (imagine making all of those beads by hand and then sewing them together in this pattern) and as a piece of history because there were Haudenosaunee (and Algonquian) people that developed relationships with the church during the colonial era. Most of the belts held by the Museum are not available for view as ceremonial objects (or have been returned) so this was one that was available with an interesting back story.

 

Stolle, Nickolaus (2016): Purchased by the instruction in 1939 from Brother Cypien of the monastery at Oka, who collected it in 1908.

Reference:

Bonaparte, Darren. 2014. Personal Communications.

Ground, Perry. 2021. Personal Communications.

Germany. ISSN 1437-7837

National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI)

Stolle, Nickolaus. 2016. Talking Beads: The history of wampum as a value and knowledge bearer, from its very first beginnings until today. Hamburg,