The Ojibwa tribe has given us some of the most beautiful and unique works of art which we are able to study and learn from today. The Nelson Atkins Museum has a wide variety of Native American works of art ranging from the southern Pueblo cultures up into the Northern Plains cultures. Native American art is a huge part of our country’s history and the people that came before us. The artwork focused on in this paper is from the Ojibwa tribe of Ontario and the northern U.S. boundaries. The Nelson Atkins Museum displays a Native leather European style coat from the Ojibwa tribe. The coat is made of rawhide and displays pigment drawings beadwork and deer hair. The coat is a men’s clothing piece and is 4 feet by 27 inches. This display of Ojibwa …show more content…
The Ojibwa have a long history and are known as the woodland people. The Ojibwa became a part of the fur trade when European settlers established themselves in the region. The Ojibwa originally called themselves the Anishinabe. Later the Anishinabe acquired the names Ojibwa and Chippewa from French traders. (Roy 1) The first contact with Europeans occurred around the 1600s this contact later influenced Ojibwa art, culture, and other societal aspects. Before trade with Europeans began the Ojibwa wore clothing made from animal hides such as deerskin. (Roy) Men were not accustomed to wearing European styles of clothing, they often wore leggings and breech clothes. Clothing was decorated with geometric designs, bones, feathers, and dyed porcupine quills. (Roy) Europeans introduced new styles such as the formal coat style seen at the Nelson Atkins museum. The use of textiles such as glass beads, were used with other native materials including the fibers of porcupine quills. (CordellJustinepg660) The incorporation of European and native textiles created a new form of art. The Ojibwa were involved in the fur trade from the 17th century until recently, this heavy contact with European traders influenced the Ojibwa culture. Animals were a respected part of the culture and beliefs of the tribe. Fur and animal parts were highly valued and used in trade as well as everyday items. Native communities began to revolve