Mi'Kmaq Quill Basket - Alberton Museum
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History Of The Artefact:
The production dates of this object are from1880 to 1930.
This Mi'Kmaq Quill Box is circular in shape with matching lid and is made up of porcupine quills which are dyed and arranged in a pattern across the lid and exterior of the box; the interior is lined with birch bark. This box is the largest circular box of a set of three.
The ancestors of the Mi'kmaq called themselves L'nu'k, a word that means "the People." They spoke an Eastern Algonquian language and lived by hunting and fishing the rich coastal waters and river systems of the Atlantic region. They were closely related to the Maliseet and Passamaquoddy, and these three groups could to a great extent understand each other's languages. The territory of the Mi'kmaq's ancestors included Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, together with portions of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Quebec and New England - areas where many of their descendants still reside. The present tribal name, Mi'kmaq, comes from their word nikmaq, which means "my kin friends."
Porcupines are not native to Prince Edward Island. The quills would have had to been obtained from the mainland through capture or possibly by trade. These boxes were crafted by local Mi’kmaq and it is thought that they were traded for such items as milk, eggs, etc. The French called the Mi'kmaq people "Porcupine Indians" because of their skill at quillwork.
This Mi'Kmaq Quill Box is circular in shape with matching lid and is made up of porcupine quills which are dyed and arranged in a pattern across the lid and exterior of the box; the interior is lined with birch bark. This box is the largest circular box of a set of three.
The ancestors of the Mi'kmaq called themselves L'nu'k, a word that means "the People." They spoke an Eastern Algonquian language and lived by hunting and fishing the rich coastal waters and river systems of the Atlantic region. They were closely related to the Maliseet and Passamaquoddy, and these three groups could to a great extent understand each other's languages. The territory of the Mi'kmaq's ancestors included Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, together with portions of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Quebec and New England - areas where many of their descendants still reside. The present tribal name, Mi'kmaq, comes from their word nikmaq, which means "my kin friends."
Porcupines are not native to Prince Edward Island. The quills would have had to been obtained from the mainland through capture or possibly by trade. These boxes were crafted by local Mi’kmaq and it is thought that they were traded for such items as milk, eggs, etc. The French called the Mi'kmaq people "Porcupine Indians" because of their skill at quillwork.