TANNING—MEDICINE BAGS 



261 



Fig. 40— Coil of basket strips. 



the next continuous portion of the united strands also are twisted to 

 form a single cord. The same process is followed in all fiber twist- 

 ing, even to the finest nettle 

 thread. 



TANNING 



Deerskins are tanned by 



the Menomini, as among the 



other tribes of the region of 



the great lakes. The inner 



surface of the skin is first 



cleaned of all shreds of fiber 



and meat, after which it is 



soaked in water, rubbed and 



kneaded, and then passed 



around an upright pole or 



sapling, and twisted to ex- 

 pel the water. .Rubbing and 



kneading are now again 



necessary, to soften the skin 



and to prevent stiffening. 



Sometimes the brains of a 



deer are rubbed into the skin, which is then stretched and pulled and 



rubbed until dry. This is supposed to prevent the subsequent stiffen- 

 ing of buckskin garments when subjected 

 to water or rain. The hair is removed 

 by laying the skin on a large smooth 

 piece of wood, or by stretching it on a 

 frame or on the ground. This process is 

 represented in plate xxiv, in connection 

 with which another stage of tanning also 

 is illustrated. This is almost the final pro- 

 cess — that of hanging the skin like an in- 

 verted bag or funnel over a small fire, 

 in order that the smoke may penetrate 

 the skin and cure it. 



MEDICINE BAGS 



The members of the Mitii'wit employ 

 for medicine bags the skins of small ani- 

 mals, birds, and snakes, also panther and 

 bear paws, and similar objects of animal 

 origin ; but at no time have bags been seen 

 or even heard of, made of any part of a 



Fig. 41-Finisbed basket. „ , „,, ' „ , . J l 



nsh. The reason for this could not be 

 ascertained from the Indians themselves, but an explanation of the 

 tabu will perhaps be found in the mythology relating to the totems. 



