Bag

The red decoration on this bag is made from porcupine quills, part of a rich Plains artistic tradition filled with cultural and symbolic meaning. Quillwork decoration, still practiced today, predates beadwork and often provides inspiration for later bead designs. Quills are softened with water, dyed with berries, roots, and plants, and then tightly wrapped and stitched or plaited onto hides to create visually powerful patterns, such as the great thunderbird of Lakota cosmology that figures prominently on this bag.

Quillwork as an activity represents one way Plains communities connect with the spiritual realm. Only the most honorable women can acquire the knowledge and skill of quillwork through membership in societies or guilds, and this specialized knowledge allows them to earn respect and prestige through artistic accomplishments in quill designs.