Tipatshimuna 
Description:
Innikueu (dolls) were made by Innu men and women for their children. Both male and female dolls were made, often out of wood, wool and cloth obtained in trade, or caribou hide. When not made out of wood, the dolls would be stuffed with rags or tea. “Tea dolls” were a great invention because they stored tea that could be used during hard times, when a family’s main tea supply ran out.
“The women made them. And their children played with them. This is before we had the other dolls. They made these dolls and made moccasins for them too… They stuffed them with tea. People used to make very small dolls and they stuffed them with tea before they left for the country. And while in the country, they would use the tea when they ran out. They would take the tea out of the tea dolls.” Matinen (Rich) Katshinak
Several women continue to make tea-dolls in Sheshatshiu and Natuashish. They are normally sold as crafts.
For more information on Innu dolls, search the Material Culture section of this website.
Stories:
Listen to Matinen (Rich) Katshinak describe how dolls were made |
Listen to Matinen (Selma) Michelin talk about how she made tea dolls |
Listen to Pinamen (Rich) Katshinak describe innishits |
Gallery:
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- Anishen (Angela) Andrew making a tea doll. Photo courtesy of Peter Armitage
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- Carved wooden dolls with facial features drawn with pencil. Collected by Frank Speck. Courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania Museum
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- Male doll with drum. Made by Matinin (Selma) Michelin. Courtesy of the Rooms, Provincial Museum Division, Newfoundland and Labrador
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- Charlie Unganna’s girls with their dolls. 1931. Donald Baxter MacMillan photo. Courtesy of the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Musuem and Arctic Studies Center
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- Infant tea doll wrapped in a blanket and swaddled in an ashukuia made of smoked caribou. Peenamin Mackenzie School collection
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- Male and female wooden dolls, head features carved, eyes of black glass beads, hair black cotton thread, clothing made of caribou skin. The Room collection. Provincial Museum Division. Newfoundland and Labrador
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- Small wooden doll, head carved, eyes and hair drawn in pencil, wrapped in red wool and skin, covered with larger piece of skin like cradle. Courtesy of the Rooms, Provincial Museum Division. Newfoundland and Labrador
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- Tea doll with swaddled baby made by An-Pinamen (Gregoire) Pokue. Peenamin Mackenzie School collection