Bear-claw necklace

Name (French):
Name (Innu): mashku-mishkashin tapisheun
Date Collected: unknown
Institutions: The Rooms, Provincial Museum Division
Catalog Number: III-B-125
Place Made: unknown
Maker: displayed with a collection of caribou skin clothing
Collector: Richard White

References:

Alika Podolinsky Webber. Canadian Museum of Civilization. Coll. (III-X-42M). Field Notes from N.W.R. and Davis Inlet, Labrador (Naskapi), 1960-62. B170R f.8.Alika Podolinsky Webber. Canadian Museum of Civilization. Coll. (III-X-42M). Field Notes from N.W.R. and Davis Inlet, Labrador (Naskapi), 1960-62. B170R f.8.

Innu Narrative:

“I saw one made like that, but I never made one like that. My late mother made these. My late mother was very good at crafts. That’s probably where Matinen (Katshinak) got it from. My mother made these. I think she used caribou estesh (sinew). Estesh was used for sewing in the past. People kept estesh for sewing. And it is used for making moccasins too. That’s what it is used for. I never saw anyone else make one. My late mother made these.”  Pinamen (Rich) Katshinak.

Other Info:

Alika Podolinsky Webber states in her fieldnotes that when she showed Shimun Pasteen (Sheshatshiu) a photo of “necklace beads and claws,” he claimed to have seen the object before. However, Joe Rich had never seen this type of necklace (fieldnotes, 3 June 1961).  Peter Armitage note.