Tipatshimuna 
Description:
Beaded leather shot pouch with strap to hold a hunter’s ammunition. Flap of pouch decorated in beaded floral design. Strap decorated with diamond and triangular beaded designs. Shot pouches held percussion caps and leaden shot. The hunter wore the strap around the neck so that the pouch was easily accessible on the front of the chest for loading a rifle. Speck described shot pouches (“pi’ tecena’n” in Naskapi) as “an indispensible part of every hunter’s equipment.” (Speck 1935/1977:221)
References:
Frank G. Speck. 1935/1977. Naskapi. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. James W. VanStone. 1982. The Speck Collection of Montagnais Material Culture From the Lower St. Lawrence Drainage, Quebec. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History. Fieldiana, Anthropology New Series No.5. James W. VanStone. 1985. Material Culture of the Davis Inlet and Barren Ground Naskapi: the William Duncan Strong Collection. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History. Fieldiana, Anthropology New Series No.7. Lynn Drapeau. 1999. Dictionnaire Montagnais-français. Sainte-Foy: Presses de l’Université du Québec. Frank Speck. 1977[1935]. Naskapi. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. Lynn Drapeau. 1999. Dictionnaire Montagnais-français. Sainte-Foy: Presses de l’Université du Québec.
Innu Narrative:
“I thought this was atishinan (ammunition bag) for bullets.” Sheshin (Rich) Rich
“This is a (etishinan) bag. It’s used for bullets for a .22 rifle. It is used for hunting and carrying the bullets. That’s what it is used for.” Matinen (Rich) Katshinak
“You can call this pitashinan (ammunition bag).” Matinen (Selma) Michelin
“And this is atishinan (ammunition bag).” Munik (Gregoire) Rich
Other Info:
“Before the general acquisition of rifles of the modern type the Indians of the whole northern region used the muzzle-loading guns discharged by means of the cap lock. This required carrying with them in the field the pouch containers for shot, percussion caps and powder… A generation ago these pouches were an indispensable part of every hunter’s equipment. Their position on the body was such that the caps and shot could be handled with the celerity required in loading and reloading while running, if necessary… In the age of the cap-lock rifle the shot and cap sacks reached the peak of their development, for the same period marked the economic supremacy of the Hudson’s Bay Company, from those stock of trade goods an abundance of beautiful beads, red and black cloth, and silk thread could be supplied. These commodities combined to enable the Indian women to express their deepest artistic sentiments, so the pouches flourished as the most ornate product of native art.” Speck (1977[1935]:221-222)
“Also associated with percussion firearms were cap pouches, which were large enough for the insertion of two fingers… The collection contains three, all of which are highly decorated.” VanStone (1982:12)
“Of the four cloth cartridge cases to hold rifle ammunition, three have elaborately decorated folded flaps with convex bottom edges.” VanStone (1985:13-14) See the complete VanStone description of these pouches.
Nutshimiu-atusseun presents a diagram of an ammunition pouch labelled pitashinan. Drapeau lists pitashinan as “sac à plumbs.” Naskapi dictionary lists atisinaan as “ammunition pouch.” MacKenzie lists pitashinan as “bag for bullets or cartridges.”