Parfleche Cylinder c. 19th century

This Parfleche Cylinder was made by an artist from the Pikuni (Blackfeet) tribe. Parfleches like this one were essential for nomadic Plains people. They used them as suitcases, to protect and carry everything from food to clothing. The Pikuni, part of the Blackfoot Confederacy, lived in a world shaped by the vast plains, the cycles of the buffalo, and a complex social structure. Consider that for the Pikuni, geometric designs weren't just decoration. The patterns could represent tribal affiliation, signal status, and even convey personal narratives. Imagine the hands that prepared the hide, mixed the pigments from earth and plants, and applied those colors with such precision. What stories did this artist want to tell, and how might the carrier of this parfleche have felt, knowing they carried a piece of their identity? This object embodies the intersection of the practical and the symbolic, revealing how art and life were deeply intertwined.