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War flag

Titles: War flag (Supplied title)

Description: A war flag, possibly Dakota or Ojibwe, circa the late 19th to early 20th century. Composed of a strip of commercial red wool meant to be attatched to a wooden or metal staff, the object might also be termed a banner or standard. Attached to the red wool body of the object are owl feathers, alternately dyed black and red. Flags of this type are used by some Woodland, Prairie and Plains Native American cultures as a kind of prayer or medicine object to propitiate success in battle, whether physical or spiritual, and may be associated with the Midewiwin or Medicine Lodge religion.

Dates

  • Approximately 1890 - Approximately 1910 (Creation)

Identifiers

  • Inventory Number: 117IN.3

Restrictions

  • Through curatorial review and/or additional consultation with American Indian elders, spiritual leaders, tribal officers or lineal descendants, this item has been determined to be culturally sensitive. As advised by the Minnesota Historical Society Indian Advisory Committee on April 20, 2012, the Minnesota Historical Society will not display images of culturally sensitive items on the public database.

Holding Type: 3D Objects

Quantity: 1 item

Format

  • Content Category: artifacts

Measurements

  • 6 inches height
  • 51 inches width

Subjects

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