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of Early Montana History

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In Their Footsteps — Fire Bear’s Moccasins

November 4, 2022 by Volunteer Curator

William Standing “Fire Bear” was born July 27, 1904 in Oswego, Montana on the Fort Peck Reservation.  He was named after his Grandfather and was the great-grandson of Wi-Jun-Jon, Chief of the Assiniboine Tribe.

Assiniboine Moccasins

Standing began his education at the Wolf Point Mission School and was one of five Kiowa Indians who became special students at the Univ. of Oklahoma under the guidance of Oscar Jacobson.  In 1924 he graduated from Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas, where he received his formal art instruction.

Although he started his career as an interior designer in Kansas, he moved back to Montana to paint the scenes and people that were so familiar to him.  During the Depression years he supported himself by creating many pen-and-ink drawings that were turned into post cards.  Standing is best known for these humorous sketches, but was also adept in oil, watercolor, and clay.  During the 1930s, in collaboration with James Long, he produced a book titled “The Land of the Nakoda.”  This volume, an in-depth sketch study of the Assiniboine tribe, is the focal point of the greatest body of Standing’s works.

Back view detailing spot stitch method and ankle hem.

Standing’s life ended too soon when he was in a fatal car accident on June 27, 1951, leaving behind his wife Nancy and one child.  These beaded moccasins with the keyhole design were purchased by Bud Cheff, Jr in 1993 from O’neill Jones, who owned an art gallery and museum in Big Fork, MT and knew William Standing personally.

Closeup of keyhole design

The beadwork on these moccasins is a traditional “keyhole” design in orange and white outlined in green and blue.  The entire side and back of moccasins are beaded using the spot-stitch method with a white background and smaller circles situated around the heel.  At the center of each circle are grey and blue glass beads.  Around the base of the moccasins in the lazy stitch method are alternating square and triangle.  Note the bar over each shape.  The hem of the ankle is a now-faded blue fabric, hand-stitched using blue thread.  View these moccasins and many more in our online catalog here.

Filed Under: Articles

Holiday Event and Food Drive November 26, 2022

November 3, 2022 by jo.cheff@ninepipesmuseum.org

Filed Under: Events, News Tagged With: event

Collections Policy Manual Complete

October 31, 2022 by Volunteer Curator

Please click on the image above to view our
New Collections Policy Manual. 
This link will be temporary until the policy manual is placed in a more permanent location on the museum’s website.

This manual was graciously funded by a grant from the Montana History Foundation, and we are so grateful for the many professionals and members of the community who contributed with reviews and suggestions.  We are delighted with its outcome!

Filed Under: Articles

In Their Footsteps – Buffalo Moccasins

October 22, 2022 by Volunteer Curator

Mary (Beaverhead) Smallsalmon’s Moccasins

Currently on display is a beautifully beaded pair of high-top moccasins worn by Mary (Beaverhead) Smallsalmon (1909-1995).  Though we don’t know a lot about her, we do know that she belonged to the Qlispe (Pend-d’Oreille) Tribe and was born about 1909 in the Mission Valley.  Below is a picture of Mary with her brother Pete and mother, Mat-A-Len.  When Bud Cheff Jr showed Mary this photo in her later years, she was delighted having never seen a photo of her mother.

Mary and Pete Beaverhead with their mother, Mat-A-Len

“Mary was raised in the old traditional lifestyle, and was at home on a horse” recalls Bud Cheff Jr.  “Her father was known by all the Northwest tribes as having fast race horses.”  Her father was Alex Beaverhead, son of Palomine who later became the wife of Louis Mollman (see previous post on Mollman family here).  She married Michel Smallsalmon, and lived out her life here on the Flathead Reservation.  She walked on in 1995 at the age of the age of 86.

Made of buffalo hide and buffalo nickel buttons.
Beadwork on back of moccasins that were cut in the traditional Salish pattern with no seam on the insole.

Moccasins on loan and on display at the museum, courtesy Bud Cheff Jr.  Please take a moment to stop by and say hello before the summer is over to see what else is new at the museum!

Filed Under: Articles

In Their Footsteps – The Mollmans at Ninepipes Museum

October 20, 2022 by Volunteer Curator

Ninepipes Museum currently has on display several items used and made by the Mollman brothers, Louie and Charley, as well as two items made by Louie’s daughter, Mary Katherine.  To learn more about the Mollman family, click here.

A rawhide war shield was made by Louie and is on loan at the museum from Bud Cheff, Jr.  “The cross on it represents his strong Christian medicine.  It also has his Indian medicine on it” according to Bud Cheff, Jr.  It was given to Bud’s father by Louie, who always called him his “little Canadian Cousin” because their family had both come from Canada.  Also on display are the bow and arrows belonging to his brother, Charley Mollman, on loan from Joe McDonald.

Donated to the Museum by Bill Engler, 2022.06.01

Although she had no children of her own, Mary Katherine (1874-1952), daughter of Louie and Philomie Mollman, “liked children and liked to tease and scare them as well as making gifts for them” says Bud Cheff, Jr.  Click here to see a pair of child’s moccasins she made for Bill Engler when he was 3, and to the right is a coin purse she made for his uncle, Clarence Landquist (1912-1999).

Finally, these star-patterned beaded moccasins belonged to Louie Mollman and were also a gift to the Cheff family before Louie passed away in 1929.  The cut of the shoe is the traditional style found so often on the Flathead Reservation with no seam on the insole.  The beadwork on these moccasins is meticulously placed using the spot-stitch method commonly used by Plateau tribes.  Although it is called the star design, the two-toned color gives it an almost three-dimensional look.

On Loan from Bud Cheff, Jr. IL2019.02.05

“Star” designs such as these are seen on other Salish beadwork among flowers, as though part of a bouquet.  What else do you see? Note the blue line connecting the star (or flower?) to the ‘ground’ or the wearer.   What does the symbol on these shoes represent that its maker would want the wearer to stay connected to?   Could it be a spiritual connection, or maybe a connection to the past or where they came from (knowing they had roots in Canada)?  One can only imagine the possibilities of the true meaning behind this thoughtful beadwork.

“Masterfully designed and crafted beadwork is not just beautiful. It tells an important story through its visual imagery, animated by epic narratives that keep timeless and vital beliefs alive.”  Author, Lois Sherr Dublin, The Visual Language of Beadwork, 2016  https://www.cowboysindians.com/2016/07/the-visual-language-of-beadwork/

We hope that before the summer is over you will take a moment to stop in and see what’s new at the museum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Articles

NEW EXHIBIT! “Preserving the Past for the Future”

October 1, 2022 by Ninepipes Museum

A history of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes—and the hands that preserve it.

Why is it so important to preserve the past?  Visit Ninepipes Museum to learn about the history.

When the past is so quickly disappearing, see how culture is preserved through beadwork and other important skills and traditions that are passed along to future generations by women.  This exhibition includes text and objects from the Museum’s permanent collections and items on loan to the Museum.

Exhibition is available with regular admission to the Museum

Filed Under: New Exhibits

Online Auction

September 17, 2022 by Ninepipes Museum

 

Click to Join the Online Auction

Filed Under: News

The Frybread Ladies

August 15, 2022 by Ninepipes Museum

Tracey Rider is Assiniboine from Wolf Point, and got her secret fabulous frybread recipe from a friend.  Her friend, the fierce guardian of this secret recipe which was passed down to her by her great aunt, made Tracey sign a pact declaring that if she ever gave away or changed the recipe she would get her eyes poked out.

So, please, for her sake don’t ask Tracey to share the secrets of their frybread—just enjoy the result!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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News & Community

  • In Their Footsteps — Fire Bear’s Moccasins
  • Holiday Event and Food Drive November 26, 2022
  • Collections Policy Manual Complete
  • In Their Footsteps – Buffalo Moccasins
  • In Their Footsteps – The Mollmans at Ninepipes Museum

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This is one of the most exquisite displays of Euro/Indian cultural meeting I’ve seen. Beautifully organized and displayed — Connie, Gig Harbor, WA

Very thoughtful narrative and photos and artwork. Good to hear detail told in its timeline. Wish I had more time to spend. Thank you — Penny, Grand Rapids, MI

What a wonderful introduction to the people of the area and their history. Thank you. — Adam, Worcester, MA

Learned so much about local Native American tribes. Extremely interesting. — Bernadette, Bennington, VT

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Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana

69316 Highway 93 Charlo, MT 59824

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