Object

67. Skirt
  • Helen Russell[Ho-Chunk(Winnebago), 1886-1973]
  • Tomah, Wisconsin
  • 1957
  • List cloth, ribbon, and thread
  • Gift of Norman Feder, 1967.128

This skirt is a type of regalia worn by the Ho-Chunk when dancing on special occasions. You can still see people donning this type of skirt at today’s powwows, the festivals celebrated by Indigenous peoples of North America. The designs on this skirt are mainly abstract representations of flowers, with symmetrical red and green ribbons. This design style, known as the “positive-style,” contrasts with the beadwork appliqué observed on the clothing of Plains Nations.