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• Haudenosaunee artist
• About 1900
• Cloth, cotton, velvet, batting, seed beads, glass, sequin, and brass
• Bequest of Charles J. Norton, 1999.220

Haudenosaunee people are members of a confederacy consisting of five original nation members-the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and the Seneca. The Haudenosaunee reside in what is today known as the northeastern region of the United States. As settlements in this region grew, so did tourism, especially around Niagara Falls, which lies on the United States Canadian border. To supplement their livelihoods, Haudenosaunee women developed beaded souvenirs known as whimsies. These artisans combined traditional Haudenosaunee designs with the fashions favored by settlers. Whimsies, crafted in various forms, became highly popular as tourist products.