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Birch bark headdress box

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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This birch bark headdress box was made by Tomah Joseph (1837-1914) who was a prolific artist. He incorporated Passamaquoddy origin stories into birch bark art. This container references Rabbit, who became a Shaman, Mikumwess, one of the little people who dwell in the woods, holding two pipes, and a moose, a woodland creature. By incorporating Passamaquoddy stories into a traditional Native art form sold to non-natives, Tomah Joseph shared and in turn, preserved his cultural identity.

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