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Niagara Falls pin cushion

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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White Americans at the turn of the 20th century went to great lengths to force Native peoples to assimilate and conform to Western culture. Interestingly, non-Natives in the same period also sought out romantic and exotic ways to interact with Native American culture. Tourism became a thriving industry as many Native people successfully marketed their ethnicity to an eager white audience. Native people producing beadwork for the tourist trade often combined traditional techniques with modern designs and symbols to appeal to their customers. A Tuscarora made this beaded pin cushion for a flourishing tourist trade.

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