Mrs. George Walters and Mary, Dressed for White Earth Celebration.

Mrs. George Walters and Mary, Dressed for White Earth Celebration.

Neg. # 57564 [E97.1W r37 (Locator Number)]

The subjects, Mrs. George Walters and Mary, are walking on a path towards the photographer wearing ceremonial regalia. Walters is wearing a strap dress and Mary is wearing a cloth version of a Plains-style hide dress. There is a house in the background.

Frances Densmore

1908-06-14

Anishinaabe

White Earth, Becker County, Minnesota, USA

Densmore took this photograph during her fieldwork at the June 14th Celebration at White Earth in 1908. This was among the earliest of Densmore's fieldwork activities. Jane Walters of Leech Lake, MN, AKA Shaw Wash E Quey, was the daughter of Mi-Gisins (Little Eagle) and the wife of George Walters. She no doubt participated in the lace-making program at Leech Lake, while at the same time she remained embedded in traditional customs, being chosen to carry the eagle staff at the White Earth June 14th Celebration and always seen wearing a strap dress. This is one of six photographs of Jane Walters found at three different institutions. Follow the links in the Relations field to see the others.

Donated to MNHS by Frances Densmore, ethnologist and ethnomusicologist.

Jane Walters (AKA Mrs. George Walters, Shaw Wash E Quey)

Cory Willmott. 2021. Decolonizing the Museum to Reclaim and Revitalize the Anishinaabe Strap Dress. Winterthur Portfolio 55(2/3): 160-3.

Still Image

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Black and white photographic print