Bag

As northeastern Native tribes were forced onto reservations and their traditional lifestyles were threatened, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) women looked for new sources of income for their families. They had always been proficient in quillwork and beadwork, so they began to create purses, such as this one, for the non-Native tourists who flocked to state fairs and other northeastern tourist spots. In addition to the raised-beadwork floral designs, the artist added the phrase “FORGET ME NOT” to appeal to customers buying gifts for absent friends.