More about Seminole material culture

Janet Littlecrow of Oklahoma, has responded to our article on Seminole costumes and crafts with additional information from her experience. While she claims to be "no expert," who of us is?

We reprint her comments here with her permission.

"Seminole and Miccosuki (sic?) fashions before the advent of foot-treddle powered sewing machines were much like Creek dress at the time, thin horizontal bands of fabric sewn together in colorful combinations.
For anyone who has ever done Seminole style patchwork, it's easy to understand why this began only after the coming of sewing machines. Some of the designs were orginally based on colorful featherwork designs that were popular among southeastern Indians in earlier (better) times. The earliest designs were very simple, but have progressed to unbelieveablely complicated designs today. The best work is normally only made for family members to wear during annual Green Corn ceremonies, not for the tourist market. Many of the designs have names, and some represent clans within the tribe. Today, the bottom band on the skirts is often a clan design to identify the clan relationship of the wearer, but this was not always true.

To continue this article, please go to http://www.tribalworks.com/tribal_artery_seminole2.htm

PS: Janet also has a Web trading post, the name of which escapes me as I prepare this blogletter. Perhaps she will add it as a comment when she reads this. Janet?
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