From Cara Krmpotich
Alan Ojiig Corbiere organized a visit to the University of Toronto’s Fisher Rare Book Library to visit with a wampum belt purchased by the Library in 2016. While the provenance in terms of collectors is well documented, the belt’s origin within Indigenous nations is less clear. Canadiana Librarian, Grant Hurley, welcomed the group and is keen to connect with Indigenous community members about the belt. On this occasion, Alan was joined by friend and fellow wampum researcher Brian Charles (Chippewas of Georgina Island), art historian and curator Mikinaak Migwans (Wiikwemikoong First Nation), doctoral candidate Nyssa Komorowski (Oneida Nation of the Thames), and GRASAC co-director Cara Krmpotich.
The long, narrow purple belt has three white circles, formed by a double line of beads. It was created with a hide warp and a linen or vegetal fibre weft, and is edged with a hide wrap. One end of the belt appears to have been cut, leading the group to discuss what additional designs may have been on the belt, how long it may have originally been, who cut the end and why.
Grant also brought other heritage items for the group to see including a letter written in 1718, expressing Onondagas’ anticipation of a response from the Court, and warning of a war in the south; a book from 1664, Historiæ Canadensis, that includes the plate reproduced in the Wampum exhibition at the McCord Stewart Museum showing women wearing decorative wampum; a 1970s cookbook, Nishnabe Delights, from Serpent River First Nation, and an Ojibway dictionary from the early 20th century.