- Collection type
- Object
- Description
- Métis beaded Two-Spirit (2S) bandolier bag.
- Long description
- The Two-Spirit (2S) bandolier bag is of Métis origin and made of black felt, cotton thread in black, red, purple, white, and green. Additionally, appliqué rainbow ribbon, thread in blue and white, and 11/10 Japanese Glass Seed Beads (light-blue, blue, white, purple, yellow, transparent green, sage, brown, gold, turquoise, pink, and red). The technique used is flat-stitch beadwork with appliqué ribbon work, and pommel tassels at the ends of the bag’s 'legs'. The beadwork was completed between September 2019 to December 2019 while the artist was in residency at the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford. This piece is a bandolier or 'octopus' bag to be worn with one side of the strap on your chest and the bag dangling at either the left or right side of the wearer casually, during special events, at powwows, while hunting, or when attending family gatherings. Specifically, the Two-Spirit bag was made for the Beyond the Binary exhibition house at the Pitt Rivers Museum from 01/06/2021 – 30/06/2022. The bag was in response to the S. Black bandolier bag (1893.67.183), another beaded bag of Métis origin. The Two-Spirit bag describes Laurin’s identity as a queer (transgender, gay, two-spirit) Métis beadwork artist embracing the floral beadwork of his Nation that western settler society usually deems feminine, and misaligned to Laurin’s masculine identity. The Two-Spirit bag suggests that one’s queerness does not negate their traditional Indigenous identity as a Native person but can instead strengthen their identity. [DL 15/08/2022]
- Geographical reference
- Date / Period
- Date made: 12/2019
- Acquisition information
- Donated: 13/10/2022
- Materials and processes
- Material Felt Wool Textile Animal, Material Ribbon Textile, Material Bead, Material Cotton Seed Fibre Yarn Plant, Process Beadwork, Process Appliqué, Process Stitched
- Dimensions
- Length x Width 915 x 240 mm
- Object numbers
- Accession number: 2022.85.1
- Research and responses
Dan Laurin applied woodland motifs typical of ancestral Métis beadwork alongside the various colours of LGBTQIA2S+ flags in order to express a variety of possible identities across the gender and sexual spectrum. The transgender artist was inspired by his past struggle in reconciling his love for the floral designs of his nation and a toxic desire to be hyper-masculine and thus reject all things remotely “feminine.” Now more comfortable in his skin, beadwork has become a medicine and way to connect to his community.
“Within Indian Country the traditional is often sacred, thus this piece’s intention is to highlight that before and after c.1492 Native peoples of all genders and sexualities have enjoyed expressing themselves in a variety of ways and continue to do so. As such, with the strong vibrancy of Indigenous voices reclaiming their rights, the term ‘Two-Spirit’ is sometimes used by Queer Native youth to express themselves in the contemporary world while acknowledging their communities’ traditional values. The use of ancestral techniques to bring attention to identities beyond the binary is a reminder that our diverse selves are traditional and are gifts to us from the Creator.”
Text by Dan Laurin, Community Curator
Search terms: Bag, Gender and Sexuality, Bead, Carrying Device, Hunting accessory, Tobacco Accessory, Textile
