Wôbanaki Boy's Clothing from 1700
A very young Wôbanaki child might wear a breechclout
or nothing at all in the warm weather. Otherwise, children
would dress like their parents. Wôbanaki people
slept in what seemed most suited for the season. In the
winter this would mean wearing several layers to bed
and in the hot weather a child might sleep without clothing.
Among the numerous items for trade in the 1700s were
wool and linen cloth, ready-made shirts and coats, knitted
wool hats and mittens, glass beads, brass kettles, and
metal axe heads and knife blades. Native American people
in New England would trade with the French in New France
or the English in the American colonies. Items they received
might come from England, France, Holland, or as far away
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Breechclout or Breechcloth
A breechclout, or “adhozoan”,
is a strip of fabric or deerskin that goes between the legs
and is held in place by a belt tied around the waist. The breechclout
might be compared to modern-day shorts, underwear, or a bathing
suit. This boy's breechclout is made of wool.
These are wool leggings, called “medasal”.
They are tied to a belt at the waist to keep them up. Leggings
were worn for warmth and to protect one's legs when walking
through scratchy undergrowth. It is interesting to note that
wool cloth used for clothing by Native people at this time
was usually either red or blue.
This boy wears garters, or “kiganibial”,
tied on just under his knees. They are made from wool yarn,
using a technique called "fingerweaving". As the
name suggests, fingerweaving is a way to weave by using just
the fingers instead of a loom. The garters help to keep the
boy's leggings in place.
These are summer-weight moccasins with a center seam.
They are made from the hide of a white-tailed deer.
The Abenaki word for any kind of shoe is "mkezenal".
The boy holds a wooden cup for food or drink. It might
have been made by himself or by one of his male relatives.
The Abenaki word for a personal wooden scoop or cup
Cups like this were useful for collecting drinking
water while traveling.
This headdress is made from ash splint (which is
also used for making baskets), red wool cloth, hawk feathers,
and glass trade wampum beads (cylindrical beads used
for jewelry, ceremonies, and currency)
This boy's shirt is made of linen. In Abenaki, a shirt
is called “wihibaks”. It is the same style that
European boys would wear, but theirs were worn tucked
into their breeches.
This armband is worn for decoration. Armbands and
bracelets, called “wpedinibial,” were made from
pieces cut from brass or copper cooking kettles.
Necklace & Pendant
The necklace is made of glass beads
from Holland. The pendant is a brass turtle and is the
boy's clan symbol or personal totem animal. The turtle was
made from a kettle that was cut up to make jewelry. Wôbanaki families
belonged to clans, with each clan composed of a number
of different families. Clan symbols included the turtle,
bear, wolf, deer, fishes, birds, and other animals. Clan symbols
varied according to tribal groups.
The French call this kind of hooded coat a "capot".
The Abenaki people would call a large overcoat like this
pikizon". It overlaps in front to button at the shoulder,
and a sash holds it closed at the waist. This capot is
made of wool. Capots were originally worn by sailors as raincoats
and were adapted for use in the woods. They were very
popular in the Indian trade.
A "toque" is a French term for a knitted
wool cap. It was received in trade. The Abenaki call
These are knitted wool mittens that were received
in trade. The Abenaki call all mittens, whether made
from wool, leather or fur, “meljassak”.
This boy hunts with his father's old “tibi”, or bow.
These arrows, called “pakual”, have
brass heads, which were much thinner and lighter than
stone arrowheads. The brass heads were cut from a kettle.
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