Vigo County Historical Society

Historical Treasure Article

Historic Treasure of the Week - March 10, 1985
by Donna Brown
Vigo County Historical Society

Indian pipe bag part of individual ritual, religiously significant

Smoking of the pipe was woven into the life of the Indian from adolescence through old age. It was not a casual individual indulgence, but one to be shared with other men and with the spiritual powers of the universe. It was accompanied by tribal rituals and religious significance, so it is understandable that the pipe would be kept and carried in a leather bag to protect it.

Beaded and quilled pipe bags were among the finest items made by the Indians. No two pieces were decorated exactly alike. Every item still in existence today is rare -- it is one of a kind. Mass production would have been an alien thought, for the Indians' quill and beaded designs were a part of each individual, sometimes given in a vision or a dream.

The bags were never pieces of unnecessary bric-a-brac to be admired only on occasion, but were functional personal objects, expressing spiritual feelings. The bags would be part of the sum total of a man's personal history to be read in the personal items left behind after his death.

In addition to the pipe bowl and stem, tobacco also was placed in the bottom of the bag. When carried or stored, the pipe bowl and stem were separated.

Some bags had a stitched separation to provide a narrow side pocket for the stem. A thong drawstring was attached to the top of all pipe bags to secure the contents.

The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday. For more information or to schedule a tour, telephone 235-9717 during open hours.