Dakota Parfleche

Plains Indian Parfleche

A parfleche is a rawhide carrying case decorated with geometric designs. These "suitcases" were made and used by nomadic Plains Inidans to hold clothing, valuables, personal items, and tools.

To make a traditionally shaped parfleche, the hide was trimmed to a rectangular shape, folded at the sides to overlap, and the ends folded toward the center. Other shapes were also made to accommodate special items. A tube-shaped parfleche was used to store a feather or raoch headdress. The box-shaped parfleche might have been sued to store clothing and moccasins. The average size of a parfleche was about 1 to 3 feet long.