The Works of Native La Crosse:
A Collection of Ho-Chunk Creations
Embedded Files
“The La Crosse Players”
Artist: Elmer Peterson
Photographer: Lloyd Brown
Source: Stadium Journey
Our Exhibition
Our Exhibition
The history of La Crosse is filled with numerous people from many diverse cultures and backgrounds. The city’s name itself originates from 1634 when French explorer Jean-Nicolet and his crew sailed down the Mississippi River. Nicolet observed the local Ho-Chunk people playing a ball game with a long racquet, reminding him and his crew of their own tennis games which they called “la crosse”.
Years later, the Ho-Chunk people became involved in the Black Hawk War from April to August of 1832. This war between the U.S. government and numerous Native American tribes was fought in an effort to reclaim the land of the Sauk and Fox in Illinois. In 1864, the U.S. government used this war as a way to justify the violent removal of the Ho-Chunk people from the city of La Crosse. The local tribes were forced onto other lands in Iowa, and later Missouri and South Dakota.
Despite this tragedy, those that remained still found ways to celebrate their culture through the continued creation of handmade goods which were not only made for ceremonial, celebrational, and athletic means, but were also made to be sold to the non-indigenous residents of the La Crosse area.
In this exhibit, you will see numerous handmade items that were created by the local Ho-Chunk people from the 18th through the 20th centuries, and you will learn about their various uses. From baskets to hand drums, join us as we explore “The Works of Native La Crosse”.
Object Name: Sheath
Made By: Ho-Chunk
Date Made: 1860
Materials: Leather, fabric, glass beads, and wool tassels
1991.071.02
Sheath
Sheath
This Ho-Chunk knife sheath, originally made in 1860, is comprised of a leather backing with white fabric lining. Covering this is a colorful array of glass beads organized in geometric designs. The bottom of this sheath is fringed with green and orange wool tassels which also have various colored glass beads on them. According to a representative of the Cultural Resource Division of the Ho-Chunk Nation that collaborated with the La Crosse Historical Society to help identify the origins of this sheath, “The eye-teasing geometrical design,” is a key indicator that it belongs to the Ho-Chunk people. Traditionally, some bead colors and patterns were used to show affiliation with one’s tribe while other patterns were used in a ceremonial or storytelling context to indicate a greater meaning.
Object Name: Belt (sash)
Made By: Ho-Chunk
Materials: Glass beads and wool yarn
1943.001.04
Belt (Sash)
Belt (Sash)
This beaded belt has a geometric design of brown, blue, tan, and white glass beads, and the ends are fringed with red yarn. Sashes like this one are generally used in ceremonies and powwows. Many times, these belts were worn by the leader of a tribe as a reflection of a person’s role as a leader and the respect they received because of it. Much like the beadwork on many other objects created by the Ho-Chunk people, the designs on a sash could hold specific symbolism depending on the patterns and colors used and the context in which the belt was used. According to a representative of the Cultural Resource Division of Ho-Chunk Nation, the geometric beadwork on the belt indicates that it was probably made by the Ho-Chunk people. Initially, this belt was put on display at the La Crosse Historical Society’s Ho-Chunk exhibit, but it has since been moved to collections.
Object Name: Hand Drum (Tom-tom)
Made By: Ho-Chunk
Materials: Rawhide, sinew, natural pigments, and wood
2015.fic.046
Hand Drum
Hand Drum
Native American hand drums, also described as “tom-toms”, were usually made from rawhide that was stretched over a narrow wooden frame and secured by pieces of rawhide and sinew tied together along the bottom of the frame. Similar to the Ho-Chunk drum shown here, many hand drumheads were decorated with natural pigments in varying patterns. Generally played through the use of a beater, this kind of drum was used in traditional celebrations called powwows as a way to give spiritual powers to its members and to allow for better relations with other tribes as they shared their religious traditions. To this day, the Ho-Chunk people still use hand drums like this one in powwows which are celebrations of dance, music, and their values. These Ho-Chunk celebrations are among the oldest powwows held in Wisconsin and in the nation.
Object Name: Calumet (Pipe)
Made by: Ho-Chunk,
Date made: 1750-1850
Materials: manufactured ribbon, hawk and owl feathers, porcupine quills, a fur tail (probably mink), deer hide, wooden shaft, and a stone bowl
1930.018.02
Calumet (Pipe)
Calumet (Pipe)
It wasn’t the Native Americans who called the calumet a “peace pipe,” it was actually the white colonizers who chose to call it that; based solely on the way it was used. They did not understand the full meaning of the pipe. When smoking the pipe the Ho-Chunk people believed that the smoke would drift up to the Creator and then they would only be able to only speak with honesty in the sacred area. Everything the pipe was made out of traditional materials except for the manufactured ribbon. Hanging from the pipe are hawk and owl feathers, porcupine quills, a fur tail (probably mink), and the cord was made from deer hide. The pipe was made out of a wooden shaft and a stone bowl. They smoked a herbal mix of herbs and tobacco. This artifact reflects the values of this era and society. One can easily assume that the Ho-Chunk peoples cared a great deal about being diplomatic in their manners.
La Crosse Stick
Object Name: Stick, Lacrosse (Cabnaikisik)
Made By: Ho-Chunk
Materials: A long piece of wood and strips of buckskin
1985.064.01
The sport of Lacrosse originated in the New York/Canada area and is considered “America’s oldest team sport.” The tribe who played the game first was the Iroquois people. How the stick was constructed was the Iroquois people took a long piece of wood and curved it to make a circle. The net is composed of buckskin strips, four holes are drilled through the hoop, and then the strips are weaved through the holes to form netting. It was given the name “Lacrosse” by French Missionaries that stated it looked like the bishop’s cross carried during religious ceremonies. This game quickly spread throughout different tribes because the Native American people viewed it as a “medicine.” It did not take very long for the Ho Chunk people to adopt the sport of lacrosse. It was then that Nicolet observed the local Ho-Chunk people playing a ball game with a long racquet, reminding him and his crew of their own tennis games which they called “la crosse” This specific stick was donated in the name of the Chief of the Menomonee, Reginald Oshkosh.
Baskets
Baskets
This portion of our collection is comprised of three baskets which were also known as “Naapaas”. They were woven from the wood of black ash trees and were sometimes dyed using natural pigments. This style of basket making is only found in the indigenous tribes of the Great lakes area. Until the mid-20th century, baskets like the ones shown below were generally sold by local Ho-Chunk women for very little money. According to the La Crosse Historical Society, they would sell their baskets to local housewives in front of Doerflinger’s Department Store on Fourth Street. As you will see in this small collection, many different shapes, styles, and even dyes were used to create these baskets. Although the basketmaking techniques used to make these wares are not as common as they once were, there are still some people who continue to practice these skills.
New Doerflinger’s Store as of March 26, 1904
La Crosse Public Library Archives
Object Name: Basket (Naapaa)
Made By: Ho-Chunk
Materials: Black Ash Wood
2021.067.01
Object Name: Basket
Made by: Ho-Chunk
Materials: Black Ash Wood
1986.086.01
Object Name: Basket (Naapaa)
Made by: Ho-Chunk
Materials: Black Ash Wood
2021.043.01
Kailey Peterson, Elise Hetzel, Eleanor Tezak, Caidyn Wermeling
Kailey Peterson, Elise Hetzel, Eleanor Tezak, Caidyn Wermeling
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