BAGS
What is a Parfleche Bag?
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tough, folded rawhide carrying bag made by the Plains
Indians of North America; more loosely applied, the
term also refers to many specialized rawhide articles.
The Plains Indians had an abundant source of hides in
the buffalo they hunted, but, as they were nomadic,
they had little opportunity to tan the skins. Parfleche, or
rawhide, was prepared by cleaning and dehairing the
skin and then by stretching it and allowing it to dry in
the sun. This process created a stiff but durable leather
that was used for many items, including bags, thongs,
and war shields
Encyclopedia Britannica
What is a Parfleche Bag?
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The word comes from the French meaning Parer or
Parry meaning defend and fleche meaning arrow.
It was named this because the hide it was made
from was tough enough to be used as a shield.
Carried a variety of items - pemican or dried
meats.
Some of the designs could have been maps.
Made mostly by women.
Parfleche Bag Geometric Design
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Geometric Shapes – Shapes that can be
measured.
Such as: Circles, squares, triangles, rectangles,
parallelograms, ovals, etc.
Parfleche Bag Geometric Design
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Organic Shapes – Shapes that come from
nature.
Such as: Splats, amoeba shapes, cloud shapes, etc. Any
shape that is irregular.
Parfleche Bag Geometric Design
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Lines– The Path of a moving dot.
Horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curved and zig-zag.
Parfleche Bag Geometric Design
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Symmetry– a Type of Balance that consists of a
design or work of art be the SAME on both sides of
an imaginary line drawn down the middle.
Parfleche Bag Geometric Design
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As you look at the images of Parfleche Bags, make
a note about what you notice about the design.
What do the bags have in common?
What colors do they use?
How do they create the design?
What do you notice about each side of the bag?
What is the significance of the geometric shapes?
What is the significance of the colors used?
Parfleche Bags
Parfleche Bags
Parfleche Bag Geometric Design
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As you look at the images of Parfleche Bags, make
a note about what you notice about the design.
What do the bags have in common?
What colors do they use?
How do they create the design?
What do you notice about each side of the bag?
What is the significance of the geometric shapes?
What is the significance of the colors used?
Parfleche Bags
Parfleche Bag Geometric Design
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As you look at the images of Parfleche Bags, make
a note about what you notice about the design.
What do the bags have in common?
What colors do they use?
How do they create the design?
What do you notice about each side of the bag?
What is the significance of the geometric shapes?
What is the significance of the colors used?
Parfleche Bag Geometric Design
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





As you look at the images of Parfleche Bags, make
a note about what you notice about the design.
What do the bags have in common?
What colors do they use?
How do they create the design?
What do you notice about each side of the bag?
What is the significance of the geometric shapes?
What is the significance of the colors used?
How to Begin
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On the piece of paper, with a pencil begin drawing
a design that includes geometric shapes.
Overlap them and place them inside of each other
to create an intricate design.
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Can you use lines?
A few organic shapes?
How to Begin
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Use of rulers (no helicopters, sword use,
slapping or hitting the rulers on the tables).
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Use of Templates and Compasses
Significance of Tribal Colors
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Each Native American Tribe has colors and symbols, that
represent their beliefs in the power of that color.
Black can represent any of the following: night; underworlds;
male; cold; disease; and when worn as face paint represents
"living".
The black color was created from wild grapes, hickory bark,
alder bark, dogwood bark, and mountain mahogany bark.
Green represented plant life; earth; summer and rain. When it
was worn under the eyes as face paint it was believed to
empower the wearer with night vision.
The green color was made from moss, algae, lily of the valley
leaves, and jumiper berries.
Significance of Tribal Colors
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White represented winter; death or snow. White was also the
color of peace when it was used as face paint.
Red indicated wounds; sunset; thunder; blood; earth; and day.
Used as a face paint it represented violence. The red color
was created from sumac berries, dogwood bark,beets, and
poke berries.
Yellow represented sunshine, day and dawn. As a face paint it
was the color of death, worn only by those in mourning.
The color yellow was extracted from onion skins,golden rod
stems and flowers, sunflower petals, dock roots, marigold
petals, moss, peach leaves, birch leaves, and sage brush.
Significance of Tribal Colors
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Blue stood for the sky, water, female, clouds, lightning, moon,
thinder, and sadness.
The blue color was made from larkspur petals, alfalfa flowers,
and sunflower seeds.
Brown was created from walnut shells and birch bark. It
apparently was not used as a face paint.
Purple was made from blackberries, blueberries,poke berries,
raspberries, and rotten maple wood. It too, apparently was not
used as a face paint.
Significance of Tribal Colors
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The direction North was represented by the color blue and
indicated cold, defeat and trouble.
South was represented as white , which meant warmth, peace
and happiness.
East was represented by the color red, which was th ecolor of
sacred fire,blood and success.
West was represented by the black and indicated problems
and death.
Grade Sheet
1. Look of Leather. Used painting technique to make
the paper look like leather.
2. Geometric Design on Bag. Used mostly geometric
shapes and lines. Can use some organic and any type
of line.
3. Color. Color use in design has significance. Will
have to write about the significance of your color
choice
4. Use of Template to create bag. Used template to
create your bag.
Grade Sheet
4. Symmetry. You used symmetry when creating your
design.
5. Neatness and Craftsmanship. You took your time,
and were concerned with your craftsmanship of your
project.
6. Effective Use of Classtime (EUOCT). You used
your class time effectively.
7. Attitude and Behavior. You chose a positive attitude
about your project and focused on doing a nice job on
it.
8. Writing. Write a paragraph about your use of color.
(a paragraph consists of at least 5 – 7 sentences)