Maliseet Man doll, Hunting Cap & Great Coat c/1750-1890's; Paul St John, Mohawk

Description

Here is a Maliseet man doll by
Mohawk craftsman, Paul St John.
-  He is wearing traditional clothing, a "earred" hunting cap, a long great coat (both cap and coat are beaded) and many other clothing and personal items - all similar to what a Maliseet man would wear c/1750-1890.
Paul made this doll's body out of native brain tanned deer leather,  His moccasins, medicine pouch and open shoulder bag are darker tanned moose hide
Maliseet hunting caps have "ears" and long backs - sometimes long sides.  You can see one worn in 5th photo in slide shown above (worn by Gabe Paul, Maliseet about 1880.)  Gabe Paul also has on a beaded "great coat" - as does this doll   These long wool coats were usually "army surplus" coats given in trade or part of treaty agreements to the NE Native Americans who then applied their traditional beadwork decorations, sometimes adding ribbon work and trade silver brooches.  - This doll has 6 small "trade silver" brooches on the open bottom sides of the great coat front - and he wears a larger
"trade silver" brooch as a closure at top front opening (at neck) of the coat.
The  traditional Maliseet hunting cap here is of vintage red trade wool with white glass seed beads used to make a traditional Wabanaki design on the front, ears and back of the cap. (See a vintage Maliseet hunting cap from a museum exhibit in the 6th photo above)  .......   The front of the cap has traditional Wabanaki double curve designs, ears have small bead designs of 3 lines on front and back, the back of the cap - which is quite long (nice to have the neck covered and warm while hunting) has a "Wabanaki Treaty Design" .. as does the back of the great coat.  -  The doll's great coat is of vintage dark blue trade wool with red
trade wool cuffs, lapel and bottom border.   Doll's leggings and breechclout are of the red wool with black silk ribbon applied..  leggings have some beaded border at bottom.
Doll has an open shoulder bag - of moosehide with a smoked deerhide long strap, also a medicine pouch of moosehide at his neck.  He wears 3 beaded necklaces - the 2 shorter are of various small beads in white and blue including several small blue striped white trade beads.  His longer necklace has a beaded chain of white glass seed beads and at bottom there are 3 brass beads (these are French brass trade beads) and 2 striped chevron beads.  (7th photo in slideshow above is a close up of these, his other necklaces, medicine pouch and larger "trade silver" brooch.)  Doll carries in his right hand a small rectangle of  incised bone -  This is a piece that was decorated by an ancestor of Paul's .. the design of large X's and small circles is an old one..4 holes have been drilled through the narrower sides  ..  Here it is a talisman for the hunter.
This Maliseet man doll is 14" high, (from top "ears" on cap to  bottom of moccasins).  He is 7.5" across at hands and about 2.-2.5" in depth,
The clothing, jewelry and accessories of this doll are accurate for a Maliseet man living in the 1750-1890's  era -.
Not only is this  doll dressed in attire correct for the era, the very materials Paul uses are traditional and accurate. The doll is made of soft tanned deer leather
from the Pleasant Point Maine Passamaquoddy reservation.  (Sipayik), vintage wool, fabric and beads are used.
Paul has made dolls for several museum exhibits and permanent displays including the Mohawk, the Passamaquoddy, the Maliseet, the MicMac, & the Mt Kearsarge Museums (Mt Kearsarge in NH) ...  You would be accurate in describing this as a "museum quality" doll.  Each doll Paul makes is unique.
This is a "no face" doll -
Several NE Native American tribes made "no face dolls" and there are stories and legends about why the dolls have no face.
One story is that the Creator and the child together should determine the “personality” of the doll. Another story is that if a face is painted on the doll, the child will begin to identify too closely with the doll’s personality and a pretty face may cause conceit or self-pride.  Yet another is that the dolls were so beautifully made, and given
beautiful clothing that when someone added a beautiful face, the doll it
self became vain.
Paul makes his dolls dressed in traditional attire for different occasions from quite formal to everyday clothing.
Please view all the slideshow photos to see the detailed work on this doll.  Last photo is of Paul St John with a friend.
Paul St. John lives in Maine, his mother was Passamaquoddy, Maliseet & MicMac.  He grew up on the Mohawk lands in New York, his father's homeland and is enrolled in the Mohawk tribe..  - When I saw his work I knew immediately I needed to offer his great baskets and many other crafts.  He makes quilled/beaded moccasins, barrettes, quill & sweetgrass baskets, birch bark boxes, rattles and many other items.
Watch this store for more of his pieces.  Can't wait to see what he is going to create next.