Description:
This belt was designed and constructed in June 2019 by Susan Minor in remembrance of her 6th great grandfather, John Caitlin and his family members who were killed at the 1704 Raid in Deerfield. According to the artist, since the raid was not a war or a treaty there was no belt to commemorate the event. Deciding that this was too important of an event, and all those who lost their lives were never to return, Minor decided a belt should be made. At the time of her gift, Minor only recently learned of her ancestors' involvement in the 1704 event. According to the artist "it was a story that had never been passed down to my family. This part of our history was a secret until a year ago and since learning of it, I have been unable to find out enough information on this part in history." Rather than traditional Quahog shells, this wampum belt is made from French porcelain beads whose size approximates the shells. Minor is a descendant of the Lenni Lenape or Delaware nation, but as she is not tribally enrolled, the museum has listed her nationality as American.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2019.35 |
