Unknown Maker, Inunaina (Arapaho)

Pomo people traditionally hunted quail for sustenance in their homelands of northern California, often weaving their feathers into their tightly woven baskets. Adorned with beadwork, quillwork, tin cones, and dyed chicken feathers, the Inunaina case at right stored an awl, a pointed tool used for making clothing and moccasins. Indigenous people of North America have used wild bird feathers for adornment for thousands of years. Since chickens were introduced to tribal communities as food, their feathers have also been utilized.

Across centuries, the Chinese have prized kingfisher feathers for their brilliant colors, using them to embellish hairpins, earrings, and headdresses for aristocratic women. The demand for the iridescent feathers however, led to a great depletion of these birds.

-SB/WC