Puberty Drinking Tube

At puberty, a young girl was secluded from the main camp. It was a period of mentoring and learning from other women. She also had to observe various food and behavioral taboos. In some regions, water could not touch her lips so she drank through a tube. In this case, a swan wing bone decorated with a wrapping of braided porcupine quills was used.

Dimensions: 200 x 73 mm

Provenance: Slavey

Given by B.R. Ross, Fort Simpson, 1862

Museum Number: National Museums of Scotland A.850.4