About Native American Parfleche
Parfleche refers to rawhide containers that were fundamental to the Plains way of life. Functioning essentially as protective traveling suitcases, they enabled the nomadic tribes to effectively pursue buffalo herds and migrate between seasonal camps. So critical were they to a nomadic existence that over 40 tribes are known to have historically produced parfleches. Collectively, these tribes inhabited a vast area that encompassed the entirety of the Plains, as well as parts of the Southwest, the Transmontane, and Western Plateau regions.
Parfleches were, out of necessity, robust and versatile objects. They were designed to carry and protect a wide range of items, from medicinal bundles to seasonal clothing and food. In fact, it was because of their durability and utility that parfleches earned their name in the Anglo world. Derived from the French words parer (to parry or turn aside) and flèche (arrow), the term parfleche was coined by 17th-century French Canadian voyageurs to describe indigenous objects made from rawhide. Historically, rawhide had also been the material from which Plains tribes constructed shields and other important objects. Over time, however, the Anglo term came to refer specifically to these rawhide containers. Their versatility and widespread use certainly contributed to this linguistic evolution: the fact that parfleche took on this specific meaning illustrates how significant rawhide containers were perceived to be by generations of white settlers and traders. Due to Plains tribeswomen’s exceptional proficiency with rawhide production, parfleches were not only widely used but also made in a variety of forms: cylinders, flat cases, boxes, trunks, and envelopes.
Artistic Significance
While many uniting characteristics exist among individual parfleches, each one is ultimately unique. Despite their utilitarian purpose, parfleches served as major artistic mediums through which Plains Indian tribes developed their long-standing tradition of painting. In fact, it is largely because of parfleches that distinct tribal styles emerged. Although parfleche painting developed alongside beading and weaving, painting held particular importance in tribal culture. Believed to have evolved from tattooing, it served as a conduit for expressing both tribal and individual identity. Many tribeswomen were deeply committed, some even religiously, to decorating their parfleches with incised or painted motifs that held personal or communal significance.
For some tribes, such as the Cheyenne, the decorative processes surrounding parfleche production were sacred. For others, parfleche designs appear to share an interesting artistic dialogue with beadwork, suggesting a more fluid exchange of motifs. This relationship is particularly evident in the designs of Crow parfleches and beadwork. Nevertheless, each tribe contributed unique elements to the art of parfleche design.
The painted and carved motifs we see today vividly demonstrate the Plains artisans’ highly developed sense of color palette and spatial composition. In recent decades, the appreciation for parfleche designs has inspired many modern artists, who continue to find meaning in this powerful tradition.
If you would like to learn more about the history of parfleche, the following book by Gaylord Torrence is highly recommended: The American Indian Parfleche: A Tradition of Abstract Painting (Seattle: Washington University Press, 1994)
