Collected in Idaho in the Rocky Mountains
Northern Great Plains / Blackfeet Confederacy 

Wood, sinew, glass beads, rawhide, dried corn
ca. mid 20th century
Length 12 in
Idiophones – Struck – Indirectly Struck – Rattles

Blackfeet dance rattle composed of a cylindrical wood handle covered with rawhide and peyote bead work in various colors of green, black and white. The sinew-sewn rawhide top is decorated with authentic horsehair tassels attached with sinew. The rattle contains dried corn.

For the Blackfeet, the rattle is an instrument of independence.  It represents and refers to the three kingdoms or nations.  The animal kingdom is represented here by the animal hide and horsehair.  The plant kingdom is represented by the wooden handle and dried corn inside.  The mineral world is represented by beads. The Blackfeet believe that spiritual energy can be derived from the trance-like state that can be induced by music accompanied by the rattle.