Not Given, Eastern Cherokee Reservation, North Carolina, United States, North America
Accession Date:
1 Apr 1889
Notes:
BOX TURTLE SHELLS. FROM CARD: "TERRAPIN RATTLES: (TSUNANASUTA): WORN IN PAIRS BY THE WOMEN WHO LEAD THE DANCE. THIS PAIR WAS WORN IN THE GREEN CORN DANCE IN 1887. EACH RATTLE CONSISTS OF FIVE OR SEVEN SHELLS OF THE TERRAPIN OR LAND TORTOISE, FILLED WITH SMALL PEBBLES & MOUNTED UPON GROUNDHOG SKIN WITH THE HAIR ON THE INSIDE. IT HAS STRAPS OR STRINGS, BY MEANS OF WHICH IT IS FASTENED AT THE SIDE OF THE LEG JUST ABOVE THE ANKLE. THE WOMEN KEEP TIME BY STAMPING WITH THE RATTLES IN UNISON WITH THE GOURD RATTLE IN THE HAND OF THE CHIEF SINGER. THE DRUM AND GOURD RATTLE ARE USED ONLY BY MEN, THE TERRAPIN RATTLE ONLY BY WOMEN. A SIMILAR RATTLE OF TERRAPIN SHELLS WAS ALSO USED BY THE TRIBES ON THE SACRAMENTO RIVER IN CALIFORNIA. - JAMES MOONEY NOTES. LOANED TO RENWICK 9/3/1981. RETURNED 1983. ...(SEE CARD FOR MORE) ... ACCOMPANYING MALE DANCERS WHO SING AND SOMETIMES PLAY A GOURD RATTLE, THE WOMEN REINFORCE AND PUNCTUATE THE BEAT IN THE GREEN CORN AND FRIENDSHIP DANCES AND IN MANY ANIMAL DANCES. NOWADAYS THE RATTLES ARE USED IN THE POPULAR 'STOMP' DANCES."
