Historically, most Indian tribes used a cradleboard of some
kind to transport and restrain infants. In Plains cultures,
the cradleboard was hung from a saddle or strapped
to a mother’s back when traveling. According to
authors Marz and Nono Minor, the cradleboard was a baby’s
“first lesson in restraint, discipline, and endurance”
(The American Indian Craft Book, p. 192). When a mother was
working in camp or gathering food, she would hang the cradleboard
from a low branch or prop the cradle against a tree to keep the
infant in sight and safe. Cradles gave babies feelings of
safety and security, like being in the womb. Cradled babies
reportedly slept soundly.
Materials used in the construction of cradleboards varied
from tribe to tribe, depending on the natural resources available.
Cradles were made from hides and wood or woven from flexible twigs,
reeds, or bark. Moss, fluff from milkweed pods, and other soft
materials cushioned the baby and served as a diaper.
The style of cradleboards also varied. The most common
style was the reclining carrier. This design had a flat surface to
which the baby was securely bound. The baby was unable to move his
arms or legs but could move his head. The continual contact with a
flat surface helped the baby develop an erect posture and
strengthen neck and back muscles. Other styles of cradleboards were
the sitting-style, boat basket, and hoop basket.Some cradleboards were
unadorned, but most were decorated with beads, quills, weaving,
woodwork, cloth, or other items. Again, the decorations varied from
tribe to tribe and also from family to family. The
decorations usually held a special meaning for the family. Often,
the bead- or quillwork told stories of the parents’ dreams
for the child.
Great care and love went into the making of every
cradleboard. Cradles were often made by a grandmother, an aunt, or
another trusted person. Sometimes cradles were passed down through
a family, but it was not uncommon to make a new cradle for each
child. Cradleboards were cherished family heirlooms and works of
art.
I have written in the past tense throughout this report.
However, some Native American families still use cradleboards
today. These families do not want the traditions of their culture
to die, and the elders are teaching the younger generations the art
of making cradles. There is even a movement in some areas to
encourage the use of cradleboards. An article that appeared on page
1A of the January 8, 2001 issue of the Lincoln Journal Star
outlines this movement. The Cradleboard Development Project of the
Nebraska Urban Indian Medical Center teaches women about the
benefits of using cradleboards.
I have always admired the work that went into making a
cradleboard. Now, after trying to make my own doll-sized cradle, I
am in total awe of the people who made, and still make,
cradleboards. This was one of the most difficult things I have ever
done, and my cradle is a scribble compared to the Mona Lisa-caliber
creations I have seen in museums and in books.
My cradleboard is made of tanned buckskin sewn with sinew.
I attempted to do the beading with sinew, but I could not separate
a strand thin enough to fit through the beads. I did one section of
the beadwork using the lazy stitch. (I lost count of how many times
I tore all of the beads off and started over.) Out of desperation
to finish, I completed the beadwork using a loom and stitching the
finished piece to the hide. (Not very authentic, but I tried.) The
beads are glass, antler, and bone, most purchased from the gift
shops at various museums and visitors’ centers we toured
during our 2004 travels. I based the design of the cradle and the
beadwork on several of the Kiowa and Comanche cradles from the book
Gifts of Pride and Love: Kiowa and Comanche Cradles edited
by Barbara A. Hail.
My research included books, videos, Internet searches, and
interviewing Dr. Mark Awakuni-Swetland of the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln. (For those of you Westward Waters people who
attended the Teachers’ Night at the Durham, Dr.
Awakuni-Swetland was the man in the “Native American
games” room. He made two of the cradleboards in the Native
American display at the Durham.)
My goals in creating a cradleboard were to learn more about
this fascinating tradition and to challenge myself to create
something I have never before tried to make. I believe I
accomplished both of these goals. This project challenged me in
ways I never imagined. I have gained untold respect and
appreciation for the talent, persistence, and heart of Native
American crafters. I learned not only about the utilitarian uses of
the cradleboard, but also about the spiritual aspects of creating
these “houses for the beginning of life”.
Origin of the Lullaby, "Rock-a-Bye Baby"
Click the following link for more pictures:
Craddleboard
Resources:
Gifts of
Pride and Love: Kiowa and Comanche Cradles
edited by Barbara A. Hail
Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology, Brown University
The American Indian Craft Book
by Marz and Nono Minor
University of Nebraska Press
American
Indian Beadwork
by W. Ben Hunt and J.F. “Buck” Burshears
Simon and Schuster
Lincoln Journal Star
Lincoln, Nebraska
January
8, 2001 issue
Page 1A
