Beaded Glengarry hat

A product of the intersection of two cultures—First Nations and Victorian-era Euro-American—this "Glengarry cap" decorated with intricate floral beadwork was made by Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) women to be sold to tourists in region around Niagra Falls, on the border of the United States and Canada. The making and selling of such souvenirs—including beaded purses, gloves, wallets, and belts—was a means of economic survival and expression for local Indigenous peoples. The hat's popular style of beadwork was designed to appeal to Victorian tastes, and its Glengarry cap form was derived from Scottish Highland dress, made familiar by military uniforms worn by British soldiers in Canada.