Cradleboards
The center cradleboard with its distinctive floral design and date of July 1919 was probably made for a special occasion such as a parade. During the reservation period of the early 1900s, women enjoyed dressing themselves and their horses in traditional attire for Fourth of July parades and tribal celebrations. This practice has flourished and continues today in such major events as the Crow Fair held at Crow Agency, Montana every August.
Cradleboards provided a safe place for babies when families traveled or women worked. Distinctive designs were adapted to tribal lifestyles and contain important cultural symbols. For many tribes, the creation of cradleboards symbolized the joining of two families, with members of each taking part in the gathering of materials and construction.
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