Michilimackinac Voyageurs Blog

This is a very good introduction to women's clothing at Michilimackinac, produced by the fort. I don't think there will be many surprises here for most of our club members, but it's a handy overview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=259&v=Ggvvr_l-U2Q

Schedule for this coming weekend:

Saturday, May 25

9:30 a.m. Voyageurs Shoot @ the range (Windmill farms) (Sunday if rain)

1:00 p.m. Grand Parade

3:00 p.m. 18th Century Mackinac Fashion Show

3:30 p.m. Re-enactment: Fort Michilimackinac

7:00 Club Potluck The club is supplying hot dogs, brats, buns, and fixings. Club members bring a dish to pass.

8:30 p.m. Fireside Activities Voyageurs Camp Dusk Fireworks display water front state dock area. After fireworks Camp Activities (Voyageurs Camp)

Sunday, May 26

9:00 18th Century Church service

9:30 a.m. Voyageurs Knife & Hawk (Voyageurs Camp)

10:30 a.m. Kids Games (Voyageurs Camp)

2:00 p.m. 18th Century Mackinac Fashion Show

2:30 p.m. Re-Enactment: Fort Michilmackinac

4:30 p.m. Voyageurs Other Competitions (Voyageurs Camp)

6:30 Pageant Cast Party and Awards at the Ice Rink

Monday, May 27

10:00 a.m. Voyageurs' Awards at camp

11:00 a.m. Voyageurs’ Board Meeting - open to all club members

2:00 p.m. 18th Century Mackinac Fashion Show

2:30 p.m. Re-Enactment: Fort Michilmackinac

A while back, some questions were raised regarding the strap dresses some of the Native women wear. I did some research online and in my referecnce materials, and came up with these notes. 

 In "Customs of the American Indians Compared with the Customs of Primitive Times" by Father Joseph Francois Lafitau (1724):

"The women are more modestly covered. Those of the Algonquin tribe wear a sort of stole or sleeveless robe knotted at the shoulders and hanging to the middle of their legs like one sees on the statues of Egyptian women.The Iroquois and huron women,like the lacedaemonians, have only a sort of skirt girded over their thighs and ending above the knee.They do not hang them any lower so as not to be hindered when they work on the land. 

"The tunic is a sort of sleeveless shirt made of two deerskins,thin and light, with most of the hair taken off and fringed at the bottom and on the shoulders,in exactly the same way {29} as the roman cuirasses.This shirt which is peculiar to the Iroquois and Huron tribes is the garment which seems least necessary to them of all their clothing and many of them,especially the men,...