All natives follow the same basic method in tanning hides. This was true in our ancestor's time. It is true today. There are some differences in the materials used to tan the hide. There are also some differences in the tools used. However, if the traditional method is used for tanning a hide, the result is as good, if not better, than our modern, adapted ways.

Our women were experts at tanning hides. The men hunted and butchered the animal. They brought the hides back to camp. From then on, the hides became the responsibility of the women. Women usually did all of the work involved in tanning a hide. Today, some men enjoy working on hides and either work alone or help with the tanning. Albright (1984) believes that each year 30 tanned hides were need for each family. That means if a woman tanned one a week, she would be busy for over half a year. It took at least a week to tan a hide. Luckily a woman could work on more than one at a time. And, of course, older women who lived in the same household would help.

Hides were dried first

All tanning tools used to be made by hand from animal bones and stones. We have tried using metal to make these tools. For example, some have used a large file. They flattened and shaped the tool. These work well. Some people experiment with the use of electric power tools to help. This works, but needs much practice to be able to remove the exact amount of tissue. All of these solutions "work", but many people still prefer traditional tools when tanning hides.

Our women had in depth knowledge about tanning and were skilled in all stages of tanning. As an example: They had learned that scraping hides was best done in the spring. At this time of the year, the nights were still cold, but during the day it was warm. So, they would stretch the hide and allow it to freeze overnight. Early the next morning, they scraped the hide while it was still frozen. They knew that the layers they needed to remove came off easier when they were frozen.

The following section explains the way that hides were (and still are) tanned. The hide can be almost any hide, but certain ones are most popular. Caribou hide was a staple, the basic hide used by everyone for many things. Moose hide is now most commonly used. The hide of each kind of animal has its special character. Our people knew this. So, when they wanted a heavy hide, perhaps to make large bags, they chose an old bull moose, and so on.

Animal hides could be tanned with the hair on. This method was slightly different from the following. It was usually used to tan furs.

Fleshing tools

When the hide is fresh, not dried at all, the flesh is removed from the hide. If the hide dries, it must be dampened. The hide is draped over a four-foot stump. Fleshing takes about one or two hours.

The traditional tool for fleshing was a shin bone from a larger animal, like a caribou, moose or even a grizzly bear. The bone is split lengthwise about 8 cm or 4 inches. This makes a sharp edge, which is then serrated by cutting small wedges out of the edge. The tool is held upright and used in a chopping motion.

Removing Hair

Some people liked to remove the hair before they fleshed the hide. Most fleshed the hide, then removed the hair. When the fleshing is done first, the hair makes a cushion as you work and cuts cleaner.

Some people liked to use a slanted pole when they were cutting the hair. The hide is laid over the pole and a sharp knife-like tool was used to cut the hair. Others like to stretch the hide before they begin to work. The fleshing and hair removal are done on the stretched hide.

The tool for this is also make from a long bone of a large animal. The bone is split lengthwise. One edge of the split bone is sharpened. To use this tool, it is grasped in both hands, one at either end of the tool. The tool is drawn downwards, cutting the hair.

Scraping

When the flesh is removed and the hair cut off, more work still needs to be done before the hide is ready to be tanned. There is a thin layer of tissue on the flesh side that must be scraped off. On the hair side, all of the hair roots are still visible under the surface of the hide. The layer of tissue and the hair roots must be scraped off.

The tools used in fleshing are also used for these tasks. If a file or other metal was used to make this tool, it was shaped slightly differently. The sharp edge had to be very smooth and serrated.

Soaking Pits

Once the hide has been scraped clean of flesh and hair roots, it is ready to be tanned. In this process, the rawhide become soft and pliable. It soaks in a solution for several days. Then is wrung out and hung to dry. This pattern is repeated until the whole skin is softened. It takes about a week of soaking and drying before the hide is ready for the next stage.

The traditional tanning solution is made from brains. The brain is dissolved in warm water. Today each person has their own tanning solution, which may or may not contain brains. For example, one elder used fabric softener, lard, and soap as her tanning solution.

Today, a large metal (or plastic) tub is used for soaking the hide. Long ago, our people made a large birch bark container. It was made waterproof. Birch bark is not strong, so it was put into a pit to provide support. It was filled with water, brains, and the hide was put in. To keep it clean and keep dogs out, a cover was put over the pit. Rocks were put on top.

Wringing Post

There is an art to wringing out a hide. A sturdy post is sunk into the ground to form a wringing post. The end of the post is pointed so that loops made around the edge of the hide can be place over it. The hide is twisted, untwisted, twisted the other way. All of the brain solution is kept to be used again when the hide has dried.

Dressing Tools

When the hide is softened from the tanning solution, it is worked to make it very soft. This is called dressing the hide. Dressing is done with the hide stretched on a wood frame. Care is taken with the hide. It must be at a certain dampness, not too dry, not too wet. The temperature should be not hot, and not cold. It must not get wet. These are only a few bits of information and knowledge needed to dress a hide.

The tool is a rock attached to a wooden shaft. The edge of the rock is chipped to sharpen it. The edge is not sharp as for cutting, but is rounded to work the hide. Sharp edges will cut the hide at this stage.

The handle of the dressing tool is about 1 m or 3 feet long. It is used by taking a firm grasp of the rock with one hand and the end of the handle with the other. The hide is worked by pulling the rock edge towards the worker. It moves downward or with a sideways movement.

Working the hide completes the softening process. Dressing was also done to rework clothing or other articles, like moccasins, were worked when gotten wet and dried hard. Or clothing needed reworking when they had been washed. Washing was done in urine. Urine provided ammonia. Our mothers know about ammonia, it is widely used in cleaning agents and detergents today.

Smoking

Smoking was the final stage in preparing hides. It gives the beautiful brown color to the hide. It is believed to make the hide stronger and stops it from becoming hard when it dries. Some people think that it makes the hide last longer as well.

Smoking is done by digging a shallow fire pit. A smoking frame is made over the fire by cutting willows or small poles and making a tipi-shaped dome. The frame is large enough to hold the hide off the ground.

The hide is put over the frame, leaving an opening at the top so that smoke could get out. A narrow strip of canvas is sewn along the bottom edge to keep the hide clean.

The fire is a smudge. Different materials, cones, branches, rotten wood Ñ each gives the hide a different shade of brown. Each person knows the colour they like and how to get it.

Flames are not welcomed since if the fire gets too hot, it will cook the hide. A hide can be spoiled in an instant if this happens. All that will be left is a lump of cooked hide after all the hard work that went into tanning. When the hide is smoked, it is ready to be sewn.

Clothing and Bedding

These are explained in the section on Clothing.

Thongs

We did not have buttons or zippers. Instead, we fastened our clothing with thongs. These long strings were made by cutting along the edge of a piece of hide. We used these in making necklaces, hair pieces, belts, and much much more. We often did not tan the hide to make long strings, we used rawhide. Rawhide is the hide when it is completely scraped, but before it goes into the tanning solution.

Bags

Our women were noted for the high quality and the variety of the bags they made. We had many types of bags (See Clothing and Transportation). Each had its own beauty. Each was made with a special purpose in mind.

We had large pack bags for men to carry. The hair was left on these so that water would run off. Women's bags were smaller and highly decorated. Our women made their menfolk ceremonial bags. These were about 30 cm or a foot square with a fold-over flap. They were decorated with beads, quills, embroidery, and men were proud of them.

Many bags were improvised, made up from whatever was at hand. One woman tells of making a little bag out of a moose ear. The workbags of men and women show how we made the best use of our materials. We might have several bags for different tasks. The men's workbag itself was about 45 cm or 1 1/2 foot long, and about 30 cm or a foot wide. The size varied. It might be trimmed with red cloth, fringes, bead (or other fancy) work. It was closed with a drawstring which was threaded through a narrow hide band at the mouth of the bag. Inside, the man had an awl made of bone or wood. Later bone or wood made up the handle. The needle was made of metal. A hank of caribou sinew served as sewing thread for repairs, to tie things together, or anything else that needed a long, thin, strong string.

A fine-grain sandstone would be used for sharpening. A bear's tooth was used for a quick touch-up for a knife blade. A snowshoe chisel made of strong bone or stone. Knives were a must. At least 2 knives of different sizes were included. And, of course, every bag contained gambling sticks.

A woman's working bag was smaller than that of a man. It might contain bone attachments for carrying straps, a hank of sinew, an awl, needles (in later years), a netting hook for making netted bags, a paint bag for painting their face, and a small scraping stone for dressing hides.

Netting

Our women knew how to make things by netting. Netting is done by tying string in such a way to make a mesh. It is similar to, but not the same as, crocheting today.

Each man carried a net string bag. It was closed by a draw string threaded through a leather band. The mesh was about 1.5 cm or 1/2 inch. It was used to carry snares and tools, as well as enough food for a day's travel.

Large fish bags were made by netting goat's wool. These bags were made of wool because goat's wool did not harden when it was wet. And it does not spoil, either.

As you can see, it takes hard work and more to live on the land. Our people had to be adaptive, to try our different ways of doing things and different materials. We knew that there was not only one correct solution to any problem. We practiced creative problem solving on a daily basis. It was part of our way of life.

We believed in and used co-operation. We knew that a person cannot have all of the answers. Each person brings their own special knowledge and strengths to work. We knew that all of us were stronger than only one of us. And, we also knew that if we were to survive and grow stronger, then we had to work together.

We knew that each person was so very important to survival of the individual and of our people as a group. The way that individuals responded to the challenge, was by becoming competent. Each person had their own talent and skills. They brought their individual skills to work for the good of our people. Being competent meant that our people learned everything they could about the animals and the world around them. As you saw from the examples above, they learned the qualities of different materials and how to use them. They looked at the materials, saw how the material reacted to water, or pounding, and so on. They then chose the materials that were best for the job.

They had in depth knowledge about their world and had practical experience in using their knowledge. Remember that our children began to learn by watching and to learn by doing while they were still young. They continued to learn by observing and by doing as adults. They knew that education was a lifelong process it was then, and is still very true today.