 |
 |
La Loche in 1914. Mothers in front of a tent with the old La Loche Church in the background. The babies are all in moss bags and carried with a sling over the shoulders.
|
 |
| Sayisi Dene near Nejanilini Lake in northern Manitoba in 1947. She is applying diapers of dried moss. "Moss was also used for cleaning pots and pans. Also as padding for pillows and mattress . Dried moss for diapers was best because it never caused baby rash" (Rosie Vermillion) |
 |
| Sayisi Dene near Nejanilini Lake in northern Manitoba in 1947. She has applied diapers of dried moss and swaddled the baby. Baby in moss bag |
 |
| Caroline Thorassie (the wife of William Thorassie), inspecting frozen chunks of moss which, when thawed, are used for diapers near Nejanilini Lake in northern Manitoba - Chipewyan/Dene - 1947 |
Moss was used in moss bags because it was absorbent and sterile.
Today diapers are used for the same purpose. |
| moss bag Northern Plains 1865-1925 |
 |
| moss bag Dene 1865-1900 |
 |
| moss bag Northern Plains 1940-60 |
Links:
moss (sphagnum)
moss bags
 |
| moss bag Algonquin 1865-1930 |
  |
Bibi hubili yé thetį (in Denesuline) A hammock was another way of keeping the baby out of harms way in a tent or a house. It's simply a blanket folded around a rope attached to the walls. An additional rope was added to sway the hammock back and forth.
This sleeping baby is tied to the hammock with a piece of cloth. The photo was taken in La Loche around 1940.
.....read more.....Barsou or baby swing |
 |
| Cree woman with moss for moss bag 1927. (location unknown) ... link |
