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Adultᐧᐋᔅᐱᓱᔮᓐ
ᐱᐙᔅᐱᓱᐎᔮᓐ
Moss Bag
The intent of having your baby in a moss bag ᐧᐋᔅᐱᓱᔮᓐ / ᐙᔅᐱᓱᐎᔮᓐ was to provide warmth and security, similar to being inside the womb.
A ᐧᐋᔅᐱᓱᔮᓐ / ᐙᔅᐱᓱᐎᔮᓐ made to have 2 strings to lace it up; when the mother changes the baby’s diaper, it keeps the baby warm by undoing the bottom of the ᐧᐋᔅᐱᓱᔮᓐ / ᐙᔅᐱᓱᐎᔮᓐ.
The term that was used by doing this was ᐧᐃᔨᐦᐱᔅᒉᐸᑎᒧᐧᐋᑲᓅ / ᐧᐃᔨᐱᔅᒑᐱᑎᒥᐧᐋᑭᓂᐤ meaning untying the bottom. It was practical during the times when people travelled by foot or by canoe.
There are two types of moss bags ᐧᐋᔅᐱᓱᔮᓐ / ᐙᔅᐱᓱᐎᔮ a smaller version was for daily use. The other kind was bigger used for travelling or going from place to place carrying the baby.
It had two straps one to carry the baby, one strap to go on top of the head or across the shoulder and the other strap was to tie the strap around the mother’s midriff to secure the baby to the mother.
– Louise Mayappo
A newborn baby was never left alone and was always kept close to the mother. The baby was wrapped in a moss bag ᐧᐋᔅᐱᓱᔮᓐ.
Rabbit fur and beaver fur were also used to keep the baby warm.
Sphagnum moss—often called baby moss ᐊᐧᐋᔕᔅᒌ—was used as a natural diaper. I remember helping collect it in the swampy areas. It had a yellowish color.
– Coom Matoush
Today, a baby’s moss bag ᐧᐋᔅᐱᓱᔮᓐ is designed nicely when wrapped up. Long ago they were different.
When a baby is wrapped in a moss bag ᐧᐋᔅᐱᓱᔮᓐ it’s for their comfort and to keep warm just like when the mother carried them, and they cry less too.
Right at birth, they are wrapped in a moss bag ᐧᐋᔅᐱᓱᔮᓐ. Some moss bags ᐧᐋᔅᐱᓱᔮᓐ were made from rabbit fur. A baby’s hat was made from rabbit fur too. Beaver fur ᐊᒥᔅᑯᔮᓐ and bear fur ᑳᑰᔓᔮᓐ was also used to wrap a baby in.
Sphagnum moss (baby moss) ᐊᐧᐋᔕᔅᒌ was also used for the baby’s diaper during a winter journey ᐱᒥᐱᒋᓈᓄᐧᐃᒡ, it was kept dry and used when it was time to change the baby ᐁᐦ ᐧᐄᐦᐱᔅᒉᓇᒧᐧᐋᑲᓄᐧᐃᑦ.