Innikueu (doll) were made by Innu men and women for their children. Both male and female dolls were made, usually out of wood, wool and cloth obtained in trade, or caribou hide. When not made out of wood, the dolls would be stuffed with rags or tea. “Tea dolls” were a great invention because they stored tea that could be used during hard times, when a family’s main tea supply ran out.
Several women continue to make tea-dolls in Sheshatshiu and Natuashish. They are normally sold as crafts.
Innikueu (doll) were made by Innu men and women for their children. Both male and female dolls were made, usually out of wood, wool and cloth obtained in trade, or caribou hide. When not made out of wood, the dolls would be stuffed with rags or tea. “Tea dolls” were a great invention because they stored tea that could be used during hard times, when a family’s main tea supply ran out.
Several women continue to make tea-dolls in Sheshatshiu and Natuashish. They are normally sold as crafts.
© 2008, The Rooms. All Rights Reserved.
Doll - innikueu
The Rooms
Peter Armitage, curator/facilitator (St. John's, NL), Nympha Byrne, researcher (Natuashish, Labrador) and Gillian Davidge, education consultant (The Rooms, St. John’s, NL)
© 2008, The Rooms. All Rights Reserved.
Listen to Matinen (Rich) Katshinak describe how dolls were made
The women made them. And their children played with them. This is before we had the other dolls. They made these dolls and made moccasins for them too...They used to put old rags in it and cut it up. They didn´t make them very good because it was only for their children to play with. It´s only recently that they put tea in it...They stuffed them with tea. People used to make very small dolls and they stuffed them with tea before they left for the country. And while in the country, they would use the tea when they ran out. They would take the tea out of the tea dolls.
The Rooms
Peter Armitage, curator/facilitator (St. John's, NL), Nympha Byrne, researcher (Natuashish, Labrador) and Gillian Davidge, education consultant (The Rooms, St. John’s, NL)
© 2008, The Rooms. All Rights Reserved.
Listen to Matinen (Selma) Michelin talk about how she made tea dolls
My mother taught me. She used to make tea dolls, but she would make them differently, and not the way they are made today. I taught myself to make them and I remembered the old ways people used to dress up - when we were still trading out of Sept-Iles. I had a book that shows how people used to dress up a long time ago. I copied their clothing including their hats when I made the tea dolls and that’s how I dressed up the dolls that I made. [My mother] made them different. Old people like my grandmother and my mother didn´t care about the books and they would make any kind of dolls.
The Rooms
Peter Armitage, curator/facilitator (St. John's, NL), Nympha Byrne, researcher (Natuashish, Labrador) and Gillian Davidge, education consultant (The Rooms, St. John’s, NL)
© 2008, The Rooms. All Rights Reserved.
Listen to Pinamen (Rich) Katshinak describe innishits
These are innishits. This is Innu-carved. This one is a man and the other one is a woman. This is a girl and the other one is a boy. They are called anikuessits (carved dolls).
The Rooms
Peter Armitage, curator/facilitator (St. John's, NL), Nympha Byrne, researcher (Natuashish, Labrador) and Gillian Davidge, education consultant (The Rooms, St. John’s, NL)
© 2008, The Rooms. All Rights Reserved.
Learning Objectives
• Explain why Innu dolls were stuffed with tea
• Examine the Innu need for small, easily portable objects in the days before settlement
