Bret Haskett instructs LCPD's mini parflech bag class

Parfleche bag class participant painting with natural earth pigments.

By JOSEPH WADSWORTH
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL – Shoshone-Bannock Language Culture Preservation Department (LCPD) hosted a mini parfleche bag class Saturday, January 18 in partnership with the Sawtooth Interpretive Historical Association.

Shoshone-Bannock Tribal member Bret Haskett taught the class and there was a total of 25 participants.

Class instructor Bret Haskett shows finished bag.

Many completed bags of various sizes while using natural earth pigments and willow applicators. Haskett said that they had a large group on Saturday and the class went good. “Everyone’s getting the hang of it, we had patterns and stuff to hand out,” he said.

Fully decorated mini parfleche bag.

Haskett said he doesn’t work on parfleche bags that often, but he does work with leather, also rawhide items since he was in high school.

What he would like participants to take away from the class is to share their knowledge, to share among other tribal members how to make traditional parfleche bags and to keep traditions going.

Class participants working on their bags.

LCPD Director Louise Dixey said, “We appreciate the support from the organizations we collaborate with to tell the living history of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes”.

Participant Tyrell Buckskin shows his parfleche bag.