Bag (func)

89.1006

Marion Sanford Crow was an alumna of the Stanford School of Nursing and, from November 1949 to November 1950, was a public health nurse on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. She acquired several local souvenirs while serving the Yupik communities of Gambell (population then 306 people) and Savoonga (population 245): everything from made–for–tourist crafts to local clothing and archaeological tools. Crow purchased some of these things, but we know from an interview and letter she provided with the collection that many were gifted to her by her patients. We are lucky to have this first–person account of her experiences, along with a few snapshots from her time on the island. She describes the communities she served and the artifacts she donated, including many references to the skilled Yupik women who made the items we now care for. We wish we had their recollections of this time, and these pieces, as well. Crow donated her collection to Stanford University in 1989.

W–18.5 L–44.5 cm

Fur/Leather/Beads/Fabric

North America; United States; Alaska; St. Lawrence Island; Gambell?/Savoong

1940 – 1950's

Crow Collection. Donated by Marian Sanford Crow to Stanford University on July 21, 1989.

Anthropology; North America; Arctic/Subarctic