North American Aboriginal Hide Tanning: The Act of Transformation and Revival (Mercury Series: Ethnology)

The research for this book began in the early 1980s when brain tanned hide was already very difficult to obtain, very expensive, and Aboriginal hide tanners were difficult to find in Central Alberta. From 1989 to 1991 the author, Morgan Baillargeon, began interviewing as many hide tanners as he could find in northern Alberta, the Yukon Territories and the Northwest Territories, as part of his field research for his Master's degree. His interests in this fascinating traditional art form continues today, and over the years he has interviewed over 40 traditional and contemporary tanners.

This book explores the relationship Aboriginal people have with big-game animals killed for food and for the purpose of making tanned leather from the hides. This book also contains the hide tanning recipes from 13 tanners and step by step instructions in how to tan moose, buffalo, deer, elk, and caribou hide using traditional North American Aboriginal tanning techniques. A number of experimental techniques are also discussed at length using bone, stone, shell, and wooden tools.