ceinture fléchée

CONT: The ceinture fléchée, or arrowhead sash, was one of the famous badges of the voyageur. The ceinture fléchée had many uses. It was used for warmth, as a tump line and a support on the portage, as an emergency rope, and as a mark of distinction and origin. When tightly woven and treated with beeswax, it could even be used as a cup. Originally, ceintures fléchées were woven by hand using a technique called ""finger weaving"". Later, sashes, were machine loomed in England for the Canadian mass market. The term ""fléchée"" refers specifically to the original arrowhead design, but there were many other patterns. The chevron, the ""flammes"" (flames), the ""éclairs"" (ligtening bolts), the ""W"" (double chevron), and the ""tête de flèche"" (large two-tone arrowhead) were also used. Colors and patterns were distinctive of various regions. Probably the most famous of all sashes were those from the Assomption area of Lower Canada, which had multiple multi-colored lightning-bolts (éclairs) flanking a central red core.