parfleche

American  

[pahr-flesh, pahr-flesh] / ˈpɑr flɛʃ, pɑrˈflɛʃ /

noun

1. a rawhide that has been dried after having been soaked in a solution of lye and water to remove the hair.

2. an article or object, as a case, pouch, etc., made of such rawhide.

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parfleche British  

/ ˈpɑːflɛʃ /

noun

1. a sheet of rawhide that has been dried after soaking in lye and water to remove the hair

2. an object, such as a case, made of this

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Etymology

Origin of parfleche

1820–30; < Canadian French parflèche, equivalent to French par ( er ) to parry ( para- ² ) + flèche arrow

Example Sentences

She won the best in class for youth for her painted parfleche purse.

From New York Times • Aug. 21, 2015

Bags and sacks were made of parfleche, usually ornamented with buckskin fringe, and painted with various designs in bright colors.

From Blackfoot Lodge Tales The Story of a Prairie People by Grinnell, George Bird

The men dress, and the parfleche containing the tongues is opened and the tongues given to the members of the society who made the sweathouse.

From The Sun Dance of the Blackfoot Indians by Wissler, Clark

From a long parfleche sack the Raven chief took a slender stick, beautifully ornamented with many-colored feathers.

From Blackfeet Indian Stories by Grinnell, George Bird

They built three great tepees, in one of which were stored rows upon rows of parfleche bags of dried meat.

From Myths and Legends of the Sioux by McLaughlin, Marie L.