Charlene concentrates on beginning the next row - her very first Ravenstail weaving!
While researching the old Chilkat robes in the museums around the Northern Hemisphere, artist/weaver/author Cheryl Samuel also came across the Ravenstail style of weaving. Her first Ravenstail weaving class was held at the Totem Center in Ketchikan, Alaska in November 1989; I attended that first class. Since then, whenever anyone asked me about learning Ravenstail weaving, I’d recommend Cheryl. However, 22 years later, I conducted my very first official Ravenstail weaving class in Teslin, Yukon Territory (Canada) during the week of their cultural “Celebration 2011” July 25 – 30, 2011.
During Teslin's "Celebration 2011" the class had many visitors checking out the weavers' tedious and wonderful work - We wove a small Ravenstail pouch in 3 days
Charlene demonstrates creating the corners to her classmates
Dan Shorty and Charlene Baker with their completed Ravenstail weavings - (I apologize for not having a shot of the entire class with their completed weavings!)
Ainu elder inspects Rose's recently-completed Ravenstail pouch with Wayne and Debra Carlick
During the class, a group of Ainu visitors from Japan were guest performers at Teslin’s Celebration. Although we there was a language barrier, we used lots of gestures and facial expressions to communicate the similarities of our spinning and weaving techniques.
The Ainu spin their warp exactly like ours with two strands of fiber with the exception that they spin in mid-air using their thumbs and we spin our warp on our thigh
Ainu performers from Japan with Cedar bark weaving instructors Debra Carlick (Atlin, B.C.) and Lily Hope (Juneau, AK) and Ravenstail instructor Clarissa Rizal