Clarissa’s grand-daughter helps spin Chilkat warp with wool and cedar bark
Back in 1986, when I was apprenticing to master Chilkat weaver, the late Jennie Thlunaut, she relayed the story of how she began weaving. She said she was around 5 years old. Her mother and aunties were weavers and of course, spun all their own warp and weft. Jennie had no other choice but to “play” with the warp and weft, “weaving her own creations…” Jennie advised: “…so that is how I started, and that is how many of us can start…let the real little ones “play” with you…watch how they become…you will see whether or not they become one of us…” Jennie giggled and smiled real big “…heehee, you will see…”
Amelie has her own method of placing markers on the warp ends…at two years old, she is already demonstrating her innovativeness (is that a word?…well it is now!)
I don’t know why I never thought of this before, but I am weaving a child-size Chilkat robe. I am hoping I can help inspire other Chilkat weavers to do the same. I imagine a whole slew of them to be woven this Winter/Spring into Summer and to be completed in time for Whitehorse, Yukon Territory’s Adaka Festival the last week in June next year. Imagine little Chilkat robes being danced by little ones of the 1st Nations people of Yukon. Just way to cool. I think Jennie would be pleased to see this.