The beauty and cultural significance of Ravenstail and Chilkat ceremonial robes made by Tlingit people of the Pacific Northwest Coast is admired throughout the world. All but one of the seven exquisitely handmade "dancing blankets" included in the Parallel Worlds exhibition were created by Tlingit artists skilled in the textile traditions of Northwest Coast Tshimshian and Tlingit people. Highlighting the exhibition is an exquisite 19th-century Chilkat blanket and headress, from the collection of the John Price.
Of the artists whose work is included in this exhibition, five are of Tlingit descent, including Clarissa Hudson, Lily Hudson, Teri Rofkar, Ann Smith, and Chloe French. John Beard is the only artist in the exhibition that resides in Oregon, and although he is not of Tlingit descent, his skill and artistry in the weaving of Ravenstail blankets is broadly recognized in the Tlingit community.
Ravenstail blankets predate the curvilinear Chilkat blanket patterns. Noted for their strikingly geometric patterns woven in black, yellow and white striped motifs, called "raven’s tails," these rectangular blankets are made with a unique (and uniquely difficult) technique called twining, which involves twisting and braiding threads together to form stripes, diamonds or simple bands. Tassles of threads are attached at intervals in the design, adding volume and movement to their appearance. Ravenstail robes were made exclusively by women, often given as gifts to their husband’s family at the time of marriage, or for other celebratory occasions.
John Beard, Ravenstail robe
Chilkat blankets, named for their place of origin in Tlingit villages at the mouth of the Chilkat River on the coast of Southeast Alaska. Unlike the geometric patterns of the Ravenstail robes, Chilkat blankets are woven in curvilinear shapes that represent animals, such as whales, ravens, and frogs, as well as other shapes. Made of mountain goat wool, they are woven in the shape of capes, rather than rectangular like the Ravenstail, and their patterns include blue threads, in addition to yellow, black and white. They are time-consuming and extremely difficult to create, particularly as they must conform to strict design rules. Made by women, these robes were served as symbols of prestige and rank for the men who wore them only on ceremonial occasions, such as the potlatch gatherings. Long tassles hang from the lower edge of Chilkat robes, which sway elegantly with the slightest movement of the dancer.
19th c. Chilkat Dancing Blanket, John Price Collection
More on Chilkat and Ravenstail blankets
- www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/tresors/treasure/231eng.shtml
- Canadian Museum of Civilization
Also included is a Button Blanket by Chloe French. Button blankets were blankets on which designs were creating by sewing buttons to create the outline of whales, owls, and other animals and images. Introduced as a result of European contact, buttons were obtained in trade with explorers and settlers and these robes became a part of the dance blanket repertoire of some tribes of the Northwest Coast.
- www.clarissahudson.com/Button_Blanket_index.php
- Button Blankets, Clarissa Hudson Studio
Parallel Worlds is generously sponsored by the Spirit Mountain Community Fund, the James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation, the Jack & Lynne Hoffman Donor Advised Fund, The Collins Foundation, The Japan Foundation, and Gerding/Edlen Development.
