Ravenstail Weaving Class in a Log “Cabin” in Teslin, Yukon

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The beautiful natural blonde Ravenstail weaving “classroom” held in the livingroom of Cabin #1, part of the Teslin Motel, Teslin, Yukon Territory, Canada

Teslin Cultural Center rented what I call a log cabin “mansion” to host a Ravenstail class/retreat held morning, noon and night for two weeks this past July 7-21.  Weavers stocked the fridge with fresh fish and rhubarb; someone always brought food – we ate like queens!  We wove like monsters!

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Marge Beaufeld, Nita Clarke and Gwen Wally

One of the most fabulous things about teaching is when the student’s “light goes on” – like, yeah man, they get it!  Things are clicking and continue to click after that!  Yeah, can we hear an AMEN!?  Can we hear a HOO HA!?

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Marge and Nita check the speed of Clarissa’s fingering…!

Students teaching students - fantastic!

Students teaching students – fantastic!

I bought 7 books of the Ravenstail Patterns (Contemporary and Ancient) compiled by the Ravenstail Weavers’ Guild (contact Kay Parker (907)-586-2491 for copies of the book).  Instead of weaving the exact same headband, I suggested three simple designs from the handbook for the students to choose from using the design patterns and colors in whatever order they wish – each headband was very different from the next!  In this way, each headband was personalized.

Trisha and her mother Louise Baker each wove a project on the same loom - Here they show the Ravenstail headdress they are about to remove from the loom.

Trisha and her mother Louise Baker each wove a project on the same loom – Here they are beginning to wrap the warp ends of the Ravenstail headdress  and once finished will remove from the loom.

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L to R: Patricia Baker, Clarissa Rizal, Nita Clarke, Louise Baker, Bev Morris, Marge Beaufeld, Gwen Wally (Missing: Denise & Kelly Sam)

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The log cabin on Teslin Lake; approximately 2300 square feet includes 1 bedroom and 600 sq. ft. loft, full kitchen, and laundry room is about $200/night

I’ve never been one who has been attracted to log cabin style of homes – I’ve always had the judgment that they were big for nothing, however, all of that was changed when I first stepped into the magnificence of the blonde wood making everything golden, though I understand that with age, the wood becomes darker and sometimes grey (which I don’t really like especially growing up in the grey Southeastern Alaskan weather)…

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My own personal “weaving room” – the upstairs loft which is almost as big as my own studio though with a fantastic view of the lake free of any sign of human lights from cars, houses, etc.

Thank you to the coordinator of this class, Melaina Sheldon from Teslin Cultural Center!  Thank you TCC for sponsoring this class retreat.  All of us truly appreciate your support!

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The start of Clarissa’s child-size ensemble: robe, apron and headdress – multiple weavings going at once motivates the weaver to WEAVE!

I’ve spent the last five Summers in Yukon; I realize that I LOVE YUKON!!!  I love the landscape, all the wild animals (I saw bear, moose, lots of rabbits, wolf, and even lynx!), and I just love the people in this culture.  The way people are reminds me of the way we were in Juneau 40 years ago:  real.  People are very real in Yukon; generous, sharing, accepting, matter of fact, no-nonsense, practical and they’ve got that “wilderness within” quite in tact with that real “native” sense of humor that always makes fun of ourselves – Not like those of us in politics.

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Midnight on Teslin Lake; I enjoyed this view at the foot of my bed every time I retired for the day, enjoyed when I’d wake up in the middle of the night with the moon rise and enjoyed every morning at 5:30 with the sunrise – a luxury that I soaked up and will keep with me for a long time!

Already I am planning my return to Yukon next Summer with two weaving retreats in the works; first one to be held at Wayne and Cherri Price’s “mansion” (one of the big, white Ft. Seward houses), Haines, Alaska two weeks BEFORE the Adaka Festival (June 26-July 2, 2015) in Whitehorse and the other campout retreat on the shores of Teslin Lake near the Teslin Cultural Center two weeks BEFORE their “Kus Te Yea” Celebration (July  23, 24 & 25, 2015).  If you are a weaver and are interested in attending, keep these dates in mind and stay posted to my blog!

Clarissa Rizal’s Chilkat & Ravenstail Weaving Class Schedule – Summer 2014

Chilkat Weaving Class taught by Clarissa Rizal and Lily Hope at SEARHC’s Board Room, Juneau, Alaska — July 2010 — L to R:  Fausto Paulo, Mary Ebona Miller, Gail Dabaluz, Trisha Makaily, Leandrea Makaily, Catrina Mitchell, Ricky Tagaban, Lily Hope, & Jeanette Tabor

As of this date March 10, 2014, there are five Chilkat or Ravenstail weaving classes Clarissa will be teaching this Summer in Alaska, Yukon, B.C. and Washington State; here’s her schedule (subject to change depending on additional classes):

Chilkat Weaving Class held at Catrina Mitchell’s home, Juneau, Alaska — 2010

1).  One Day “Gain-Confidence-In-Chilkat-Skills Class held the day after Celebration 2014 in Juneau, Alaska:  Sunday, June 15th; 9am to 3pm  Location: TBA     For a description of the class, costs, etc., please read the blog entry with specific details of this class by clicking here.

For further information and sign up, please contact Clarissa at:  clarissa@www.clarissarizal.com

Chilkat and Ravenstail weavers taught by Ann Smith and Clarissa Rizal gather on the back deck of the Kwaanlin Dun Cultural Center on the Yukon River, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory – June 2013

2).  Ann Smith will be teaching Ravenstail and Clarissa will be teaching Chilkat Weaving during the week of the Adaka Festival at the Kwaanlin Dun Cultural Center in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada — June 27th through July 3rd, 2014

To see photos and read about last year’s Chilkat/Ravenstail weaving class taught by Ann and Clarissa during the Adaka Festival 2013, click here.

To inquire or sign up for this year’s class, contact Charlene Alexander, Executive Coordinator of the Adaka Festival

The cabin of Chilkat Weaving demonstration at the Teslin “Celebration 2013” in Teslin, Yukon Territory

3).  Clarissa will teach a two-week Ravenstail Weaving Class July 6 through July 21st, at the Teslin Cultural Center on the shores of Teslin Lake.  We will weave a headband; all equipment, supplies and materials will be provided.

Click here to see photos and read about last year’s Chilkat Weaving Gathering and Demo in the cabin which is part of artist’s demonstration during Teslin’s Biennial Celebration 2013.

Inquire or sign up with Melaina Sheldon at the Teslin CC at:  Melaina.Sheldon@ttc-teslin.com

4).  (Note:  There will be just a 3-day break from the Ravenstail weaving class in Teslin to demonstrate at the Atlin Music Festival in Atlin, B.C., the weekend of July 11, 12 & 13th.  The Teslin class students (and the Whitehorse or any Alaskan weavers)  have the option to demonstrate weaving at the Atlin Music Festival; though your attendance is not required. We will resume the second week of the Ravenstail weaving class in Teslin on Tuesday, July 15th, ending July 21st. )

To see photos and read about last year’s weaving demonstration at the Atlin Music Festival, click here

Teahonna James demonstrates at the Atlin Music Festival, Atlin, B.C., Canada – July 2013

5).  A beginner’s Chilkat or Ravenstail weaving class in Yakutat  is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, July 27 through Thursday, July 31st.  Specifics TBA – stay tuned!

6).  Clarissa will be teaching Chilkat weaving during a Chilkat Weavers’ Retreat held on Vashon Island, Washington State, during the week of September 9th to the 16th.  You must have prior weaving experience and a project already started on your loom.

See more photos and read last year’s blog entry on the Beach House Retreat by clicking here.

Class size is limited to 10 students.  For more information and sign up for this year’s Retreat, please contact Sue Shotridge at:  sue@shotridgestudios.com

Chilkat Weaving Retreat will be held at the Beach House on Vashon Island, Washington State

Chilkat Weaving Tour Part 1: Whitehorse, Y.T.

L to R: Clarissa Rizal, Teahonna James, Vanessa Morgan, Crystal Rogers, and local beginner weaver Stefanie Sidney from Whitehorse

Last Summer/Fall 2012, three apprentices learned a bit of weaving in my studio in Colorado:  Vanessa Morgan from Kincolith, Nass River B.C., Crystal Rogers from Juneau, Alaska, and Teahonna James from Durango, Colorado, her family originally from Klawock, Alaska.  We talked about meeting up again; this time we’d meet in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory beginning with the Adaka Festival mid-June 2013 – (click here to see blog entry on the Adaka Festival).  During the festival, there is a Northwest Coast Native Art Exhibit that is shown only during the length of the one-week festival (click here to see parts of the exhibit).   Included in the exhibit were two Ravenstail robes, a child-size 4-piece Ravenstail dance ensemble and one Chilkat robe.  These woven ceremonial regalia were part of the “Weavers’ Dance” (click here to see this blog entry).

The purpose of our weaving tour:  to recognize, acknowledge and support local weavers of the community, share our knowledge with local weavers of all experience levels within the community,  inspire and secure the next generations of weavers, create a network of weavers wherever they live, educate the general public about Chilkat weaving, and to simply weave together!

Two maps and a calendar grace the walls above Clarissa’s loom in the Weavers’ apartment; one is a map of the Northwest Coast and the other a map of Yukon Territory – please take notice of the “money” chair; this particular sits on a her money!  heeeeeheeeee!

We financed this tour out of our own individual pockets; no funding came from elsewhere.  We did this tour because we were inspired to weave, travel and because we knew there were other weavers out there who wanted our support and wanted us to come visit.  We started our weaving tour in Whitehorse, Yukon during the Adaka Festival weaving class taught by Ann and myself (click here to see photos and story); we rented a Yukon College campus two-bedroom, fully-furnished apartment for the four of us; each splitting the rent and each bringing a mound of food – though Crystal and Teahonna brought more pots and pans and spices and cooking utensils.

Table and floor looms, along with spinning warp supplies and a sewing machine to sew up spinning pads, define this particular space as a weaver’s nest!

We took turns cooking meals and keeping the place half-way decent; but we mostly wove on our projects.  I gave instruction now and then when needed, and we each set our own hours.  There was a drawback for most of us:  no cell phone service (though my Verizon service was excellent), however, we were lucky that we had occasional internet service.

Crystal Rogers puts in the braids for her eyebrows of her child-size Chilkat robe

During our almost 4-week “residency” in Whitehorse, we invited any of the beginning students from the Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving class taught by Ann Smith and myself, held at the Adaka Festival to come on by and weave with us (you may check out the weaving class blog entry by clicking here.)    Alas, only two local women showed up.  The others were busy fishing, berry-picking, etc. – we cannot blame them; they were doing the important stuff like putting up food for winter!

Teahonna spins Chilkat warp

During our month in Whitehorse, we used this apartment as our home base as we took a weekend trip to the Atlin Music Festival in Atlin, B.C., just a 2-hour drive from Whitehorse.  We were invited by Louise Gordon, a member of the Wolf Clan, to her hometown of Atlin, to demonstrate Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving during the Atlin Music Festival, July 12-14.  Check out the blog entry on our weekend jaunt to Atlin by clicking here.

Teahonna splits cedar bark

At the end of our stay in our “luxury” on campus apartment in Whitehorse, we attended Teslin’s “Kus Te Yea – Celebration 2013” event held July 26-28.  Again we were invited to demonstrate weaving during this wonderful 3-day event.  Check out the blog entry of our own “weaving cabin” during Teslin’s Celebration by clicking here.

The washed warp is tightly-stretched around the back of a wooden chair to dry

Directly after Teslin’s Celebration, we drove down to Skagway and caught the ferry to Haines, Alaska where we were hosted by Lee Heinmiller at the Alaska Indian Arts and we demonstrated weaving at the Sheldon Museum July 30-August 1st.  Check out the blog entry of our visit at the Sheldon Museum in Haines by clicking here.

Click here to read the poem Wayne Price wrote in honor of our mentor, the late Jennie Thlunaut and in honor of our dedication to the preservation and perpetuation of Chilkat weaving

Our weaving tour did not quite “end” in Haines; even now I cannot say that our tour has ended – it’s an on-going adventure.    Vanessa was called home to help with her daughter’s birth of a child (and she will host Crystal who is intending to visit Vanessa and the Nass River for the first time); by ferry, Crystal headed to Prince Rupert, B.C. to meet up with weaver Megan O’Brien; Teahonna ferried to Klawock, Alaska to attend the Klawock Totem Raising, attend a family reunion and met up with weaver Suzi Williams; and I have done and am doing a number of things (i.e. a student during the Jineit Academy’s artist-in-the-schools teacher’s training Aug. 5-9, (click here to read the blog entry on the artists and teachers); picked lots of nagoon berries (click here to see those wonderful berries); hung out with grandchildren and my daughter; a part-time clerk at friend Jan Parrish’s Aurora Healing store located one door up North Franklin Street from Hearthside Books in downtown Juneau (click here for link to Jan’s Alaskana Botanicals); and, helped Juneau weaver Catrina Mitchell start her Ravenstail weavings (you may click here to read that blog entry.)

Vanessa weaves her eyelids

Next?  We are then planning a tentative journey to the Toadlena Trading Post in the Chuska Mountains about 30 miles southwest of Shiprock, New Mexico.  For over 10 years, Mark Winter, Navajo rug “expert” hosts the Navajo weavers’ “Spinning and Carding Day” the third weekend in September.  This is the one day of the year where most if not all of the Navajo weavers in the Two Grey Hills area gather together and begin to prepare the wool for the following winter’s weaving projects. (Click here to find out more info on the Toadlena Trading Post.)

In previous visits on this day, when we have shared our cross-cultural weaving knowledge, we learned that the Navajo and Chilkat weavers had something in common:  we use the same type tool to spin our weft yarns called the “drop spindle.”  We do not use the small drop spindle, we use the longer one where the post of the drop spindle measures from our knee to the floor.  So to enable us to eventually spin our own weft yarns of mountain goat, we want to learn from the Navajo weavers how to use this particular drop spindle.  We are excited to learn this from another indigenous tribe, whose sense of humor is much like ours.

An outline on the white board enables each of us to help reach our goals – down below there is a drawing of how to weave the perfect circle…

Where will be weaving this Winter?  Well, we will spend the Fall in Colorado because it is beautiful, and come Winter, well…that’s still yet to be determined.  Maybe we “Alaska Girls” (as the Canadians call us), will go to Mexico and do a cross-cultural exchange there to learn about dyeing weft yarns, or meet up with the Maori weavers and share weaving techniques.  The “book” is wide open.  Who knows where we will really be in the next month!

Sometimes we shuffle from one “work station” to another – (i.e. weaving loom, to splitting warp or wool, to spinning warp, to baking bread to making dinner, to hanging out on the deck, etc.)

If you are interested in sponsoring us in your community, contact any one of us, and let’s go from there.  Our tentative plans for next Summer are:  directly after Celebration 2014 (June 11-13) in Juneau, Alaska, we will head up to Whitehorse for the annual “Adaka Festival – A celebration of Yukon’s diverse and distinctive First Nation’s arts and culture” where we hope to teach another Chilkat/Ravenstail weaving class during the week.

Vanessa, Clarissa and Ann

After Yukon, we will head to the coast of British Columbia to the towns of Terrace, Kincollith on the Nass, Prince Rupert, Alert Bay, Masset and Haida Gwaii.   We want to network and work with weavers of these communities.  We would like to spend at least 3 days up to a week at each community.  Our intentions are the same as above:  to recognize, acknowledge and support local weavers of the community, share our knowledge with local weavers of all experience levels within the community,  secure the next generations of weavers, create a network of weavers, bring Chilkat weaving appreciation to the general public, and to simply weave together!

We noticed that sunsets in Whitehorse in the peak of Summer take about hours to set, but not really cuz the sun just swings itself back up into the sky, so what do weavers do on their breaks? They take photographs of lingering sunsets!

We will be looking for funding sources to assist with our travel expenses (gas, food, lodging, ferry fare).  If you would like to assist in whatever way you know you can help, please contact either one of us (Stefanie, Crystal, Vanessa, Teahonna, Clarissa).  We appreciate your assistance!

Ann instructs Teahonna on the next technique…

Weavers burn a lot of calories – thinking takes a lot of energy, so one of the things that is very important to us is that we eat well…here we see the sponge-method bread rising in a bowl and salad makings off to one side to go along with our salmon frying on the stove. oh yum, when we were done with our tour, did we gain weight or what!?

Having a sunny deck helps “get us out of the house” while we are still working – here Vanessa spins the warp for her child-size robe’s side braids….

Local Whitehorse beginner weaver, Stefanie receives help from both sides, Vanessa and Crystal

Securing our next generation of weavers: Crystal Rogers, Lily Hope, Stefanie Sidney

Chilkat Weaving Tour Part 3: Teslin, Y.T.

The “weavers’ cabin” during “Kus Te Yea” Celebration 2013 in Teslin, Yukon Territory

I had told the weavers about the Kus Te Yea Celebration 2013 in Teslin.  This biennial event is held in the odd-numbered years from “Celebration” sponsored by the Sealaska Heritage Institute held in Juneau, Alaska in the even-numbered years.  This is 2013; the odd year we’ve been waiting for; time to head to Teslin!

We knew that we wanted to attend the event, we just didn’t know where we were going to stay since none of us brought complete camping equipment, although we were ready to get additional equipment and camp out if we had to just like everyone else!  However, a week before Celebration 2013, we were invited to come out and demonstrate; – they had a space all ready for us as if they were expecting us to come!  We checked out of our comfy apartment in Whitehorse closing up that part of our Weavers’ Tour (click here if you missed the Whitehorse story) and were up for another adventure!

Looking through the screen windows at a lovely weaving scene!

The cabin designated for the weavers to demonstrate is an uninsulated wooden shell with screened windows without glass.  We removed the wooden shutters for added light, air, view and ambiance!  There are “skylights” and all of us just jumped with joy – what a perfect place to weave!  And all our very own for three whole days!?  Wow!  Thank you Kus Te Yea organizers for our very own space!

Jackie Kookesh and Ricky Tagaban share spinning techniques while Teahonna James sets up her table-top weaving loom

Immediately the very first day just as we were setting up, Ricky Tagaban and Jackie Kookesh surprised us – we didn’t know they were coming!  Also others from a couple of years ago returned:  Dan Shorty and Tatiana (?), and two others whose names have slipped me.  Pretty soon we had four people spinning and four people weaving.  Fun!

Vanessa Morgan explains to her audience how she first got involved in Chilkat weaving and the design story of her child-size Chilkat robe

Crowds of visitors, far and near, visited us.  One of the most rewarding things about demonstrating Chilkat weaving is to provide the visual, tactile information about the amount of work involved in just preparing the materials BEFORE you begin to weave.  Demonstrating educates the general public (and even our own people) about the spinning process as well as the actual weaving.  I am delighted when visitors are amazed at how we spin the warp on our thigh.  No matter what age, they are always shocked.  So much fun.

Crystal Rogers listens to Chief Dan (from Carcross, Y.T.) tell a story pertaining to weaving in his family

Also, it is an educational experience for us as various individuals who come to see what we are doing; more often than not they have a story to tell in regards to a relative or friend who was (or currently is or wants to be) a weaver.  Or they tell us a story regarding an old robe and how it was sold, or how it disappeared or how much it cost when it sold.  We hear many, many stories from our audience.  Storytelling is a big aspect of weaving.  We discover that when we demonstrate the art of weaving, we also learn to listen to the stories involved with weaving – our active listening skills are improved.  In so doing, we are learning while we teach and demonstrate.  The act of listening to our visitor’s stories is a large part of our “oral history.”

Clarissa’s child-size Chilkat robe now has eyes – to be able to see out into her world…as she now is able to “see” into her child-size robe. Although Clarissa has designed her robe, as she weaves along, she understands that the design of the robe is subject to change – during the course of a woven garment, things are felt, heard and “seen”, and sometimes it changes the course of history, and subsequently the design…

There is nothing quite like watching a weaving take its course.  The texture of the weave does depend on the weaver’s skill, however, there are always other factors like the fineness of the warp (the yarns that hang down), as well as your particular mood that moment, that hour, that day.

Packed up, doing last-minute clean-up, and Celebration is over; and while it is true that the Teslin Celebration organizers invited us to come demonstrate Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving at this sweet cabin where great memories and connections were laid, already we lay claim to weave, spin and teach during the next Celebration 2015!–look out, we are returning!

Weaving also creates a certain kind of tension whether it be within us or without us – tension is an aspect of weaving; there are at least two,…tactile tension and psychological tension.  Tension keeps us on our toes, it helps build up and it can also help let down.  Living in close proximity with other weavers always causes a bit of tension; it’s natural.  We learn to adjust to the various personality traits.  We learn to tolerate.  We learn to support.  We learn to take care of one another and watch out for one another.  We learn respect.  We are always learning as we weave our webs.

 

 

Intro to Ravenstail Weaving at Teslin’s Celebration 2011

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