Chilkat

Written by Abdolhossein Ghasemnejad.

The Americas have a good reputation for notable weaves due to the indigenous peoples living in the landmass. These native Americans have contributed to the creation of various versatile weaves which met their needs in accordance with their customs and traditions. Some of these peoples like The Navajo were more famous and influential, making their handicrafts better-known. Chilkat is a form of weaving practiced in North America with less than its fair share of fame due to its different patterns.

Background

The Chilkat are Indians living in the northernmost Pacific coasts of North America. Britannica encyclopedia categorizes the Chilkat as Tlingit speaking Indians who resided in coasts of Alaska between Cape Fox and Yakutat Bay. Wikipedia attributes Chilkat weaving to the Tlingit, the Haida, the Tsimshian and other peoples living in North-western coast of Alaska and British Colombia.

Usage

Chilkat weaves are used in ceremonial or formal reception occasions. This weave was men’s wear only worn by high-ranking officials. However, it is also worn by women these days in promotional events. Chilkat is an over-garment placed on shoulders; yet, as a result of changes in lifestyles, this weaving form has altered its function, creating other products that are often on sale on websites selling handicrafts.

Raw Materials

Chilkat raw materials have, as is the case in other handicrafts, changed over time. To weave a chilkat, goat’s hair and dog’s fur were originally used for the wept as well as cedar bark for the warp. Today, however, sheep’s wool is used in Chilkat weaving because of its abundance.

Weaving Method

There are mainly two weaving methods in the Americas. One method benefits from a loom while in the other method, warps are fastened to a pillar on one end and to the weaver’s waist on the other. Chilkat weaving is done based on the former method using a loom. Weaving on a loom to American Indians, however, means a method quite different from how loom is commonly used in other carpet-producing countries. They hang warps using weights from the top of the loom so they are pulled and stretched, and then start the weaving process from the top of the loom.

Motifs

What stands out in Chilkat weaving is the use of patterns, which is a rare practice in traditional weaves. Interestingly, men would draw the motifs on wood and hand them over to women weavers. It is thought that the motifs are often subjective images of animals driven from male totems and biological archetypes which reflected men’s mental image of themselves. This, however, provided the foundation of the pattern on which women weavers elaborated and added more motifs, completing Chilkat. It sounds as if women approved of men’s will and materialized it.

Gallery

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  Chilkat Blanket. Mary Ebbetts Hunt. 1880-1900.

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  Chilkat woman weaving a blanket. 1910.

References

1. Encyclopaedia Britannica.