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My Apprenticeship With
Jennie, Part One
by Clarissa Hudson
Contact Clarissa for
permission to use text or images for educational purposes
only
Jennie demonstrates at the
Haines Chilkat weaving workshop, 1985. Photo
by Larry McNeil - www.larrymcneil.com |
I knew where I really wanted
to live... Haines, Alaska!
I received a call from Jan at the Institute of Alaska Native
Arts, inviting me to participate in a Chilkat weaving workshop
for two weeks beginning at the end of February 1985 in Haines,
Alaska, a sleepy little town at the mouth of the Chilkat River,
about 80 miles north of Juneau on the Alaskan Ferry route.
Jan knew that two years prior, I had been introduced to a
week-long class in Chilkat weaving taught by Cherl Samuel.
What she didn't know was that I had no interest in taking
up Chilkat weaving again. I felt I was a lousy weaver and
that it was too hard. Yet, she also didn't know that I loved
the landscape of HainesI didn't have to think twice.
Of course I'd go... anything to spend a two week in Haines!
Jan explained that the workshop would be led by the last
of the traditional Chilkat weavers, a woman from Klukwan,
the small Native village just north of Haines. I vaguely
recognized her name: Jennie Thlunaut. She was 95 years
old and this would be the first time she had taught a Chilkat
weaving to two dozen weavers and basketmakers. Traditionally,
Chilkat weaving was taught to only your relatives, by blood
or marriage. This class may have had a few of her relatives,
yet she did not know most of the women who were all from Southeast
Alaska. This was a big step for Jennie to step outside of
traditional boundaries.
I had woven a small Chilkat project at a previous workshop
led by Canadian weaver Cheryl Samuels, but other than that,
I knew very little about Chilkat weaving. However, I
would be in good company, because most of the other participants
at the workshop didn't know much about Chilkat weaving either.
The art had nearly vanished. The techniques had been
passed down to only a very few of the next generation, and
all the old weavers had passed on. All, that is, except
Jennie.
Jennie Thlunaut was truly the grand master of
Chilkat weaving (although she would not ever say
that about herself; in fact, she laughed at the
statement.) Not only was she the last Chilkat
weaver left in the Chilkat Valley, but she was
by far the most prolific of all the old weavers.
She had created some 50 Chilkat blankets during
her lifetime, in addition to over 6 Chilkat tunics
and numerous smaller weavings. (To put this
number in perspective, a typical weaver spends
one year, full-time, to create a Chilkat blanket.
Jennie had produced almost 60 major pieces in
addition to raising a family, living her subsistence
life-style, and holding a full-time job!)
Jennie in her new dress. Photo
by Larry McNeil - www.larrymcneil.com |
At the workshop, my first task was to design a pattern for
my weaving. I decided on a version of the logo I'd developed
for my landscaping company; a Northwest Coast-style hand holding
a flower. When I showed the design to Jennie, she barked
at me the way old Tlingit women are prone to do: "No human
hands! You don't put human hands in Chilkat weaving!"
I was confused and disappointed; I really liked my design.
But there was no way around it... Jennie was adamant about
human hands not being in Chilkat weaving. One day, after a
week of me bugging her about letting me put human hands in
my weaving, she yelled at me in front of the entire class:
"....NO HUMAN HANDS! No human hands......three fingers
and a thumb is okay, but not four fingers and a thumb! No
human hands, no human hands!!!" Embarrassed, I
finally gave in because obviously for whatever reasons she
felt strongly about no human hands in Chilkat weaving, so
I modified the design into a raven's claw, and Jennie approved
the design.
During the following week, we all struggled with our weavings
while Jennie amazed us with her speed at weaving... her fingers
seemed to fly through the warp. When the last day of the workshop
rolled around, I was 1/2 done with my project and totally
fascinated by this ancient woman with the amazing fingers.
I presented Jennie with a floral dress I'd sewn for her, and
she wore it at our farewell dinner.
>"Jennie"
Part Two
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