The Art of Regalia: a "written language"
© copyright 2008 by Clarissa Hudson
Contact Clarissa for permission to use images or text for educational purposes only

Among our people, the Tlingits of Southeast Alaska, there is a great appreciation of traditional artwork, including carving, fiber arts, painting, metalsmithing and weaving. The subject matter of our traditional art is very narrowly defined; it includes only the totemic animals of our various clans plus certain secondary beings and abstract graphic elements. The art is highly stylized, and very “non-realistic” by Euro-American standards. The animal spirits shown are sometimes completely unrecognizable to the Western eye. However, the art of my people is not intended to portray external appearances; it is meant to tell stories, and it is meant to portray relationships. It tells our history “spoken” in a way similar to Westerners use of the written word. Ours was an oral history; there’s no alphabet, no written language — as such. Our art is our written language.

My art takes its graphic style from my people’s art, and although I may portray an old legend, I also use it to tell new stories. Like many fellow Northwest Coast Native artists, I am a visual storyteller. I create totemic images of new experiences in my larger, internationally-influenced, world community. My art includes traditional totemic beings, but also includes those not native to the Northwest Coast such as turtles, horses and buffalo, or not included in this reality such as angels and dragons. The relationships I address include village life, clan migration, historical accounts, relationships between man and animals, environmental statements or spiritual philosophy; the stories may also reflect personal triumphs, trials and tribulations. I had not consciously thought of myself as a “record-keeper”; only recently did I discover that my work is in line with this “time immemorial” tradition of documenting our history.

In traditional Northwest Coast art there are images depicting our legends of supernatural beings splitting apart a huge sea bear, a human being coming out of a frog’s mouth, or a face of a large being with many smaller faces within its mouth. Clan members passed down the stories of these historical documents to the next generations. These carvings, paintings or weavings were important as in any physical written document produced on paper today. This kind of documentation was our history “books.” Many of these art book images reminded us of lessons from the past that could be applied today to assist us in our every day lives so we may have the choice to move through our lives with a sense of clarity, understanding, dignity, respect, compassion and grace.

There are Northwest Coast artists, traditional or contemporary, who no longer include this tradition of storytelling or historical documentation in their art forms. Often times the only thing portrayed in their design work is an isolated clan emblem such as a lone bear, wolf, beaver, or salmon. Since Western “contact”, we have lost our intimate, supportive, clan system where we lived together in the same clan house or village, which provided a sense of belonging, identity and self-worth. Many details in our lives are no longer shared. We have lost our connection to the land and no longer live a subsistence lifestyle. In addition, many of us have chosen to create objects — once used by us in every day life or for ceremonial use — for the tourist industry and for art collectors. There is nothing “wrong” with this picture; it is part of adaptation to change, essential to our survival in a multi-cultural world. As the saying goes, we are all in the same boat. But for me, it is not enough to be just an artist, creating works, and selling them. It is about turning a life of work into a work of art. It is about becoming that art and sharing it.

Several of us artists felt a need to provide a yearly “family reunion” as a support group by and for artists. Artstream Cultural Resources instigated the first annual Northwest Coast Artist’s Gathering in 2004 held the first two days before the biennial event “Celebration” sponsored by the Sealaska Heritage Institute. Gathering’s mission is to create a network of artists and facilitators who work in the indigenous Northwest Coast art style and expand our connections professionally and personally; to share our works; discuss our roles as artists; explore new materials and techniques; inspire new work; and to create a stronger, inclusive community that finds ways to inspire and support our up-and-coming artists and honors traditions while moving into the 21st Century. One of the key activities at Gathering is a collaborative project intended to inspire and remind our artists how our art was traditionally used to record our history and tell our clan stories — an aspect of our art which has been lost somewhat in this modern world.

Each Northwest Coast Artists' Gathering has attracted over 100 artists, arts organizations and museums. The next Gathering is scheduled in Late Spring 2009 at Islandwood on Bainbridge Island, Washington State. Artstream’s vision is to sponsor the “off-year” Gatherings (from the one concurrent with the timing of Celebration), in various locations throughout the Northwest Coast. This first off-year Gathering will be co-sponsored with a Washington State non-profit Tierra Madre Fund. We hope these Gatherings inspire other folks and organizations to co-sponsor Gatherings in their own communities, and work with Artstream for logistical support and guidance. (More info: www.artstream.net).

Many of our people have identified forms of healing methods. Healing comes to us in a variety of ways; “from time immemorial”, the way of the artist demonstrates one method. Through the process of creating and documenting our trials and tribulations through our “written language”, the artist can set an example and demonstrates to following generations how we can overcome our conflicts, so we do not leave that particular conflict behind for our children, as they will have enough of their own conflicts to handle in their lifetime. Our elders and artists in the past knew this dynamic; there are many of us today who are reminded of this dynamic.

I did not consciously choose to be a regalia-maker; I was led into this spiritual art form. I first began as a costume-designer because I loved to dress up my family, friends and eventually became a costume designer for theatre companies. The spirit of regalia-making chose me to design and create these kinds of “second skins.” I discovered these skins could transform a person and begin to lift one’s human self out of the mundane reality and connect with spirit, providing a sense of wellbeing and safety. I have watched my own healing. In turn, I want to help others heal themselves through art.

Rooted in the word “regal,” the term describes something special or sacred. The word regalia is a step up from costume because of the depth of the spirit in a significant piece of clothing that can transform people’s emotional, spiritual and mental state. We, like the Westerners, use special clothing to help “get into an act” for special occasions like weddings, memorial services, adoptions and, in our culture we include the potlatches, naming of important clan items, canoe gatherings and Celebration.

In 2004, a photographer friend, Donna Foulke and I began researching the stories and history of clan regalia, old and new. We photographed portraits of our Native people in their regalia at the biennial “Celebration”, our Tlingit powwow in Juneau. With a volunteer staff, we also video-recorded interviews of participants who explained who made the regalia, what the design represents, the stories of how they came to do their clan songs and dances, and the pride they felt with their sense of identity and well-being. To the surprise of our staff and the community, it was a moving experience; until this, we had no clue what the depth of this project meant. We immediately created the Dance Regalia Documentary Project, a commitment to preserving an on-going research of significant historical information and stories of Northwest Coast Native dance regalia, past and present. (For more info visit:
http://foulkeart.com/documentary/)

For many years, our elders and concerned citizens have wondered how to heal the abuses magnified by living in a cross-cultural society. Our elders felt their songs and dances were going to be lost forever and they had observed that retaining this part of our culture had helped them heal; so they began teaching the songs. There are various cultures referring to how the universe was first created, and continues to create - with sound. Begin with song and dance follows. Dance and regalia follows. Make regalia, witness and experience creation and art. Create, and a sense of well-being follows. When we have a sense of well-being, we “lift up ourselves and lift up our communities” and the songs continue.

In full circle we come; in full circle we spiral to where we must go.

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