SMASH
International Indigenous Weaving
Salish Mi’kmaq Alaskan Southwest Hawaiian
SMASH
International Indigenous Weaving
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Musqueam Weaver (Cecilia Sparrow’s Grandmother) Spinning Wool Image PN83 - Courtesy of Royal BC Museum, BC Archives
CONTENTS Dedication to Doreen Jensen / 4 Cedar Tree / 5 by Rena Point Bolton Foreword by Jon Tupper, Director / 7 Greetings of The Honourable Steven L. Point, OBC / 8 Curator’s Introduction / 11 by Rose M. Spahan RAVELLING/UNRAVELLING / 30 by Cathi Charles Wherry Works from the SMASH Exhibition
Salish / 36 Mi’kmaq / 54 Alaskan / 58 SouthWest / 66 Hawaiian / 76
Biographies / 80 List of Works / 90 Credits / 95
SMASH curator Rose Spahan and contributor Cathi Charles Wherry dedicate this publication to the late Doreen Jensen who devoted her life to the advancement of Indigenous artists. In 1933 Gitxsan artist and activist Doreen Jensen, of the Fireweed Clan, was born in Kispiox, British Columbia. In this small village located approximately 1,100 kilometres north of Vancouver, she was delivered by a medicine woman in her great-grandmother’s bedroom. Hahl Yee is the Gitxsan name given to her by her family, from whom she learned the oral history, language, songs, legends, and customs of her people. The name belongs to the Killerwhale family crest from the House of Geel of the Fireweed Clan. From her grandfather, father, mother, and their friends, Hahl Yee was infused with a deep love and understanding of her culture, and a political awareness and consciousness about what was happening in the world around her. In 1951 Doreen began to carve at the age of 18, just as the legislated oppression of Indigenous cultural practices, including the visual arts, began to lift. This key moment in time is not so long ago when we consider the long cultural histories of our Nations. Doreen’s decision to participate and provide leadership in this reclamation was not only highly significant to the practices of Indigenous artists, but to Canadian visual arts in general. On a more personal level, for many years both of us have looked to Doreen for inspiration and support and sought her sage advice when grappling with creative, intellectual, and ethical dilemmas. We are forever grateful for her contributions to clearing the path we walk. We hold our hands up to you Hahl Yee. HÍSW̱KE SÍEM and Chi Miigwech.
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Cedar Tree I have a friend so dear to me A tall and lovely cedar tree Dressed in splendor of evergreen No other tree outranks this queen She offers shelter to those in need Who climb her limbs to hide and feed Her trunk will keep a family warm Thru’ coldest nights of winter’s storm In spring the birds return to build Their nests she’ll hold like those she held For many years they’ve come and gone To fly away at autumn’s dawn Patiently, really, she stands, always aware While gentle breezes caress her hair The essence of her fragrances fills the air Oh lovely, Oh beautiful, how came you there! As I kneel before you loyal friend A beggar no less for you to tend With pick and shovel and hiking boots I’ve come to seek your tender roots I’ll scrape and split long glowing strands And weave a basket with loving hands With red and black and white design A million stitches to make it fine To show the world that you and I E’en tho someday we both shall die We’ll leave behind a lode of treasure That time and man shall never measure Rena Point Bolton
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SMASH: International Indigenous Weaving brings together works by 16 artists who utilize the process of weaving in their art practice. In its broadest definition, weaving simply involves the interlacing of various elements to make an object. It is an ancient medium, and as a practice its forms have often been used as a metaphor for language and social interaction. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria has a considerable history in the presentation of work by Aboriginal artists, most recently with the exhibition Transporters, which documented contemporary Salishan art. SMASH is a coherent extension of that exhibition placing, as it does, the work of Coast Salish artists within an international context. By focusing on the practice of weaving, the curator, Rose Spahan, has uncovered the differences and similarities in the work of artists from different geographical locations. The works in the exhibition show a vast range of approaches, often linking the traditional and the contemporary. The Gallery is honoured to have the opportunity to exhibit the work of the artists: Rena Point Bolton, Peter J. Clair, Melissa Cody, Bea Duran, Lisa Hageman, Marina Johnny, Barb P. Marchand, Angela Marston, Marques Hanalei Marzan, Dionne Paul, Susan Point, Teri Rofkar, Marie Sheppard, Debra Sparrow, Donna Thomas and Melvin Williams. Without their involvement the exhibition would not have been a success. Rose M. Spahan, the Canada Council Aboriginal Curator in Residence at the AGGV, has worked tirelessly to assemble the exhibition, and we are all grateful for her efforts. The entire Gallery staff has been involved with this project, in particular Chief Curator Mary Jo Hughes, Associate Curator Nicole Stanbridge, and Exhibition Manager Stephen Topfer who all worked closely with Rose to ensure its success. A special thanks to Cathi Charles Wherry for her contribution to this publication. We are grateful to the lenders to the exhibition, which include many of the artists as well as His Honour Lieutenant Governor Steven L. Point, Mr. George and Mrs. Christiane Smyth, Mr. Bob Baker, Mr. Marvin Desjarlais, Linda (Woody) Cywink, Dr. Jo-ann Archibald and Mr. James Wright. Archival images are provided courtesy of Royal BC Museum. The support of the Capital Regional District, the BC Arts Council, the Canada Council, and the Salish Weave Fund for this exhibition is gratefully appreciated. Jon Tupper Director Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
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OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
As both Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia and a Stó:lō Nation Chief, I am pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this extraordinary exhibit. The sxwōqw’elh blanket by Debra Sparrow featured in this exhibition is a significant work of art from the Government House collection. Every cultural group in the world has a distinctive characteristic by which they can be identified. For Coast Salish people, it is the sxwōqw’elh blanket. Traditionally woven with goat wool and worn by hereditary chiefs, they were important to the political and cultural relations within Coast Salish society. The sxwōqw’elh blankets were made by the women in the families of the chiefs and marked the individual as a hereditary leader. Some of the knowledge about how to make them was quite secretive, held by the individual families. They took great pride in their work and it is wonderful to witness the emergence of it as an art form, for all people to relish the strength and majesty of these blankets. The art of weaving identifies Coast Salish culture. I am grateful that the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria has taken the time and the effort to display these items in an appropriate and culturally-sensitive way. Museums and galleries offer everyone, especially our youth, an opportunity to see glimpses of the past. It is said that our collective past is preserved so as to provide a sense of continuity and purpose for those of us in the present. Each piece has a unique presence that gives honour to the past and present vision of the Coast Salish people who have a rich and powerful connection to the world in which we live. Sincerely,
The Honourable Steven L. Point, OBC Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia 8
Biography THE HONOURABLE STEVEN L. POINT, OBC Xwĕ lī qwĕl tĕl Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
The Honourable Steven L. Point was sworn-in as British Columbia’s 28th Lieutenant Governor on October 1, 2007. In 2005, he was appointed Chief Commissioner of the British Columbia Treaty Commission. His Honour served as an elected Chief of the Skowkale First Nation for 15 years. He also served as the tribal chair of the Stó:lō Nation Government, and he was honoured as Grand Chief by the Chiefs of the Stó:lō Tribal Council. His Honour was appointed a provincial court judge in February 1999. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Law degree from the University College of the Fraser Valley in June 2000 and is a recipient of a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, also in 2000. He received a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of British Columbia in 1985 and was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 1986. Born in Chilliwack, the Lieutenant Governor and his wife, Her Honour Mrs. Gwendolyn Point, have four children and 13 grandchildren. Government House 1401 Rockland Avenue Victoria, British Columbia V8S 1V9 www.ltgov.bc.ca
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CURATOR’S INTRODUCTION: ROSE M. SPAHAN As the Canada Council Aboriginal Curator in Residence at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, it is my pleasure to present SMASH: International Indigenous Weaving, an exhibition of Indigenous artists working with weaving technologies. SMASH showcases the works and stories of Salish, Mi’kmaq, Alaskan, Southwestern, and Hawaiian artists through the medium of weaving. SMASH is a snapshot of the innovative techniques—both contemporary and traditional—these talented Indigenous artists use to engage in a cultural dialogue through the sharing of their talent and stories. The materials and the pieces—pieces used in ceremonies and everyday life, as clothing, or for exhibition— demonstrate both the commonalities and the rich diversity of the cultural groups represented. The 16 Indigenous artists featured in SMASH come from various distinct cultural backgrounds and experiences, ranging from emerging artists, self-taught artists, mid-career artists, and master weavers. Some of these artists were born into their practice, while others found their creative passion through watching their teachers. They all approach their artistic endeavors with feelings of great joy as well as responsibility. These artists display their work with dignity, pride, and respect for the history and traditions of their ancestors. The AGGV has been a strong supporter of dialogue with First Nations’ artists on Salish territory, evidenced by the many AGGV exhibitions that have showcased contemporary Aboriginal art: The Return of Abundance: Marianne Nicholson (2007), Transporters: Contemporary Salish Art (2008), The Video Drum: Jackson 2bears (2009), World Upside Down (2009), and The Triumph of Mischief: Kent Monkman (2010). SMASH: International Indigenous Weaving developed out of the AGGV’s Transporters exhibition, curated by Andrea N. Walsh and Cathi Charles Wherry. That show did not feature artworks representing textiles and weaving. The AGGV’s curator of contemporary arts, Lisa Baldiserra, felt this gap should be addressed, and I was invited to begin a dialogue. While our discussion initially focused on Coast Salish weaving, it soon broadened in scope to include international Indigenous artists working in the same vein. As a result, SMASH highlights Canadian Indigenous textiles and basketry along with international Indigenous artists working in traditional materials. As a Coast Salish woman artist, I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with these brilliant artists, and it is a great honour and pleasure to curate SMASH. Coast Salish weaving is filled with stories, history, and great beauty, and the same is true for the other cultural groups represented in this exhibition. I have thoroughly enjoyed my journey of discovery as I put this show together, for it has allowed me to learn more about the differences and similarities shared by these Indigenous artists working in the ancient art of weaving. Visiting and talking with these unique artists, I laughed, was graced with amazing stories, and made some new Indigenous friends among this group of very talented people; for that, I am grateful. Rena Point Bolton, Salish baskets (1980-1995)
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The artists who work in the medium of weaving are skilled technicians, mathematicians, scientists, naturalists, and spiritualists. Their diverse talents display a deep respect for the past, as well as a passion for and devotion to the arts. Steeped with creation stories, crest designs, spirituality, respect, knowledge, power, virtue, and a deep understanding of the land, these brilliant artists demonstrate amazing dedication to the intricate weaving styles and traditions of their cultures. Cathi Charles Wherry, an Aboriginal artist and curator who contributed an essay to this publication, expressed to me how Indigenous artists need to have their work seen as art and not artifacts: “These artists are right in the roots of the arts. Artists are tired having their work viewed through an anthropologist’s eye. I think it’s important to look at weaving and textiles from an artistic point of view. The time and pure artistry of the objects is important to the creators of the work.” The revival of weaving in many communities is a time-intensive activity, as the creation of these artworks requires hours of dedicated labour, which includes both the collection of materials and the creation process. Cross-culturally among Indigenous weavers, there is a universality in the collection of materials. While each cultural group has its own traditions of honouring the sacredness of the earth, all of them give an offering and a prayer as a means to seek permission to collect and use these gifts of the earth. Through their traditions and the creative process, the artists are connected with the spirit in a special way. Once the artwork is completed, some weavings are used in ceremonies. In this way, the weaving is brought to life, a key factor in the sacredness of the object within the Indigenous cultures represented in this exhibition. These works are not created solely for collection, as the integrity of the continuum of the sacred is paramount. The research undertaken for SMASH spanned many Indigenous territories in diverse geographical locations, and includes both traditional and contemporary works. The exhibition aims to promote and strengthen an understanding of the artistic importance and beauty of weaving by focusing on the innovation, which is influenced by the various materials and dyes available in the vastly diverse ecological regions these artists live and work in. SMASH showcases and presents work that is vital to an understanding of Indigenous work from the Salish, Mi’kmaq, Alaskan, Southwestern, and Hawaiian regions. By presenting their valuable traditions and artworks, visitors to the AGGV can discover the richness and beauty of these Indigenous cultures. The similarities that are evident across these cultural groups, in ceremonial use and in the gorgeous decoration of the fine woven pieces, engender a dynamic intertribal textural conversation of colour, stories, history, and creativity. SMASH also serves to initiate an understanding among cross-cultural audiences of the traditional values and new protocols that make up the unique cross-cultural perspectives of Indigenous peoples.
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The four cardinal directions played a significant role in the planning of this exhibition because they magnetically united different Indigenous groups from four sacred directions. With respect and honour, the four directions are where the sacred seasons come from—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—and where the grandfathers and grandmothers sit to watch over us. Four is a number that holds many teachings and reflects birth, life, death, and spirit life. Honouring an old teaching, in prayer these artists walk with nature and carry on their own cultural styles and Indigenous identities. These four sacred directions are represented by the Navajo to the south, the Alaskans to the north, the Mi’kmaq to the east, and the Coast Salish—my people—to the west. Hawaii represents a region farther west: the Pacific. On display in this exhibition are the geometric styles of Coast Salish basketry, Salish weaving styles, and design elements of the Coast Salish, specifically Musqueam, Stó:lō, Nanaimo, Cowichan, and T’Sou-ke. The Salish artists represented in SMASH are Rena Point Bolton, Marina Johnny, Dionne Paul, Susan Point, Angela Marston, Debra Sparrow, and Donna Thomas. The Interior Salish artists are Barbara P. Marchand and Melvin Williams. Together they represent the cardinal direction of the west on the compass rose, close to the ocean and close to the heart of the cedar trees. They walk with the echoes of their past, but also move forward to a beautiful future and the innovative ways they combine traditional weaving with contemporary aesthetics is evident in their artworks.
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Farther to the west, Hawaiian artist Marques Hanalei Marzan creates gorgeous works from the materials found in his Kalimukele community of O’ahu, Hawaii. He uses not only natural fibres but also found plastics and recycled modern materials. Mi’kmaq artist Peter J. Clair represents the cardinal direction of the east with his innovative basketry. The north is represented by Alaskan artists Lisa Hageman and Teri Rofkar. Rofkar’s Raven’s Tail-style Earthquake Robe and intricately coiled Sitka miniature baskets are both delicate and powerful reflections of the history of the Indigenous people of the north. Hageman, who also works in the Raven’s Tail style, brings her Haida understanding to SMASH with a strong visual voice of the past. Southwestern artists Melissa Cody, Bea Duran, and Marie Sheppard represent the voice of desert weavers to the south. These talented artists, utilizing materials of the Southwest and commercial materials, are lyrically working Navajo magic with ingenuity. Together, these artworks provide viewers with a visual feast, one that leads viewers into a cultural dialogue with the artists, as these weavings speak of time, dreams, treasures, shared ceremonial moments, and peaceful cultural respect.
Peter J. Clair, detail of
Apajimilwiwentaqisaqmigmawinestwimawisaputigignamuslutitesnu (2009)
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Teri Rofkar, detail of Raven’s Tail Waist Robe (1994)
STORYTELLING & HISTORY My travels and research began in Sitka, Alaska, where Teri Rofkar’s Raven’s Tail-styled robe recounts the story of the earthquake that occurred there on Good Friday in 1964. Rofkar decorates her robe in refined geometric style. Rofkar’s robe reveals a deep understanding that weaving carries with it the sacred responsibility of the gift of storytelling. Rofkar proudly shows me the elegant traditional geometric patterns and tassels of her Earthquake Robe. Where the pattern is askew, it is to emphasize the tsunami that followed the earthquake. As Rofkar explains, “It’s the footprint of that particular earthquake.” STOȻEȽ, John Elliot has been influential in my life for sacred guidance and as protocol adviser. He is a great man, well respected as a language teacher, and is a valuable gift to the community. He tells about the territory of the Saanich People, my people. He tells us to look at the history of our land, the history of our people, and how long we’ve been here. W̱SÁṈEĆ goes back to the time of the flood that happened 11,000 years ago. John Elliot says the connection between our stories and this land go far beyond that. The winds, mountains, points of land and islands, and all the animals and trees in our belief system tell us that long ago when the Creator walked with our people everything was sacred. The islands around Vancouver Island have SENĆOŦEN names. The SENĆOŦEN names represent our relationship to rocks, mountains, and boulders. SṈAṈEŦ means my gift to you from the Creator XÁLS. The trees are called SḴELÁLṈEW̱, which means “the bad ones are put away”. This word goes back to the time when humans were turned to trees. Many island people walked as free people. It was in the island’s bays and inlets where they learned how to live and look after the gifts the Creator gave us. We have medicines to heal ourselves, a respectful belief system, education, science, and technologies. We are all connected and all kept in place by ceremony. We remember to teach our young what we know. Ceremony perpetuates a lifestyle that has existed for thousands of years. We are connected to a paradise we call Saanich where we walked hand in hand with the Creator. We gave thanks and asked for forgiveness to take a tree. We didn’t take anything that we did not need. Teri Rofkar’s Earthquake Robe, inspired by events in Alaska, and the W̱SÁṈEĆ Flood Story show how deeply connected storytelling, our land and art are among Indigenous cultures.
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W̱SÁṈEĆ LEGEND STORY: The Great Flood The Saanich story of the flood dates backs thousands of years and Melvin Williams’ cedar rope was made in 2010 and it works well with the flood story to show the connection between art and story telling. One day, a long, long time ago, the tidewaters started to rise. The people began to worry as the water was starting to reach their homes. They collected all their belongings and put them into their canoes. As the water rose the canoes were carried away. The water rose even more. The people paddled to the highest mountain, and when they reached the top of the mountain one of the men made a long anchor rope of cedar bark. He made a huge pile so they could stay anchored. Eventually, the whole mountain was submerged in water except the very tops of the trees. The people anchored their canoes to the tops of the trees. The rain was very heavy and soon covered the treetops. No one knows how long it rained, but they were anchored there for a long, long time waiting to see what would happen. They were well prepared and had lots of dried salmon to eat. After many days a raven came and landed on one of their canoes. He seemed to be telling them something. Suddenly, a man said, “NI QENNET TŦE W̱SÁṈEĆ” (look what is emerging), as he pointed to a mountain in the distance. This is the news the raven was bringing. Finally, the flood was over. The floodwater began to go down. When the water went down enough, they got out of their canoes and rested as they were very tired. Before they left the mountain, they gathered together in a circle around the huge coil of rope. They gave thanks for the mountain that had saved them. They said from now on, this mountain would be called the ȽAU,WELṈEW̱ (place of refuge/escape), and we will be called the W̱SÁṈEĆ people. They went back to their village. The people that remained in the village had all drowned. Only the people who went to the mountain in their canoes survived. Even today, it is said that if you are of pure mind, body, and spirit, you can still find the huge pile of Indian cedar rope on the mountain. This story of the great flood has been told to many generations. The people who survived the flood were the ancestors of the W̱SÁṈEĆ people living today.
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Melvin Williams, String (2010)
SX̱Í X̱I MASK BASKETS Rena Point Bolton’s two SX̱Í X̱I mask baskets are reminiscent of a promise and a commitment to mask-making traditions. The baskets honour a sacred agreement to be humble, never boastful. Rena talked to me about being the head of the house of the Wolf People in the valley where her people come from. As a leader in the community, Rena follows the sacred agreement to never try to outshine others in her community. The SX̱Í X̱I is a human face mask that originated from the Teit People and is an important part of the mask ceremony. The SX̱Í X̱I m’oi (mask baskets) are symbolic of a promise or commitment to the continuation of the right to use the masks. The masks themselves are evidence of ceremonial gifts from the Creator, gifts that belong only to the SX̱Í X̱I for their ceremonies. Rena told me the traditional legend of the girl who pulled the original human face masks out of Kawkawa Lake with a fishing rod. This girl was instructed to make baskets to prove she was worthy of the commitment she must make to take care of the masks. Her contribution honoured the sacred binding agreement and continuation of the right to participate in the mask ceremony. Similarly, Rena was instructed by her dying auntie to make two baskets to continue her family’s right to use the masks. In keeping with this tradition, eventually Rena’s daughter will be instructed to make two baskets in the same sacred manner.
Rena Point Bolton, SX̱Í X̱I Mask Baskets #1 above and #2 right (1995)
INTERVIEW: Marques Hanalei Marzan - Hawaiian Weaver While I was researching in Waikiki I made an appointment to talk with artists from the area to view their work and chat with some of the Indigenous Hawaiians. I singled out Marques for this show because his work expressed that he understood materials culturally and conceptually. We met over lunch and talked about materials, art, and of being Indigenous. Rose Spahan: Why is weaving the material of choice? Marques Hanalei Marzan: Fibre arts have always come naturally to me. Natural fibres, synthetic fibres, recycled materials, and repurposed objects call out to me in various ways that inspire me to make art. The traditions of the past are just as important to me as the innovations of the present. RS: Can you share with me the ritual collection of materials? MHM: Gathering natural materials should always be done with respect and dignity in how you harvest. A short prayer or offering is a basic step I do before beginning the process of gathering. The gathering should never drastically disturb the environment from which the material came, and the material should never be treated poorly. RS: What inspires you when you are working? MHM: The act of doing is what inspires me to work. There are times when I allow the art to become whatever it wants to be, and there are also times when I consciously make a specific object. The freedom and restraint in both cases are the things I enjoy the most. The passion I have for what I do is the driving force of my work. I love to perpetuate tradition, but also love to create from imagination and spontaneity. The space between these two concepts is what I call passion. RS: Can you describe the materials? MHM: I use all kinds of materials, both cultural and modern. Cultural materials that often make their way into my work include: prepared pandanus leaves, stripped rootlets of the ’ie’ie vine, the inner bast (inner fibre) of wauke (paper mulberry) and hau (hibiscus), and a myriad of natural dyes. Modern materials include recycled plastic, wire, and found objects. I have apprenticed under many master weavers in Hawaii and across the Pacific. The experiences and knowledge that I gained from working with them has enhanced my work exponentially. The background on styles and patterns distinct to diverse areas, cultures, and families has given me a greater awareness on how my heritage is connected to the rest of the Pacific.
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RS: What are your thoughts and influences while you are weaving? MHM: Weaving is a calming act for me, and clears my mind of all things. The interaction that I have with other weavers while I’m working becomes an enjoyable environment and full of laughter and joy. What influences me all depends on what I am making. If I am creating a contemporary piece, spontaneity and abstraction heavily influences me; if I am making a cultural object, following tradition is the guiding force. RS: What is most challenging while you work? MHM: Time...it always vanishes. Time is often the driving factor of my work. I tend to work on something until it is complete. Time also can be a blessing in that I created some of my most interesting works in a limited amount of time. RS: Lastly, Marques, is there a quote that you’d like to share? MHM: I am an artist. I am true to myself. I travel my path. I do that which moves me. If the terms Indigenous, Native, Hawaiian, Polynesian, or Pacific allow me to continue and grow on my journey, I have no hesitation in using them.
Marques Hanalei Marzan, Ke Ao (The Day) 2010
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INTERVIEW: Melissa Cody - Navajo Weaver During my stay in New Mexico I got the chance to revisit my favorite Indigenous art institute, the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, to talk with Navajo weaver Melissa Cody. Not only does she weave gorgeous pieces but she also recruits for the College of Contemporary Native Arts. Rose Spahan: Why is weaving your material of choice? Melissa Cody: I didn’t necessarily make the decision to weave. It was a central fixture in my home when I was a child. It was second nature that I learned how to weave at a young age as the majority of my female relatives and sister wove. What was my decision was to maintain weaving as a significant and crucial part of my life. The patience and creativity that I have developed over the last 22 years has in many ways enabled me to excel in not only artistic, but educational and professional endeavors. RS: What is the connection with you and weaving? MC: Weaving has directed every major decision I’ve had to make in life: where I worked; how I provided for myself; my educational path in fine arts and the museum field. At the risk of sounding cliché, weaving is the link between my generation and those that came before me. My grandmother doesn’t speak English and I’m not fluent in Navajo, so weaving has allowed us to have those moments of understanding. She knows the ins and outs of the art and can relate to the process without my verbal explanation. RS: Can you describe the kind of material that you use and the result? Can you share with me the ritual of collection of materials? MC: The style that I work is labelled Germantown. The material that is characteristic of this style is composed of commercially processed plied yarns. Wool is the raw organic fibre that is chemically dyed to produce a vibrant and electric colour palette. I’ve purchased my Germantown yarns from the same company for the last 10 years. The other various weaving tools that I use in the weaving process have been collected over my weaving career. Tools, such as my weaving batons and combs, were gifted by my mother, aunts, and grandma. The weaving comb that I use to this day was given to me by my mother the first day I began weaving 22 years ago when I was five. It’s not uncommon for my mother and I to borrow or trade tools when a specific textile calls for a variation in weaving utensils. RS: What really inspires you when you are working?
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MC: I’m inspired by the recognition that is received from creating a piece that is “outside of the box” by traditional Navajo textile standards. I want to be known as an artist who is willing to deviate from the textbook traditional styles. If Navajo weaving is going to be more than trading post billboards and postcard images, I’m going to be the one to set it off in a new direction. I don’t want to be limited by the borders of my loom. RS: Are there unexpected surprises for you when you are in the art-working zone? MC: Unexpected surprises usually come in the form of a miscalculation in the design. That’s when I have to back-track and rework the design so that it complements the piece. RS: What type of discipline does it take for you to persevere? MC: These are the things I focus on achieving: keeping to a feasible work schedule; doing material prep when not actually weaving; knowing the history and backing up what is produced; developing sound composition; paying attention to detail in material prep as well as technique and design elements; maintaining a high level of quality in technique and aesthetics; considering self-promotion versus self-worth; not selling myself short in the market; and continuing to produce work that is creatively and emotionally fulfilling. RS: What is a traditional style of dress that you have made or worn from your indigenous background? MC: I’ve woven two wearable pieces in my entire weaving career. The first was a child’s dress, an aka biil. It’s composed of two rectangular textiles that are woven side by side in order to maintain equal dimensions. Upon completion, the two pieces are then sewn together down the long vertical sides leaving a hole at each side for the arms and a space at the top for the wearer’s head. The article that I wove was done in the traditional maroon, indigo, and black. As it was my first wearable piece, I tried to keep with traditional styling and once I had it completed, I did not have the desire to create a second. The other wearable piece that I wove was a wearing blanket. It was fashioned after a third phase chief’s blanket with contemporary stylizing integrated into the motif. Lime green was used to accentuate the bold details of the textile. A “Greek key” pattern was used as the centre line of sight, which runs down the wearer’s spine. I had special interest in this textile as I wove it for utilitarian use, as opposed to strictly aesthetic purposes. RS: Have you had an opportunity to work with other weavers and various materials? Describe this. MC: I’ve worked with found carpentry construction material that I turned into a small textile. This is the furthest that I’ve deviated from wool weft supplies. I prefer to work wool, as the fibres are flexible and give
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enough to create intricate detailing. Wool is also the primary fibre of traditional Navajo weaving from which my creative and technical roots originate. As for working with other weavers, I do not have a strong desire to create pieces outside of my own scope. I feel that the creative process is a deeply intimate one and would rather have my style and depictions progress to my level of fulfillment. RS: How does time affect your work? MC: Time is always a factor in planning my projects for the year. I typically have a large piece (i.e., four feet in height or taller), and a smaller “sample” piece on the loom at the same time. I do this because the visual progress on a large textile moves a lot slower and can put a damper on my energy and endurance of completing it. By having the two textiles on the loom at the same time, I can see the progress build on the smaller textile at a quicker rate. Tapestry weaving is also a very time-consuming process. I will spend weeks to months on any given project. The more complex the design and intricate the detailing, will extend the amount of time spent weaving. One of the most frequently asked questions is “How long does it take?” This is the bane of any weaver’s questioning since the answer to this is never a standard one. RS: Can you tell me about the way you work and how you are drawn to the style? What are your thoughts when you are weaving? MC: I look at the piece and break it down visually into workable sections. I try to be as methodical and decisive as possible. I know that the process will no doubt be very time consuming, so I try to make the most of my investment in the textile. It does no good if I approach a piece with no creative intentions. That wastes my time and it also wastes the material’s time. I think about the colour palette and how I can utilize the warm and cool colours to acquire the effect and emotion that I want to communicate. A structured grid of numbers and counting is always the foundation of every piece. The addition and subtraction of weft and warp dominates the creative process, as each slope and line of symmetry is taken into consideration. Aside from the structured technical process, I’m continually critiquing the aesthetic values represented in each piece. I wonder if my mom will like it. I wonder if my grandma will lovingly tease me about how off the wall my concepts are. I doubt my technical level and wonder if I’m wasting my precious material on a piece that is not worthy of being created. With my last body of work I thought about my father who is a vital part of my career as a textile artist. He is the foundation, the creator of my looms, which are essential to any and all pieces that come to fruition. I think of how fortunate I am that my mother bestowed this art onto me. I think of how I should insure my hands just in case I fall and break them. Then I think of how silly that is and come back to earth.
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RS: What are your influences when you are weaving? MC: My influences are usually based in colour. I choose to work in geometric patterns. Interlocking shapes, the illusion of movement and planar distinction is what peaks my interest. There is a calming effect that takes place when designs based on number patterns uniformly fit into the textile plane. The aesthetic qualities expressed in my work are also guided by my family, both nuclear and distant, traumatic life experience, as well as personal interest. RS: Is there any danger working with the materials you use? MC: The only danger the materials face is the risk of light damage and pest infestation. Otherwise, they’re safe to handle. RS: What is the most challenging aspect when you work? MC: One of the most challenging aspects of weaving is trying to have my body physically keep up with my creative stamina. I can have all the ideas in the world, but they only see the light of day if I can stay awake and sit at my loom for the hundreds of hours required. I’d like to think that I’ll be able to weave until I’m old and grey, but the reality is that my vision will fall behind at some point. RS: Is there a quote you’d like to share? MC: “We’ll live and love until we’re dead, holding on to what we’ve come to know.”—Hot Water Music
Melissa Cody, The Dopaminergic Fiber (2009)
FOUR ELEMENTS HEALING RATTLES: by Angela Marston I chose the four elements for my love of nature. I have grown up surrounded by the deep thick forests of Vancouver Island. I spent many hours patiently waiting to see blossoms bloom, for the salamanders to come out from hiding, for the birds to fly overhead, and berries to ripen. I drank the rainwater off the maple leaves, and ate the roots of ferns. I walked barefoot on pine needle trails that were soft and smooth. I swam in the rivers and the oceans. I caught trout with my brothers and took them home. I have lived with and been nurtured by nature. I believe that we are a part of nature. I believe that we are all connected. Water My people believe that water is alive. We consider water to be healing. It cleanses and purifies. It nurtures our bodies and keeps our spirits pure. Water is all around us. When I was younger my mom would take us to the river for the day. We would lie on the hot river rocks in the sun. There was this one part of the river where the big salmon would swim. I grabbed my goggles and took a deep breath and dove deep down into the water. There were salmon all around me. I was swimming with the salmon. Water Element Healing Rattle - back view (2010) Yellow cedar, abalone inlay, white pebbles, fresh water pearls, Tzhoulem crystals, acrylic paint, red cedar bark, yellow cedar bark, bear grass
Earth Earth is our mother. The earth provides us with all that we need to live. The beauty and splendor that the earth shares with us is amazing. There are so many different elements that the earth holds. One day I was picking rocks with my mom and I said to her, “I just love rocks so much. I don’t know why.” She smiled at me and said, “they hold the secrets to the universe.” Earth Element Healing Rattle - back view (2010) Yellow cedar, abalone inlay, acrylic paint, white pebbles, Tzhoulem crystals, red cedar bark, yellow cedar bark, bear grass, cedar root, wild cherry bark
Fire Fire is cleansing. Fire destroys to create a new cycle. It cleanses and neutralizes the ground so that new plants can grow. Sometimes I will go to the beach and have a fire, and it is so healing and uplifts my spirits. In our culture, fire is used to cleanse and purify in so many different ways. Fire Element Healing Rattle - back view (2010) Yellow cedar, acrylic paint, abalone inlay, white pebbles, Tzhoulem crystals, red cedar bark, yellow cedar bark, Red-shafted Flicker feathers
Wind The wind carries messages that our ancestors need us to learn. The wind can be strong and gentle. The wind carries seeds and gently places them where they are to grow into lush beautiful plants. I love the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair. One day I was walking to the beach with my sister. It was a very windy, rainy day. I was carrying an umbrella. As we were walking towards the beach the wind got so strong. I put the umbrella in front of me and it created a wind tunnel and my hair was dancing. It felt so great. Wind Element Healing Rattle - back view (2010) Yellow cedar, acrylic paint, abalone inlay, white pebbles, Tzhoulem crystals, red cedar bark, white feathers, cedar root, wild cherry bark
CONCLUSION During the planning of this exhibition, it was difficult not to be moved by the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver when we saw the Coast Salish people welcoming the world in their stunning Coast Salish robes. Those amazing robes were worn by Coast Salish Chiefs at the ferry wharf in North Vancouver on the occasion of Chief Joe Capilano’s departure for London, England to meet King Edward VII in 1906. Many of the Coast Salish robes for SMASH were held up in Vancouver before arriving in Victoria and the AGGV, as they were busy dancing with their honoured owners. I was truly relieved when all the pieces arrived. As I opened all the shipping boxes, it felt as though my visits to the artists’ studios and my organizational skills had paid off. With every package I opened, I was awestruck by the colours, the beauty, and the labour-intensive work inherent in these pieces. The talent, love, and care that went into each piece in the exhibition took Photo credit: Frankie Manokeesick my breath away. I wondered how many hours each piece took to complete and imagined all the hours of labour the artists spent creating the work for this exhibition. Every day I went to work knowing more pieces would be delivered to the Gallery. I applied my TEMEL (sacred red earth-ochre) to greet the baskets and robes with honour, said a prayer, and gave thanks for their safe arrival. I would follow this by drinking KEXMIN tea to help my words and thoughts flow. The resonance of the experience has marked my soul in a living and life altering way. The prayers were abundant, the language flourished, and the sacredness continuously moves through my veins through the culture and art I see around me. Thank you my honoured ones, HÍSW̱KE SÍEM Thank You Great Creator, HÍSW̱KE SKÁLS Go if you must, HÍAȻE Rose M. Spahan, Canada Council Aboriginal Curator in Residence
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Coast Salish Chiefs at the ferry wharf, North Vancouver on the occasion of Chief Capilano’s departure for London to meet with King Edward VII, 1906 Image PN7789 - Courtesy of Royal BC Museum, BC Archives
Sweetgrass memories the young woman arises early as she was taught to do she goes out before the moisture has left the air offers Semaa (tobacco) to Shamiki-kwe, her Mother the Earth Thanks her for providing all that she needs all that the people need Chi Miigwech the young woman offers special thanks for Wiingashk the Sweetgrass that grows all around her she begins as she was taught to do reaches down crawls her fingers to the base of the blade breaks the strand as long as possible close to the earth but without disturbing the roots while the young woman works she sings the song as she was taught to do hearing this, the old woman joins her when the time comes they carry their bundles back to the house the children run up bury their faces in the grass and breathe the deep green vanilla scent right into their bellies they fall down laughing everyone gathers in the shade together they tie the bundles, tight at the heavy end the feel of the grass on the old woman’s fingers awakens memory a song she once knew a place where she gathered Sweetgrass and the knowledge that it carries the gift of gentleness and is a men’s medicine while the old woman braids the grass, she speaks these memories out loud as she was taught to do her words enter the imaginations of all who are present and are carried into the future 30
Cathi Charles Wherry
RAVELLING/UNRAVELLING: by Cathi Charles Wherry Cedar, spruce root, sweetgrass, bull rush, ash, and wool: these are materials that weavers have gathered, cared for, and shaped into new life for countless generations. The blankets, robes, baskets, and innovative conceptual works remain connected to the long histories of these practices. The artists are required to understand the landscape they glean their materials from, and to cultivate a relationship with that space. At once scientist, mathematician, and botanist, the artists have intimate knowledge of the methods of locating, gathering, and preparing. They draw on complex geometric patterning and enrich our world with moving, three-dimensional sculptural works that are at various times filled, carried, and danced. These works are fully invested with the spiritual essence of these materials, the intentions of the artists, and very specific knowledge, stories, and cultural purposes.
Melvin Williams, Cedar strips (2010)
WEAVING TOGETHER In the 1880s Canada’s Federal Indian Act had already undergone numerous revisions. Across the continent, as the invasion of Indigenous homelands was accelerating, and leaders like Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Geronimo, and Chief Seattle were resisting the destruction of their people, an important legislative shift was about to take place. In 1884 the “assimilation and civilizing process” was increased when the Indian Act was once again amended, this time to explicitly implement destruction of Indigenous cultures. This included what is commonly called the Potlatch Ban, which outlawed all of those cultural expressions related to ceremony and gathering. This applied to all of our Nations, and extended to what we now call “artistic practices” including song, dance, and all related artistic tools: masks, musical instruments, and the highly honoured regalia, blankets and robes. Essentially, this outlawed all creations meant for use within the original cultural context. Lasting in various forms until 1951, this legislated oppression of Aboriginal cultural practices was lifted not so long ago. The weavers who engage in the creation of classical forms are devoted to carrying on the work of their ancestors with a strong loyalty to the details of their artistic practice: protocols, methods of collecting, intention, and attention of the mind. Often, these artists are mentored into the art form by accomplished Elder artists, who convey much more than the complex techniques. In turn, each new generation takes on the responsibility of passing on the knowledge to future practitioners, and contributing to the ongoing vitality of the art forms. In addition to having these once threatened practices rejuvenated to new heights, many are being reincorporated into the rich cultural and spiritual contexts to which they belong. For example, Coast Salish woven blankets are integral to the work done in the ceremonial houses in their territories. When a person is honoured with a blanket or robe they are wrapped in the gift of love and the embrace of their community, and in turn these values are asserted and strengthened. The spirit of the supernatural world becomes present as the blanket, and all that it represents, becomes a part of the person. In this way, weaving is contributing to rebuilding the essence of powerful communities that are emerging from the short, sharp disruption of their spiritual, cultural, and societal structures. These highly regarded blankets have been revived by a growing number of weavers during the past 20 years, and the values they carry are being brought out into the world. Debra Sparrow’s sxwōqw’elh blanket was woven in 2009 for the collection at Government House and to honour Lieutenant Governor Steven L. Point who is a member of the Stó:lō Nation. Although the context is new, the intention of the artist is to recognize the significance of His Honour’s position, and to blanket him with this expression of respect and affection.
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Similarly, Haida artist Lisa Hageman recently completed her first Ravenstail Chief’s Robe and when she revealed it to her community, it was danced at home on Haida Gwaii. In this way the robe was brought to life and welcomed into the community in a ceremonial way. The stories that the robe carries are validated and will be carried forward by the witnesses.
Lisa Hageman, dancing 7idansuu Ravenstail Chief’s Robe (2009)
TIME AND MEMORY Weavers spend countless hours, days, and months collecting materials, preparing their fibres, and weaving their pieces. As a result, the works become sites where time is pulled together to create a vortex of condensed energy where hundreds of hours exist in one blanket, basket, or hat. As a beader I have a direct and experiential understanding of these artistic disciplines as “actions� invested with the artist’s intention and time, as single strands are combined with precise attention to pattern and tension. These meditative processes can be transcendent, facilitating heightened awareness and connection to memory and ancestors. I have heard numerous stories about the deep impact these practices can have on those who return to them after many years, as well as those picking them up for the first time. Elders and young people alike who begin to practice weaving have had previously unknown memories emerge from the depths of their ancestral threads, triggered by the hands, the materials, and the time and space claimed by the process.
Melvin Williams, Cedar hat (2010)
UNRAVELLING The weavers and fibre artists who are experimental in their approach may be equally attentive to these classical foundations of knowledge from a different direction. By unravelling and reinventing processes, these artists reveal something new to us. They sometimes excavate urban and even industrial landscapes as they forage for their materials. Others, like Syilx artist Barbara P. Marchand, remain connected to original materials but illuminate a new view of the practice by utilizing innovative techniques to tell stories and express conceptual explorations. These inventive approaches often bear witness to an artist’s reverence for the material, the land, and associated traditional knowledge. What always propels the process is a deep devotion to the timebased pulling together of an object or surface dense with meaning. SMASH is infused with this artistic love for material, relationship to place, and focused intention. If we are willing to engage with this physical manifestation of concentrated energy, these works will transport us. Breathe deeply, look closely, and for a moment you can see the forest, field, and mountain that are the ultimate source of these works.
Barb P. Marchand, Self portrait (1997) Photo credit: Glenn Clark, Art Gallery of the South Okanagan
Salish Rena Point Bolton, Stó:lō-Coast Salish Marina Johnny Swulasiiya’, Coast Salish Barb P. Marchand, Syilx (Okanagan)-Interior Salish Angela Marston Sats’wetl, Chemainus-Coast Salish Dionne Paul Ximiq, Nuxaulk & Sechelt-Coast Salish Susan Point, Coast Salish Debra Sparrow, Musqueam-Coast Salish Donna Thomas, Penelakut-Coast Salish Melvin Williams Wala’7kita, Lil’wat-Interior Salish
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Rena Point Bolton, Bee Design Storage Basket (1985)
Rena Point Bolton, Butterfly Design Basket (1990)
Rena Point Bolton, Salish Design Arrowhead Basket (1980)
Rena Point Bolton, Thompson Berry Basket (1998)
Marina Johnny, Snowflake Design Wool Blanket (2008)
Barb P. Marchand, Elders Overseers (1997) Photo credit: Glenn Clark, Art Gallery of the South Okanagan
Barb P. Marchand, Lake Spirit (2005) Photo credit: Glenn Clark, Art Gallery of the South Okanagan
Angela Marston, Four Elements Healing Rattles; Fire, Earth, Wind and Water - front views (2010)
Dionne Paul, Copper Flight (2010)
Susan Point, Salish Vision (2003)
Susan Point, Impressions - Salish Wolf (2003)
Susan Point, Ravens and Moon (2001)
Debra Sparrow, Cape (2009)
below: Debra Sparrow, Sxwōqw’elh Salish Blanket (2009)
Donna Thomas, Cowichan mittens, scarf, cap, helmet cap (2010)
Donna Thomas, Cowichan vest (2010)
Melvin Williams, Inner bark cedar weaving (2010)
Melvin Williams, John Melvin Williams’ hat (2010)
Melvin Williams, Miniature palm basket (2009)
Melvin Williams, Melvin’s personal cedar root hat with mink (2010)
Melvin Williams, Lid for miniature palm basket (2009)
Melvin Williams, Cedar strips (2010)
Melvin Williams, Open weave cedar root basket (2010)
Mi’kmaq Peter J. Clair
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Peter J. Clair, Apajimilwiwentaqisaqmigmawinestwimawisaputigignamuslutitesnu (2009)
Peter J. Clair, Apajimilwiwentaqisaqmigmawinestwimawisaputigignamuslutitesnu (2009)
Peter J. Clair, Smali (1995)
Alaskan Lisa Hageman Kuuyas 7waahlal Gidaak, Haida Teri Rofkar Chas’kwoowu Tla’a, Tlingit
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Lisa Hageman, 7idansuu Ravenstail Chief’s Robe in progress (2009)
Teri Rofkar, Raven’s Tail Waist Robe (1994)
Teri Rofkar, Raven’s Tail Dance Shawl (n.d.)
Teri Rofkar, Earthquake Robe (2004) Photo credit: Chris Arend
Teri Rofkar, Spruce root covered vase (n.d.)
Teri Rofkar, Spruce root drinking cup (n.d.)
Teri Rofkar, Lid for Spruce root drinking cup (n.d.)
Teri Rofkar, Spruce root child’s berry basket (1998)
SouthWest Melissa Cody, Arizona, Navajo Bea Duran, Tesuque, New Mexico, Tewa-Pueblo Marie Sheppard, Blue Gap, Arizona, DinĂŠ-Navajo
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Melissa Cody, The Edge of No Water (2009)
Melissa Cody, The Dopamine Regression (2007)
Melissa Cody, The Carbidopa-Levodopa Release (2009)
over: Melissa Cody, The Dopaminergic Fiber (2009)
Bea Duran, detail of Tewa Rain Sash (2010)
right: Marie Sheppard, Two Grey Hills (2010)
Bea Duran, Tewa Rain Sash (2010)
Marie Sheppard, Navajo Rubic’s Cube (2010)
Marie Sheppard, Woody’s Wedding Blanket (2009)
right: Marie Sheppard, Pastel (2010)
Hawaiian Marques Hanalei Marzan, Kalimaloa, Hawaii
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Marques Hanalei Marzan, Ka Mahina (The Moon) 2010
left: Marques Hanalei Marzan Ka Pö (The Night) 2010 right: Marques Hanalei Marzan Ka Lä (The Sun) 2010
BIOGRAPHIES Rena Point Bolton, Stó:lō-Coast Salish Rena was born in 1927 on the Sumas Reserve near Kilgard, B.C., where she learned traditional arts and crafts from her grandmother including Salish weaves, blanket wool weaving and basket weaving.
Peter J. Clair, Mi’kmaq Peter was born in Elsipogtog, Wabenaki and currently lives on Tobique First Nation, N.B. He has been creating artwork since the mid-70s. Producing art is important to the Mi’kmaq because as Peter says, “our art is a record of history and philosophy.” He goes on to say in both Mi’kmaq (Míkmawísimk) and English: “Migmwei ntepwigasig na igig milisumatasig | Mi’kmaq art is influenced by many directions. Pugwelk teltasuatmk gesmatog Migmwei ntepwigasig | There are many philosophies that influence Mi’kmaq art. Mign na pusgi eyk tan ulsumsit ag gitnamut | Mi’kmaq art often exists in an existentialistic world. Nuji ntepwigasig ewk gmuj, essawiagn, sisgu, gesgmasimkewei | The artists use wood, paint, clay, or computers. Gisna tan gogowey getu ewg | The artists may also use available material. Tan teli apajsigiginwatasig ntepwigesig, na esgwiag getu alsumgutiewei | In the attempt to re-indigenize Aboriginal art, there is a hegemonic influence. Ag pulwelk Migmewei ntepwigesigel gisagajatumkl ujit gesgmasimkewie | and there is much Mi’kmaq art that has been digitized for the computer.“
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Photo credit: Shirley Bear (2009)
Melissa Cody, Navajo Melissa was born in 1983, in Winslow, Arizona and grew up near Leupp, Arizona. She graduated from the Institute of American Indian Arts with BFA in Museum Studies and AFA in Studio Arts. Melissa has been awarded top prizes in art markets such as SWAIA Indian Market and Heard Museum Native American Student Art Show. She has established her unique ways of Navajo decorative rugs.
Bea Duran, Tewa–Pueblo Bea lives in Tesuque, New Mexico where she creates a variety of traditional Pueblo artworks using weaving, pottery, and drum-making techniques. She spoke of her inspiration to become a weaver: “The feelings that came to me when I first realized that my goal in life was to create our traditional clothing were so heart warming. I couldn’t find the words but the colors and designs danced at me, as if the spirits had sent a sign or a message to me. At the time I didn’t even think of who was going to teach me or how I was going to create these articles, but years later when I sat down to do some embroidery, the designs in my head were transformed on the textiles.”
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Lisa Hageman Kuuyas 7waahlal Gidaak, Haida Lisa is among a new generation of Haida artists applying international and contemporary appreciation to traditional art practices. A member of the Yahgulanaas Clan, Lisa was taught weaving by her mother, grandmothers and great grandmothers. Formal instruction under Evelyn Vanderhoop, a leading Gitans weaver, followed Lisa’s exposure to Yelth Koo (Raven’s tail). In 2009, Lisa was awarded her Masters Degree in Weaving. She has exhibited in Pau, France (2007), the National Museum of Ireland (2008), and more recently at the Qay’llnagaay Heritage Center in Skidegate (2009). Her work features weaving of the first entirely z-twist Ravenstail Iitlagadaa (Chiefly) Robe on Haida Gwaii in over 150 years. Photo credit: Wendy Ord, Mountain Lake Films
Marina Johnny Swulasiiya’, Cowichan-Coast Salish Marina has been knitting since she was seven years old. She has 71 years of experience in Cowichan knitting; making sweaters, blankets, toques, scarves and socks. Her mother, Mary Paige, taught her how to knit and Mary knitted until the age of 90.
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Barb P. Marchand, Syilx (Okanagan)-Interior Salish Barb married at a young age and raised three beautiful sons. “I am now a toupa, great grandmother in Okanagan language.” After enrolling in art school in 1979, she eventually received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1993 at Okanagan University College in Kelowna, B.C. Barb is a First Nations contemporary artist of Okanagan heritage who has been working as a professional artist since 1981 and as an art instructor at the En’owkin Centre in Penticton, B.C. since 1998.
Angela Marston Sats’wetl, Chemainus-Coast Salish Angela has been working in weaving styles for 17 years. She comes from a great family of artists; her mother and father are artists and that is where her first influences came from. Over the years her mother taught her how to collect materials from the forests. Angela works in many techniques including weaving, and painting, and in media such as wood, stone, and recently, silver.
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Marques Hanalei Marzan, Kalimaloa, Hawaii Marques is a Hawaiian fibre artist born and raised in Kane’ohe, O’ahu. He is highly experienced in his field and has learned and trained under noted experts in Hawaii. Marzan continues to broaden his extensive travels. He has represented Hawaii in numerous gatherings of Indigenous artists including the 9th and 10th festivals of the Pacific Arts held in Koror, Palau in 2004, Pagopago, American Samoa in 2008, and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. in 2006. He is currently on staff at Bishop Museum in the Cultural Resources Division. Photo credit: Kihei de Silva
Dionne Paul Ximiq, Nuxaulk & Sechelt-Coast Salish Dionne belongs to the Eagle Clan and her ancestral name Ximiq means “The first eyelash of sunlight that comes over the mountain to greet everyone in the morning.” She is a graduate of Emily Carr University of Art and Design and apprenticed with Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun. Dionne is a member of the Salish Weaving Guild. She practices traditional wool and cedar bark weaving techniques.
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Susan A. Point, PhD, RCA, OC, Coast Salish Susan Point is a Coast Salish artist, born in 1952, who lives and works on the Musqueam Reserve in Vancouver, B.C. Susan has been a key figure in reestablishing the prominence of the Salish art form, drawing inspiration from the designs of her ancestors, exploring the use of non-traditional materials, and inspiring a new generation of Northwest Coast artists. Her work is on permanent display at Vancouver International Airport, the National Museum of the American Indian, and UBC Museum of Anthropology.
Teri Rofkar Chas’Kwoowu Tla’a, Tlingit Teri is from the T’ak dein taan (Raven) Clan of the Snail House and lives in Sitka, Alaska. She says this of her work: “I am following the steps of my ancestors, striving to recapture the woven arts of an Indigenous people. The ancient ways of gathering spruce root with respect for the tree’s life and spirit, are a rich lesson in today’s world. Traditional methods of gathering and weaving natural material help me link past, present, and futurelinks with a time when things were slower paced, a time when even a child’s berry basket was decorated with care. It is through sharing and exploring that this old art form shall take on new life.” Photo credit: James Poulson
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Marie Sheppard, DinĂŠ-Navajo Marie has been weaving since she was 12 years old. Raised traditionally, she weaves 6 to 9 hours a day. Marie is an accomplished artist in traditional Navajo design. She currently resides in Blue Gap, Arizona and teaches at DinĂŠ College and the Northland Pioneer College located on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona.
Debra Sparrow, Musqueam-Coast Salish As a renowned Coast Salish artist/weaver, Debra Sparrow has been an inspiration to the revival of Coast Salish weaving at Musqueam. Debra was awarded the British Columbia Creative Achievement Award for Aboriginal Art. Her work has been collected and exhibited at various museums and galleries around the world including at the Burke Museum University of Washington, Heard Museum in Phoenix, and at UBC Museum of Anthropology. Debra taught herself Salish design by studying slides and artwork in museums. She has dedicated herself to creating intricate and beautiful Salish designs that first appeared hundreds of years ago.
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Donna Thomas, Penelakut-Coast Salish Donna was mentored in the unique style of Coast Salish knitting by her late grandmother Mable Thomas and Dorothy Joe of the Cowichan Tribe. Donna’s work has been displayed in many shops in Victoria and most recently at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Her work has been sent to Banff, Japan and China and is in private collections all over the world. Donna lives in Sooke, B.C. and is currently the Coast Salish Knitting Mentor for the T’Sou-ke Nation’s Arts Restoration Project. Her knowledge, enthusiasm, commitment and skills all contribute to the cultural renaissance of the T’Sou-ke Nation.
Melvin Williams Wala’7kita, Lil’wat-Interior Salish Melvin grew up in Mount Currie on Lil’wat Territory north of Whistler, B.C. He was introduced to weaving by his mother and taught wool weaving by his grandmother and older sister. Melvin recounts how he found his preferred material; “My father mentioned inner cedar bark (slúqwaoz’) one day, how we used it for most of our household items like baskets, rope, and hats.” At the time, none of his people were working with this material. He had to learn through trial and error and by visiting museums, art galleries and reading books. Today, more Lil’wat people are reviving the craft. “With this craft one can never stop improving. When you finish a piece you are always thinking what you can do differently next time.”
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Rose M. Spahan, Coast Salish Canada Council Aboriginal Curator in Residence, Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Rose Spahan is an accomplished artist, teacher, curator, and often acts as a liaison for other First Nations artists. She has worked with galleries, coordinated special events, and completed thirteen segments as an on-air host for the New Canoe, a television program that covers contemporary First Nations artists. A Salish woman from British Columbia, Rose was raised within her people’s territories on Vancouver Island. She received her Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts in 1989 from the University of Victoria. The Canadian Native Arts Foundation awarded Rose a scholarship to attend the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. As an artist, teacher and curator, Rose works with visual artists whose work in contemporary mediums transmits ancient visions. In keeping with the traditions she inherited, Rose shares her experiences in the arts. Her mission in arts is to motivate First Nations peoples towards personal growth, cultural integrity and creative ingenuity. Photo credit: Tallulah Photography
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Cathi Charles Wherry, Anishinabe / British Contributor Cathi Charles Wherry is Anishnabeque and a member of the Rama Mnjikaning First Nation, where her father was born. Her mother’s ancestors came across the sea five generations ago. In 1979 she left Ontario and has since lived on beautiful Coast Salish territory on Vancouver Island, B.C. A graduate of the Visual Arts Program at Camosun College, she also holds a BFA with Honours in Studio Arts from the University of Victoria. In all of her work, she enjoys the challenge of realizing a balanced expression of this training and her ever-growing understanding of the Anishnabe sensibility that resides in her memory and bones. In addition to her work as a visual artist and arts administrator, Cathi is an arts educator and emerging writer. Her curatorial projects include earthly gestures; W̱SÁṈEĆ raising up, Charles Elliott Salish Artist; and Transporters. Since 1996, she has worked as Art Programs Coordinator for the First Peoples’ Heritage, Language and Culture Council, a First Nations-directed province wide organization that supports languages, arts and culture. For more than 15 years Cathi has supported Aboriginal and First Nations artists and cultural workers through development and delivery of arts funding, provision of resources and training, and advocacy on a regional and national level. Photo credit: Peter Blashill
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SMASH Exhibition: LIST OF WORKS All dimensions are in centimetres with height, followed by width, followed by depth (where applicable).
Rena Point Bolton Thompson Berry Basket (1998) coil-wrapped cedar root, 26 x 66 x 20 Bee Design Storage Basket (1985) coil-wrapped cedar root, 40 x 109 x 18 Salish Design Arrowhead Basket (1980) coil-wrapped cedar root, 31 x 16 x 80 Butterfly Design Basket (1990) coil-wrapped cedar root, 39 x 123 Sto:lo Basket with lid (1995) coil-wrapped cedar root, 37 x 51 Salish Basket Diamond Design Basket (1995) coil-wrapped cedar root, 26 x 141 x 36 SX̱Í X̱I Mask Basket #1 (1995) coil-wrapped cedar root, 76 x 85 x 62 SX̱Í X̱I Mask Basket #2 (1995) coil-wrapped cedar root, 80 x 51 All works Collection of the Artist Peter J. Clair Smali (1995) ash, willow, and birchbark, 49 x 70
Apajimilwiwentaqisaqmigmawinestwimawisaputigignamuslutitesnu (2009), ash and willow, 50 x 66 All works Collection of the Artist Melissa Cody The Dopamine Regression (2007) wool, 144 x 74 The Greek Chief (2010) wool, 150 x 72 90
The Carbidopa-Levodopa Release (2009) wool, 74 x 40 The Edge of No Water (2009) wool, 59 x 44 The Dopaminergic Fiber (2009) wool, 69 x 23 All works Collection of the Artist Bea Duran Tewa Rain Sash (2010) 4-ply cotton string, 18 x 198 Collection of the Artist Lisa Hageman 7idansuu Ravenstail Chief’s Robe (2009) wool, sea otter, 137 x 188 with fringe Courtesy of Chief 7idansuu, Jim Hart Marina Johnny Snowflake Design Wool Blanket (2008) wool, 70 x 55 Courtesy of Mr. Marvin Desjarlais Barb P. Marchand Self portrait (1997) cattail fibres, copper wire, 160 x 17 Collection of the Artist Lake Spirit (2005) cattail fibres, 114 x 54 Collection of the Artist Elders Overseers (1997) cattail fibres, 4 masks with fringe each 361x15 Courtesy of Rosemary Fulbrook
Angela Marston Earth Element Healing Rattle (2010)
Wild Woman’s Basket (2010) hand-dyed red cedar bark, 20 x 46 x 10
Yellow cedar, abalone inlay, acrylic paint, white pebbles, Tzhoulem crystals, red cedar bark, yellow cedar bark, bear grass, cedar root, wild cherry bark, 32 x 23 x 2
She Who Carries Our Warriors (2010) wool on casting, 61 x 71 x 31
Wind Element Healing Rattle (2010) Yellow cedar, acrylic paint, abalone inlay, white pebbles, Tzhoulem crystals, red cedar bark, white feathers, cedar root, wild cherry bark, 32 x 23 x 2
Fire Element Healing Rattle (2010) Yellow cedar, acrylic paint, abalone inlay, white pebbles, Tzhoulem crystals, red cedar bark, yellow cedar bark, Red-shafted Flicker feathers, 32 x 23 x 2
Water Element Healing Rattle (2010) Yellow cedar, abalone inlay, white pebbles, fresh water pearls, Tzhoulem crystals, acrylic paint, red cedar bark, yellow cedar bark, bear grass, 32 x 23 x 2
All works Collection of the Artist Marques Hanalei Marzan Ka Lä (The Sun) 2010 fiber, reed, gut, 60 x 60 x 40 Ka Mahina (The Moon) 2010 fiber, reed, gut, 60 x 60 x 40 Ka Pö (The Night) 2010 fiber, reed, gut, 60 x 60 x 40 Ke Ao (The Day) 2010 fiber, reed, gut, 60 x 60 x 40 All works Collection of the Artist Dionne Paul Copper Flight (2010) red cedar bark, copper, 137 x 79
All works Collection of the Artist Susan Point Ravens and Moon (2001) carved glass spindle whorl, 69 diam x 11.4 Salish Vision (2003) painted red cedar and copper, 84 diam x 5.7 Impressions–Salish Wolf (2003) paper cast and red cedar, 89 diam x 4.5 All works Courtesy of Mr. George and Mrs. Christiane Smyth Teri Rofkar Raven’s Tail Waist Robe (1994) wool, leather, deer toes, 69 x 48 Raven’s Tail Dance Shawl (n.d.) wool, sheared beaver trim, 30 x 120 Spruce root covered vase (n.d) glass vase, spruce root, 26 x 10 Spruce root drinking cup with cover (n.d.) spruce root, fern, 8 x 7 Spruce root child’s berry basket (1998) spruce root, maiden hair fern, 9 x 8 All works Collection of the Artist Marie Sheppard Pastel (2010) wool, natural and commercial dyes, 97 x 73 Collection of the Artist 91
Two Grey Hills (2010) wool, natural dyes, 97 x 73 Collection of the Artist
Melvin Williams String (2010) inner bark cedar twine, 18.29m
Navajo Rubic’s Cube (2010) wool, vegetable dyes, 97 x 73 Collection of the Artist
Cedar strips (2010) inner bark cedar
Woody’s Wedding Blanket (2009) sheep’s wool, 97 x 73 Courtesy of Linda (‘Woody’) Cywink Debra Sparrow Sxwōqw’elh Salish Blanket (2009) wool, leather, 140 x 130 Courtesy of Lieutenant Governor Steven L. Point, Government House Collection Cape (2009) wool, 92 x 145 Courtesy of Her Honour Mrs. Gwendolyn Point, Government House Collection Bob Baker’s Salish Blanket (2008) wool, 90 x 124 Courtesy of Mr. Bob Baker Jim Wright’s Salish Blanket (2008) wool, 87 x 135 Courtesy of Mr. Jim Wright Jo-ann Archibald’s Blanket, (n.d.) wool, 140 x 130 Courtesy of Dr. Jo-ann Archibald Donna Thomas Cowichan vest, mittens, helmet cap, cap, scarf (2010) wool, vest 48 x 67, mittens 28 x 12, helmet cap 26 x 17, cap 27 x 18, scarf 13 x 152 All works Collection of the Artist
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Cedar shawl (2010) inner bark cedar weaving, 90 x 135 Cedar mats (2010) inner bark cedar weaving, 2 each 135 x 120 Cedar basket (2010) inner bark cedar weaving, 19 x 10 Miniature palm basket with lid (2009) inner bark cedar weaving, 11 x 8 Open weave cedar root basket (2010) cedar root, 26 x 25 John Melvin Williams’ hat (2010) cedar root, 29 x 32 Melvin’s personal cedar root hat with mink (2010) cedar root with mink pelt attached, 29 x 32 x 52 All works Collection of the Artist
David Latess, Tommy Paul, Christopher Paul Image PN11743 - Courtesy of Royal BC Museum, BC Archives
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria 1040 Moss Street Victoria, BC V8V 4P1 www.aggv.bc.ca Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Spahan, Rose M., 1962 Smash - international indigenous weaving : Salish, Mi´kmaq, Alaskan, Southwest, and Hawaiian artists / Rose M. Spahan, Cathi Charles Wherry. Catalogue of an exhibition held at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Victoria, B.C. from April 30 - Aug. 22, 2010. ISBN 978-0-88885-359-2 1. Indian textile fabrics--Canada--Exhibitions. 2. Indian textile fabrics--United States--Exhibitions. 3. Weaving--Canada--Exhibitions. 4. Weaving--United States--Exhibitions. 5. Indian art--Canada--Exhibitions. 6. Indian art--United States--Exhibitions. I. Wherry, Cathi Charles, 1958- II. Art Gallery of Greater Victoria III. Title. E98.T35S63 2010 746.1’40899707471128 C2010-901329-8
SMASH: International Indigenous Weaving Front cover image: Melvin Williams, String (2010). Photo credit: Stephen Topfer Back cover images (detail): Top row: Melvin Williams | Donna Thomas | Barb P. Marchand | Debra Sparrow Second row: Lisa Hageman | Susan Point | Teri Rofkar | Bea Duran Third row: Angela Marston | Peter J. Clair | Marques Hanalei Marzan | Rena Point Bolton Bottom row: Marie Sheppard | Melissa Cody | Dionne Paul | Marina Johnny Catalogue Design by Florene Belmore and Randall Gray | Printed and bound in Canada: Friesens Catalogue photography by Stephen Topfer (AGGV) except where noted Compass rose graphic is courtesy of Lee Hansen Graphics (lee.hansen.com) Body type: Myriad Pro Light and Light Italic | SENĆOŦEN Orthography: Aboriginal Sans
Salish Weave Fund SENĆOŦEN Keyboard SENĆOŦEN alphabet developed by the late Dave Elliott
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ISBN 978-0-88885-359-2 90000
9 780888 853592