Chilkat blankets
Chilkat blankets are intricately woven ceremonial robes created by the Chilkat Tlingit, a Northwest Indigenous tribe primarily located in Alaska. These blankets are renowned for their artistic complexity and cultural significance, often commissioned by chieftains to symbolize wealth and status within the tribe. The designs of Chilkat blankets typically feature depictions of animals and objects that represent the chief's crests, including popular motifs like ravens, whales, and bears. The weaving technique used combines traditional Indigenous basketry methods, and the blankets are made from dyed goat wool and cedar bark, enhanced with long fringes that create a dramatic effect during ceremonial dances. Though the craft faced challenges, including a decline in weavers by the 1980s, a resurgence in interest and appreciation for Indigenous arts has led to a revival of Chilkat weaving traditions. Today, an increasing number of artisans are dedicated to preserving this unique cultural heritage, ensuring that the artistry and significance of Chilkat blankets continue to be honored in contemporary society.
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Chilkat blankets
- TRIBES AFFECTED: Chilkat tribes of the Northwest, mainly Alaska (part of the larger Tlingit peoples)
- SIGNIFICANCE: Chilkat blankets represent some of the finest and most visually impressive handwoven Indigenous American artifacts
The Chilkat Tlingit were a Northwest tribe of Indigenous Americans. The accumulation and display of wealth were important aspects of tribal life for the Tlingit. Chilkat chieftains commissioned the finest experts in Indigenous American weaving that their clan could afford to prepare ceremonial robes. The robes were worn and displayed to symbolize the owner's wealth and status. The robes were illustrated with depictions of animals and objects representing the chief’s crests. The most popular designs included ravens, whales, drums, bears, and wolves.
Weavers applied twining techniques used in Indigenous American basketry to craft technically intricate blankets. Goat wool, and later commercial yarn, was dyed white, green, black, yellow, and blue with native dyestuff. Weavers decorated the robes with long fringe sewn onto the bottom and sides. The fringe, crafted of cedar bark and mountain goat wool, was an important aspect of the robe. When chieftains danced, they lifted and swung their robes so that the fringe swung freely and created an impressive effect.
By the 1980s, only one Chilkat robe weaver, Jennie Thlunaut, continued to produce blankets. In the last quarter of the twentieth century, however, interest among collectors renewed, and the number of weavers increased. This was part of a broader trend toward the end of the twentieth and beginning of the twenty-first centuries to appreciate Indigenous arts and understand their role in preserving the traditions and culture of Indigenous Americans. Increasing numbers of artisans skilled in Chilkat weaving continued to keep the traditions alive for future generations.
Bibliography
Christodoulides, Christy. "Unpacking a Phrase: The Chilkat Blanket." Burke Museum, 29 Feb. 2012, www.burkemuseum.org/news/unpacking-phrase-chilkat-blanket. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.
Fay, Amelia. "Chilkat Blanket." Canada's History, 13 Sept. 2016, www.canadashistory.ca/explore/first-nations-inuit-metis/chilkat-blanket. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.
"Jennie Thlunaut." National Endowment for the Arts, www.arts.gov/honors/heritage/jennie-thlunaut. Accessed 30 Sept. 2024.