Raven’s Tail ceremonial robe, Sqalra Qwii Ghaalgyaat (Ripples in the Sky)
Artifact
Transcript
Evelyn Vanderhoop Video 1
I think it’s so important for people to know about the textiles and not that many people do, you know. We know about the carving, we know about the totem poles and the argillite, the things and the canoes. But not that many people talk about the Haida textiles. And I think in my research, there’s been so much involvement with our culture, with the textiles, the Raven’s tail, which is now coined Raven’s tail, but it used to be called Northern geometric patterning.
Everybody had forgotten it. There was no aunties, there was no Nanaays. There was nobody who could remember someone weaving these robes. The chiefs would wear these robes and the robes throughout the whole Pacific area, you know, all across the Pacific ring, the cultures, their textiles were very important. That was how you expressed your status, how you fit in the community that you are from. How much wealth you have, where you come from can be told by textiles. And that’s very much how the Northwest Coast people are. And so these robes, I believe, were the earliest style that had the transformation concept too, that if you put something on, you’ll become something else, and that you will be able to communicate with another realm. That’s really a big part of our ancestral memories is how we related to nature and how we felt we could maybe, I don’t know, control nature, but work with nature in such a manner that we could survive and excel.
Transcript
Evelyn Vanderhoop Video 2
Every ancient robe I’ve ever studied, always, each one gave me an emotional reaction and a recognition of energy.
And so, I wanted to represent, with geometric patterning, I wanted to represent that energy. And I had noticed a phenomena with Raven’s tail geometric patterns that sometimes if you get the rows, get the right size and you step back, they shimmer. It’s a shimmering effect. And it’s not doing anything, it’s not moving. It’s an optical shimmering. And I wanted to capture that in this robe. And so out of this very central diamond reverberates lines. There’s eight bands, but they reverberate and they cross borders, to express this expanding energy that I wanted to illustrate.
So, it’s a fringe, what you’d call a fringe row where you weave it, but it creates a half of the fringe coming forward. So, it’s going to be great when it dances, it’ll really fringe, really twirl around. And then the tassels are traditional. There is one robe that is at the British Museum in London and I was able to study that a couple of years ago, and it is the one robe of this style that has no tassels.
And so, I was like, maybe I won’t put tassels in it because I was so afraid that this expanding energy and this moving optically would maybe be affected by the tassels. But I put the tassels in, and my daughters and I stepped back and we felt that it just really puts a finish on the robe. And when it dances, you kind of need the tassels to really get the effect that these robes have when they dance.
Transcript
Evelyn Vanderhoop Video 1
I think it’s so important for people to know about the textiles and not that many people do, you know. We know about the carving, we know about the totem poles and the argillite, the things and the canoes. But not that many people talk about the Haida textiles. And I think in my research, there’s been so much involvement with our culture, with the textiles, the Raven’s tail, which is now coined Raven’s tail, but it used to be called Northern geometric patterning.
Everybody had forgotten it. There was no aunties, there was no Nanaays. There was nobody who could remember someone weaving these robes. The chiefs would wear these robes and the robes throughout the whole Pacific area, you know, all across the Pacific ring, the cultures, their textiles were very important. That was how you expressed your status, how you fit in the community that you are from. How much wealth you have, where you come from can be told by textiles. And that’s very much how the Northwest Coast people are. And so these robes, I believe, were the earliest style that had the transformation concept too, that if you put something on, you’ll become something else, and that you will be able to communicate with another realm. That’s really a big part of our ancestral memories is how we related to nature and how we felt we could maybe, I don’t know, control nature, but work with nature in such a manner that we could survive and excel.
Transcript
Evelyn Vanderhoop Video 2
Every ancient robe I’ve ever studied, always, each one gave me an emotional reaction and a recognition of energy.
And so, I wanted to represent, with geometric patterning, I wanted to represent that energy. And I had noticed a phenomena with Raven’s tail geometric patterns that sometimes if you get the rows, get the right size and you step back, they shimmer. It’s a shimmering effect. And it’s not doing anything, it’s not moving. It’s an optical shimmering. And I wanted to capture that in this robe. And so out of this very central diamond reverberates lines. There’s eight bands, but they reverberate and they cross borders, to express this expanding energy that I wanted to illustrate.
So, it’s a fringe, what you’d call a fringe row where you weave it, but it creates a half of the fringe coming forward. So, it’s going to be great when it dances, it’ll really fringe, really twirl around. And then the tassels are traditional. There is one robe that is at the British Museum in London and I was able to study that a couple of years ago, and it is the one robe of this style that has no tassels.
And so, I was like, maybe I won’t put tassels in it because I was so afraid that this expanding energy and this moving optically would maybe be affected by the tassels. But I put the tassels in, and my daughters and I stepped back and we felt that it just really puts a finish on the robe. And when it dances, you kind of need the tassels to really get the effect that these robes have when they dance.
Image
Video
Audio
Activities
THINK
This gyáat’aad (robe) was made in 2011, but it demonstrates traditional Raven’s Tail weaving techniques that have been passed down from mother to daughter for generations. Why do you think it’s important that ginn xay ‘léeygaa (Haida weavers) continue to use these ancestral techniques? What might be lost if they didn’t?
LOOK
Look at the designs on this Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robe). Describe the patterns and colours you see. Read the historical context to learn why the patterns and colours are used.
Details
Date 2011
Materials - Wool
Historical Context
Choose one of the three levels below to match your needs.
- X̱áaydaa (Haida) artist Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop and her two daughters wove this Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robe) in 2011. Following traditional practice, weaving skills are still passed down from mother to daughter today.
- Robes like this one are very rare. Only those of a certain social status or wealth, such as chiefs, wear them.
- Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robes) are known for their geometric patterns and traditional colours: yellow, white and black.
- The videos on the next slide shows this robe being danced, as well as an interview with Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop.
X̱áaydaa (Haida) artist Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop and her two daughters wove this Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robe) in 2011. Following traditional practice, weaving skills are still passed down from mother to daughter today.
Robes like this one are very rare. Only those of a certain social status or wealth, such as chiefs, wear them on special occasions. Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robes) are known for their geometric patterns and traditional yellow, white and black colours. Side fringes and furs are added to complete the robe.
The videos on the next slide shows this robe being danced, as well as an interview with Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop.
Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop, a well-known X̱áaydaa (Haida) artist, and her daughters K’iinuwaas Carrie-Ann Vanderhoop Bellis and S’idluujaa Tiffany Amber Vanderhoop wove this Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robe) in 2011. Robes like this one are highly valued and worn by individuals of high rank or social status. A chief, for example, might wear one for a special occasion such as a potlatch or feast.
Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robes) are known for their geometric patterns and traditional yellow, white and black colours, as seen here. Fringes and furs are often added to complete the robe. Traditionally, Kúu (sea otter) fur was used, but now that otters are endangered, beaver fur is more common.
Textile weaving skills are usually passed down from mother to daughter. In this case, Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop’s two daughters assisted her in completing the robe. Raven’s Tail weaving is one example of a Haida art form that continues today.
The videos on the next slide shows this robe being danced, as well as an interview with Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop.
- X̱áaydaa (Haida) artist Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop and her two daughters wove this Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robe) in 2011. Following traditional practice, weaving skills are still passed down from mother to daughter today.
- Robes like this one are very rare. Only those of a certain social status or wealth, such as chiefs, wear them.
- Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robes) are known for their geometric patterns and traditional colours: yellow, white and black.
- The videos on the next slide shows this robe being danced, as well as an interview with Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop.
X̱áaydaa (Haida) artist Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop and her two daughters wove this Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robe) in 2011. Following traditional practice, weaving skills are still passed down from mother to daughter today.
Robes like this one are very rare. Only those of a certain social status or wealth, such as chiefs, wear them on special occasions. Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robes) are known for their geometric patterns and traditional yellow, white and black colours. Side fringes and furs are added to complete the robe.
The videos on the next slide shows this robe being danced, as well as an interview with Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop.
Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop, a well-known X̱áaydaa (Haida) artist, and her daughters K’iinuwaas Carrie-Ann Vanderhoop Bellis and S’idluujaa Tiffany Amber Vanderhoop wove this Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robe) in 2011. Robes like this one are highly valued and worn by individuals of high rank or social status. A chief, for example, might wear one for a special occasion such as a potlatch or feast.
Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robes) are known for their geometric patterns and traditional yellow, white and black colours, as seen here. Fringes and furs are often added to complete the robe. Traditionally, Kúu (sea otter) fur was used, but now that otters are endangered, beaver fur is more common.
Textile weaving skills are usually passed down from mother to daughter. In this case, Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop’s two daughters assisted her in completing the robe. Raven’s Tail weaving is one example of a Haida art form that continues today.
The videos on the next slide shows this robe being danced, as well as an interview with Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop.
Summary
- X̱áaydaa (Haida) artist Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop and her two daughters wove this Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robe) in 2011. Following traditional practice, weaving skills are still passed down from mother to daughter today.
- Robes like this one are very rare. Only those of a certain social status or wealth, such as chiefs, wear them.
- Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robes) are known for their geometric patterns and traditional colours: yellow, white and black.
- The videos on the next slide shows this robe being danced, as well as an interview with Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop.
Essential
X̱áaydaa (Haida) artist Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop and her two daughters wove this Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robe) in 2011. Following traditional practice, weaving skills are still passed down from mother to daughter today.
Robes like this one are very rare. Only those of a certain social status or wealth, such as chiefs, wear them on special occasions. Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robes) are known for their geometric patterns and traditional yellow, white and black colours. Side fringes and furs are added to complete the robe.
The videos on the next slide shows this robe being danced, as well as an interview with Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop.
In-Depth
Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop, a well-known X̱áaydaa (Haida) artist, and her daughters K’iinuwaas Carrie-Ann Vanderhoop Bellis and S’idluujaa Tiffany Amber Vanderhoop wove this Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robe) in 2011. Robes like this one are highly valued and worn by individuals of high rank or social status. A chief, for example, might wear one for a special occasion such as a potlatch or feast.
Raven’s Tail gyáat’aad (robes) are known for their geometric patterns and traditional yellow, white and black colours, as seen here. Fringes and furs are often added to complete the robe. Traditionally, Kúu (sea otter) fur was used, but now that otters are endangered, beaver fur is more common.
Textile weaving skills are usually passed down from mother to daughter. In this case, Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop’s two daughters assisted her in completing the robe. Raven’s Tail weaving is one example of a Haida art form that continues today.
The videos on the next slide shows this robe being danced, as well as an interview with Kujuul Evelyn Vanderhoop.