Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1898 — ALASKAN INDIAN WOMEN. [ARTICLE]

ALASKAN INDIAN WOMEN.

They Have Artistic Ability Despite Their Toilsome Lives. Writing of the “Indian Women of Alaska and Their Handiwork,” in the Woman's Home Companion, Olive McGregor says: “The huge expressionless face of an Alaska Indian woman shows but little evidence of any ambition or ahjlity to perform cvej> the slm ; plest features of domestic art. and yet the skillful and artistic results of the handiwork of these untutored aborigines much sought after by the tourists who visit their villages during the summer. Moreover, though the women are all fat and lazy-looking, their lives are not uninterrupted ease, notwithstanding tlia,t their needs are few. Abundance of fuel is all about them, and food, which with them is synonymous with fish, swims almost to their doors. But the procuring as well as the preparing of this food is all accomplished by the women. During the summer they leave the villages and towns for the Islands in less frequented water, where they camp for weeks at a time, catching and curing the fish for winter use, while the men lazily watch them, or paddle the canoe, or otherwise amuse themselves. * * * “If an Indian’s wife is in ill health or too old to work, he marries another younger wife, usually a relative of the first one, who is expected to provide the food, while the first wife cares for the house and •hildreu. Fish and berries furnishing almost the only food of these people, the women have little scope or ambition for developing culinary art, l>u»t in matters of personal adornment they take keen delight. During the long, dark winter they weave beautiful blankets and baskets for their own use and to sell. The blankets are made from the strong rough wool of the wild mountain sheep. Yet some of these are as soft as silk, and in beauty of coloring and intricacy of design rival the Oriental rugs and hanging. It usually takes a woman six months to complete one blanket, but many of them sell for prices ranging from fifty to two hundred dollars. The much-sought-after genuine Chilkat blanket Is about four fee* long aud two and oue half feet wide at each end, but as one side is pointed, the center is a foot wider than the ends, and on this side is ornamented with a ten-inch fringe. These are worn in the dance, thrown around the shoulders, with the pointed fringed side Hanging uown. The design is grotesque, consisting of conventionalized faces of meujind animals in pale green, outlined until black on a white ground. Sometimes dull blue takes the place of the pale green. A peculiarity which stamps their genuineness is a fine thread or shaving of deerskin in the center of each hard twisted strand of wild sheep’s wool yarn, of which they are made, rendering them almost indestructible.”