Indian Uses of Native Plants

This year we're diving into ethnobotany, or "the study of how people use plants in different cultures, regions, and time periods", with special focus on plants that are used for dyeing or decorating fabric or objects. Our first book is Indian Uses of Native Plants, by Edith Van Allen Murphey (1879-1968). The book was published by Meyerbooks, Illinois, 1990; and Mendocino County Historical Society, 1958, 1987. Ms. Murphey served for ten years in the Inter-Mountain area for United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. Their primary interest was to identify and eliminate stock-poisoning plants on Indian cattle and sheep ranges.

The Inter-Mountain area encompasses National Forest System lands within Utah, Nevada, western Wyoming, southern Idaho, and a small portion of California. Four geographic areas come together  in the area—the Great Basin, Colorado Plateau, Middle Rocky Mountains, and Northern Rocky Mountains—which are rich with native and endemic species. The contacts that Ms. Murphey made during her research for the BIA, enabled her to gather data on plant uses by various indigenous people groups throughout the region. Ms. Murphey describes that at first the indigenous groups were reluctant to come forward with information, but after learning that the purpose was to document the knowledge so it would not be lost, they came forward willingly and proudly.

The Preface, Forward, and Introduction provide information and context for the book. The bulk of the content is organized into 19 categories, such as Indian Foods, Famine Foods, Feasts, The Salt Journey, Medicinal Plants, Ceremonials and Magic, Bows and Arrows, and Tepees. Each category includes information about plants and their uses, and provides Common Names, Botanical Names, and indigenous names. Some uses are cosmopolitan (shared across tribes), others are unique to specific tribes (often based on the what is available in specific regions). Also included are interesting details, such as how a medicine was prepared, how infants were cared for, and how some of the old methods have evolved in modern times. The backmatter includes Dictionary of Plant Names (Common, Indian, and Botanical), Index of Scientific Names, and Index of Common Names. The scientific names are typically updated with each printing.

Indian Uses of Native Plants is full of information, processes, methods, and lore. My favorite categories include Basketry, Dye Plants, and Tanning Hides. I had assumed that most dyes would be used for fabric and wool, but found they are more often used for basketry and for coloring hides and feathers. Surprisingly, fibers from various plants are woven into a basket to provide color, rather than the basket material being dyed. Alum is a frequent mordant (obtained from plant roots, or from minerals in the desert). Some dye material is naturally high in tannin, so no additional mordant is required (such as Wolf Moss or rock lichens). This book is a gem for anyone interested in ethnobotany in the Inter-Mountain area.

Field Notes for February 2025

Welcome back to Field Notes!

February 1, 2025

Earlier this week, friends Mari, Gaymond, and I joined the late-January Over-the-Hills Gang hike at Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, lead by Anthony Fisher. This is one of my favorite hikes, since it is fairly flat with wide trails that facilitate ambling and visiting with fellow hikers. Point Pinole has an interesting history (fishing villages; ranches and farms; and 100 years of gunpowder and dynamite production), and location (it juts out into San Pablo Bay for sweeping maritime views). It is part of the ancestorial home of the Huchiun-Aguasto speaking Ohlone people.

Mount Tamalpais through the morning fog

Adolescent bald eagle and raven

Cookie break at the half-way point

San Pablo Bay ferry crossing

The morning started out foggy, and then burned off to full sun. About 40 of us from all over the Bay Area strolled through the park, looking for wildlife, observing birds (an adolescent bald eagle that was being heckled by ravens was especially interesting), and watching the ferries cross the bay. The pace and company was excellent and Anthony brought a high-power scope for viewing wildlife, and ginger and lemon flavored cookies for the half-way-point snack. Mari, Gaymond, and I finished our outing at Richmond Kebab & Gyros for lunch and great conversation. Search the East Bay Regional Park District website to learn more about upcoming Over-the-Hills Gang hikes.

Intrepid hikers (photo by Gaymond)

February 3, 2025

Bird Buddy identified this avian visitor as a California Towhee, but it identified the same bird as a Scaly-breasted Mumia and a Bewick's Wren in other shots. I find Little Brown Birds (LBBs) to be very difficult to identify, and maybe Bird Buddy does too. They seem to be testing out a new AI option to help with identification, so maybe there are some kinks to work out!

California Towhee

February 6, 2025

Our family shared these cherry tomatoes, grown on a self-seeded plant and harvested in February. The consistency was good and the flavor was bright (but without the sweetness that develops in the summer sun). Still pretty amazing to harvest tomatoes from the yard in the dead of winter, with a few more ripening on the vine to enjoy in the future!

Cherry tomatoes harvested in February

 

February 9, 2025

We love watching all the winter visitors that stop by the Bird Buddy feeder. Here are a few snapshots from the camera (roughly clockwise, starting at the top): Red Finches (female and male); Mourning Dove, Oak Titmouse; Golden Warbler (?); Black-eyed Junco; and California Towhee (from the backend). Click on the photo to enlarge.

Winter birds at the Bird Buddy feeder

February 12, 2025

Mari and I joined the Over-the-Hills Gang hike to Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, lead by Anthony Fisher. The weather forecast indicated that a large weather system was moving into the Bay Area, bringing rain later in the day. We decided to join the hike despite fog and cold temperatures. The park is quite hilly and steep in places, with some fantastic views if you follow one of the trails up the hill (I hiked up one of those trails with Leslie in 2018; see Wildcat Canyon Regional Park). The land is part of the ancestorial home of the Huchiun-Karkin speaking Ohlone people.

Hiking the fire road at Wildcat Canyon

Look at that glorious oak - with room to spread to its potential

Lady Bug hitches a ride with Sandy

Intrepid hikers

The fire road grade is very manageable for the 55+ crowd, the surrounding hills are still green from winter rains, and mushrooms and slime molds abound! We could see cattle grazing high on the hills, but didn't encounter any on the fire road. The pace and company was excellent and Anthony brought lemon/almond cream cookies and Fig Newtons for the half-way-point snack (always a highpoint). Search the East Bay Regional Park District website to learn more about upcoming Over-the-Hills Gang hikes.

February 15, 2025

We saw so many mushrooms and slime modes on our hike at Wildcat Canyon Regional Park! Here are a few snapshots, identified by a phone app that uses iNaturalist and other internet resources. Roughly clockwise, starting at the top): Fluted Black Elfin Saddle (Helvella lacunosa); Black Slime Mold (possibly Annulohypoxylon multiforme) - growing on a log; Black Slime Mold - closeup; Golden Ear or Jelly Fungus (Tremella mesenterica);  Dark Honey Fungus (Armillaria ostoyae); Felted Pinkgill (Entoloma roseum); and The Deceiver or Waxy Laccaria (Laccaria laccata).

Mushrooms and slime molds in Wildcat Canyon Regional Park

Another good resource for identifying mushrooms: Higher Fungi of the San Francisco Bay Area.

February 19, 2025

I participated in the Great Backyard Bird Count last weekend. I've participated in the yearly event for the last several years. Below is the list I compiled during my late afternoon walk up by the reservoir, near the redwood and oak grove. I uploaded the list using the eBird mobile app. Many of these species frequent our yard, hummingbird feeder, and Bird Buddy feeder. Good to know they have plenty of other food sources!

Bird sightings (or recorded) while walking in the neighborhood

February 27, 2025

I'm sad to report that our beloved Dakota the Husky has departed this life for the Happy Hunting Grounds, after a brief illness that came on suddenly. Dakota loved treats, taking walks, and a good belly rub. He went wild for anything cheese, butter, or sour cream; and for pork chops and chicken. He loved digging in the garden, eating dirt, resting in a pool of sunlight, and pondering the oak canopy above. He liked lounging in the living room while listening to cool jazz or light country. He was a Good Boy, who was well known by dogs and their walkers in the neighborhood. 

Dakota the Husky

Dakota had been abandoned on the streets in Qatar, and ended up in Seattle, WA as a rescue dog. Our son adopted him in 2017 and gave him a wonderful home and life. After Mako departed in 2024 (see Field Notes for May, the May 17th entry), Dakota evolved into the new Alpha. He became more assertive and confident and territorial, keeping his pack safe, all while retaining his gentle nature. I'll miss taking long slow walks with Dakota as he sniffed and investigated everything, seeing him gallop to the dinner table with gusto and enthusiasm, scratching his soft ears and ruff, and talking Husky with him. We will miss his sweet presence in our lives, and keep him close in our hearts.

Dye Project: Preparing your Fabric (Scour, Mordant, Brighten or Sadden)

I like to have a batch of prepared cotton fabric on hand, so that I am ready to dye when I come across an interesting dye source. The process involves scouring the fabric to remove impurities, mordanting fabric so the dye bonds with it, and brightening the fabric to intensify color and improve staying power. (You could sadden the fabric instead to subdue the color).

I've covered all these processes in previous posts, but am summarizing the basic steps here. You can follow the links to the original posts for details. These are my standard processes, but I deviate frequently to try new things! 

These instructions are for plant-based fabrics, typically in one pound batches. For safety:

• Wear a face mask when measuring and working with powders, so you don't inhale small particles.
• Wear gloves when working with soda ash, which is caustic!
• Work outside or in a well ventilated space.
• Do not use your dye pots, buckets, or utensils for food preparation.

Prepared fabric - hanging to dry

Scouring (Soaking Method, Textile Detergent + Soda Ash)

Purpose: Scour fabric to remove impurities that may compromise dye results. These instructions are for the soaking method, which is to soak the fabric overnight in boiling water and scouring agents. Use textile detergent (such as Synthrapol or Professional Textile Detergent) and soda ash for the scouring agents.

The basic process for this step:

1. Prewash the fabric in the washing machine, using textile detergent. 
2. Soak the fabric overnight in boiled water and scouring agents. 
3. Rinse the fabric in cold water, then wash in the washing machine.

For scouring a pound of fabric:

• 1 teaspoon textile detergent 
• 4 teaspoons soda ash (caustic, so use gloves)

Scouring - the brown indicates impurities are being removed from the fiber

Scour the fabric:

1. Pre-wash the fabric in the washing machine using 1 teaspoon of textile detergent. You can hang to dry and use later, or use the damp fabric in the next steps.
2. In a large bucket, add textile detergent and soda ash to three gallons of boiling water and stir to mix.
3. Add fabric to the bucket and soak overnight. Stir periodically to rotate the fabric. After about half an hour, the water starts turning brown with impurities.
4. The next day, rinse the fabric in cold water, and squeeze out excess water. Wash the fabric in the washing machine (cold water, no detergent). Optionally add an extra rinse cycle.
5. At this point you can immerse the wet fabric into your mordant, brightener, or dye bath; or you can air-dry the fabric and store it until needed. Label it so you know how it was scoured. 

Details: Scouring Fabric (Soaking Method)

Mordanting (Oak Gall Extract)

Purpose: Mordants help bind dye to fiber and improve color fastness. I like to use ground oak gallnut extract as a mordant for cotton fabric. Gallnut is a clear tannin and made from ground oak galls. The mordant works best if the tannin bath temperature does not exceed 180 degrees F (or 82 degrees C). You can skip this process if the dye material is rich in tannins, such as walnut, onion skins, indigo, and rhubarb. 

The basic process for this step:

1. Simmer the gallnut in water.
2. Add fabric and soak.
3. Rinse the fabric in cold water.

Maiwa recommends the following Weight of Fabric % for gallnut:

• 12% WOF for Gallnut powder
• 6-8% WOF for Gallnut Extract

For just over a pound of fabric, use:

• 3 tablespoons powdered oak gall extract
• 2-4 gallons of water

Mordanting - soaking the pre-washed and scoured fabric in oak gall extract

Mordant the scoured fabric:

1. (Optional) Presoak the scoured fabric in water for about 30 minutes, if it is not already wet. This helps ensure even distribution of the tannin solution.
2. Stir the gallnut extract into a pot of water to dissolve.
3. Bring the tannin solution to a simmer and then simmer for 30-60 minutes, making sure to not exceed 180 degrees F (or 82 degrees C).
4. Remove the tannin pot from the heat and let cool.
5. Add the scoured fabric to the tannin pot.
6. Steep the fabric in the tannin solution for 8-24 hours.
7. The next day, rinse the fabric thoroughly in cold water, and squeeze out excess water. Wash the fabric in the washing machine (cold water, no detergent). Optionally add an extra rinse cycle.
8. At this point, you can immerse the wet fabric into your brightener or dye bath, or you can air-dry the fabric and store until needed. Label it so you know how it was scoured and mordanted.

Details: Mordanting Fabric (Oak Gall Extract)

Brightening (Alum + Soda Ash)

Purpose: Use a combination of alum and soda ash to mordant and brighten fabric. Even if the fabric was previously mordanted with oak gallnut, you may want to mordant fabric multiple times in different ways to intensify the color or improve colorfastness.

For this technique, you do not need to “cook” the fiber. You can start with hot tap water (between 120-and-140 degrees Fahrenheit, or 48-and-60 degrees Celsius), and let it cool naturally. It is not necessary to reheat the bath to maintain temperature.

The basic process for this step:

1. Mix alum and soda ash in hot water. 
2. Add fabric and soak. 
3. Rinse and air dry the fabric 

Maiwa recommends the following Weight of Fabric % for the brightener:

• 15% WOF for Alum
• 2% WOF for Soda Ash

For just over a pound of fabric, use:

• 1/4 cup of Alum (67.2 grams)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons Soda Ash (8.96 grams)
• 2-4 gallons of water (I typically use about 3 gallons)

Brightening - soak the scoured and mordanted fabric in
alum and soda ash for a second mordant.
Saddening - you could soak the fabric in
iron, or ferrous sulfate instead.

Brighten the scoured and mordanted fabric:

1. (Optional) Presoak the scoured and mordanted fabric for about 30 minutes, if it is not already wet. This helps ensure even distribution of the brightening solution.
2. Add the fabric to a bucket or pot. 
3. Dissolve alum in hot water and add to the pot. 
4. Dissolve washing soda in hot water and add to the pot. 
5. Fill the pot with enough hot tap water to cover the fiber. (If you are curious, you can check the temperature with the thermometer). Stir to mix.
6. Steep the fabric in the brightening solution for 1-2 hours, or overnight. Optionally you can cover the pot so that it stays warm longer. After soaking, you can: rinse and re-mordant, for example, at 10% alum; rinse and dye; or air dry to dye later. 
7. Squeeze out excess liquid. Soda ash is caustic so wear rubber gloves. 
8. Wash and rinse fabric thoroughly in the washing machine (cold water, no detergent), and hang to dry.
9. Store fabric until you are ready to dye. According to one source, the alum can weaken the fiber, so it is best to use the fabric within a month to prevent this. Label the fabric so you know how it was scoured, mordanted, and brightened.

Details: Brightening Fabric (Alum + Soda Ash)

Saddening (Iron, or Ferrous Sulfate)

Purpose: Use iron sulfate to mordant and sadden, or darken, fabric. Even if the fabric was previously mordanted with oak gallnut, you may want to mordant fabric multiple times in different ways to modify the color. I don't have any experience using ferrous sulfate to mordant prepared fabric, but have experience using it to change the color of dyed fabric. I am including steps for mordanting with iron here for future use.

Botanical Colors recommends maintaining water at 130 degrees Fahrenheit (or 55 degrees Celsius) for the iron bath. For my solar dyeing experiments, I used tepid water with no heating.

The basic process for this step:

1. Presoak the scoured and mordanted fabric. 
2. Mix ferrous sulfate with water and add fabric.
3. Bring to temperature and then soak. 
4. Rinse and air dry the fabric 

Maiwa recommends the following Weight of Fabric % to sadden the dye bath:

• 2-4% WOF for ferrous sulfate (wear a mask when working with powders)

For just over a pound of fabric, use:

• 1-2 teaspoon of ferrous sulfate (9.08-18.16 grams)
• 2-4 gallons of water (I typically use about 3 gallons)

Sadden the scoured and mordanted fabric:

1. Dissolve ferrous sulfate in a cup of water and add to the dye pot. 
2. Add the fabric to the pot. 
3. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the fabric. Stir to mix.
4. Heat the dye bath to 130 degrees Fahrenheit (or 55 degrees Celsius), stirring often. Hold the temperature for 30 minutes.
5. Remove the dye pot from the heat and let cool.
6. Squeeze out excess liquid. 
7. Wash and rinse thoroughly in the washing machine (cold water, no detergent), and hang to dry.
8. Store fabric until you are ready to dye. Label it so you know how it was scoured, mordanted, and saddened. You can also save the iron bath, and use it to shift fabric color after you have dyed it.

Details:

• Camellia Petals (Batch 2)
• Logwood Exhaust 2 (Alum + Iron)
• Cochineal Exhaust 2 (Alum + Iron)
• Coreopsis & Marigold (Solar + Iron + Exhausts 2 & 3)

Ready to Dye

Once you finish these processes, you are ready to dye. Having a stash of prepared fabric is like having money in the bank that is ready to fund of your creative process!

Prepared fabric that is labeled and ready to dye!

Ethnobotany: Tlingit's and Dyeing with Plants

Our theme this year is "Ethnobotany and Dyeing with Plants", with the plan to learn more about how several indigenous people groups use plants and natural materials to dye fabric or objects. To contain the scope, the research will be a quick survey of information, rather than a deep investigation. Our first group is the Tlingit people from Southeast Alaska. I was born and raised in Juneau, Alaska, and have an affinity for the culture and art of the Tlingit people. I have been privileged to view their dances, story telling, totems, and art in person, and would like to learn more about their use of plants for dyeing.

The Tlingit people live in the Northwest Interior of British Columbia, Canada, and southern Yukon Territory, as well as Southeast Alaska. The two main lineages or moieties are the clans of the Raven and of the Eagle/Wolf. Clan allegiance is governed through a matrilineal system. The parents are required to be from different clans and be opposite moieties. Children are born to the mother's clan and gain their status within her family. Children are born from the father, but he has a lesser role in their rearing than does the mother's brothers.

Ceremonial Robes

Woven robes and aprons play an important role in Tlingit life. They are woven of wool and cedar bark thread, and dyed with native plants or materials. The Chilkat and Ravenstail robes are reserved for sacred ceremonies, where dancers wear them to display the crests of their clans. The Haines Sheldon Museum webpage, "Chilkat Blanket",  provides additional historical and cultural information.

Chilkat weaving pattern (Naaxein sacred robe - a diving whale
with head down and tail up, is featured in the center panel)
Photographed at the Alaska State Museum.

Mountain goat hair and yarn, cedar bark, and dyed yarns for Chilkat blanket weaving

Ravenstail weaving pattern (a traditional form of geometric
weaving-style practiced by Northwest Coast Peoples)

Weaving

Last year we watched Tana Bana Wisdom of the Loom by Maiwa Productions to learn more about weaving techniques in Africa, Laos, Indonesia, and India. See Winter Movie 2024: Wisdom of the Loom. We learned about warp (the long vertical threads) and weft, or woof, (the horizontal selvage-to-selvage threads), and about some weaving variations that add texture and design to the fabric.

From my research into Tlingit Chilkat weaving, I learned that the vertical warp is spun from threads of wool and cedar bark, and is never dyed. Only the horizontal weft threads and the braids or tassels are dyed. Ravenstail weavings do not include bark.

Lily Hope's demonstration videos are so informative, about how the cedar bark thread is prepared, how the wool and cedar bark threads are thigh-spun, and how the weft yarn is dyed. See "Learn More" below for links.

Dye Sources

Original dye sources included plants and materials, such as mud, iron, and copper. Synthetic dyes have also been used over the last 150 years, and dyers have tried unusual sources to produce dyes, such as using Hershey bar wrappers or crepe paper to produce brown. (From my own experience, it is not surprising that Tlingit dyers would be curious, resourceful, and innovative in finding new dye sources)! 

There is also a great interest in researching original, historical dye sources. The Alaska State Museums, Archives & Museums webpage, "A Network or Relationships" (curated by Ellen Carrlee) provides an excellent summary of dye sources used for whites/undyed, black/browns, yellows, and blue/greens. Many of the dye sources are rich with tannins, such as wood, bark, and wolf moss, so mordants are not needed but can be used.

For my own quick reference, the following table provides a summary of some of these dye sources with notes for any additional information.

Tlingit Dye Sources - Southeast Alaska

Color	Dye Source	Notes
Red Dyes	Alder bark	Alder bark mixed with cedar bark also yields red
	Alder wood	Blond wood is desired, but you can mix blond wood and the outer bark.
	Sea-urchin juice
Yellow Dyes	Cedar bark
	Lichen
	Oregon grape root
	Wolf moss	Wolf moss does not grow in the Tongass (on the coast), so was traded from drier regions (inland). It is easy to dry and store, and acts as a natural pesticide. Toxic, especially if cooked with human urine (which speeds up dye extraction).
Blue Dyes	Copper, or synthetic dyes	Ammonia and copper produce blue. Copper and urine produce greenish-blue. Ancient blues may have been produced from chocolate lilies or a local mushroom called the bleeding tooth fungus.
	Salal berries	Produces a dark blue dye.
Brown Dyes	Cedar bark	When boiled with wool
	Western hemlock bark	The blond inner bark is packed with tannins that produce a deep reddish brown when applied to wool. A solution of copper or iron transforms it to black.
	Urine	When boiled with wool
Black Dyes	Charcoal
	Cedar bark	When mixed with metals, like iron or copper, produces a black color that doesn't fade
	Hemlock bark	Long simmer plus long soak time results in a dark brown that is almost black
	Iron material	When soaked with hemlock bark or cherry bark
	Sulfur-spring mud
Gray Dye	Cedar bark	When mixed with iron

Note that nettles are used to dye basket grass green, and blueberries to dye grass a purple/blue (although the color fades quickly).

Summary

That concludes our brief ethnobotany tour of dye sources used to dye wool for the beautiful and sacred Tlingit ceremonial robes and aprons. There is more to learn, and I hope to gather some of the dye sources on my next trip to Southeast Alaska, so I can try dyeing with them myself.

Learn More

• Tlingit clans (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tlingit_clans). Wikipedia. The Tlingit people live in Southeast Alaska, the Northwest Interior of British Columbia, Canada, and southern Yukon Territory. Details about the two main lineages or moieties, and their clans are described.  (Website)

• The Spirit Wraps Around You: Northern Northwest Coast Native Textiles (https://lam.alaska.gov/sway). Alaska State Museums, Archives & Museums. The exhibit traces the history of the sacred textiles known today as “Ravenstail” and “Chilkat” robes. Two dozen robes carry the story of Native weaving among the Tsimshian, Haida, and Tlingit of Alaska and British Columbia, representing both ancient and modern ceremonial robes made by Alaska Natives and First Nations weavers. The robes are reserved for sacred ceremonies, where dancers wear them to display the crests of their clans. See the online exhibit. (Website)

• Chilkat Dye Research: A Network of Relationships (https://lam.alaska.gov/chilkat-dye-research/). Alaska State Museums, Archives & Museums, by Conservator, Ellen Carrlee. Chilkat weavers combine wool, bark, and dye with cultural knowledge to create textile regalia within a network of relationships (families, clans, ancestors, and trade partners as well as animals, plants, and the land). Vertical Chilkat warp is a balance of wool and cedar bark spun together; only the horizontal  weft and braids are dyed. Yarn and dye sources are described. (Website)

• Chilkat Dye Research: Chilkat Dye Working Group (https://lam.alaska.gov/chilkat-dye-research/chilkat-dye-working-group). Alaska State Museums, Archives & Museums. A collaborative group that studies both new and historic materials through hands-on activities and open-ended conversations. Dye analysis is performed at Portland State University with funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. (Website)

• Chilkat Weaving Prep: Boiling Cedar Bark with Lily Hope (https://youtu.be/U3V00h4ggf0). Sealaska Heritage Institute, 2021. Lily Hope prepares cedar bark thread. (Video)

• Chilkat Weaving Prep: Spinning Warp with Lily Hope (https://youtu.be/1-anEXR5qvw). Sealaska Heritage Institute, 2021. Lily Hope thigh-spins a warp thread with wool and cedar bark. (Video)

• Chilkat Weaving Prep: Dyeing Weft with Hemlock Bark with Lily Hope (https://youtu.be/pJjT1v_OcY0). Sealaska Heritage Institute, 2021. Lily Hope dyes wool weft with hemlock bark. (Video)

• Chilkat Weaving Prep: Dyeing Weft with Copper with Lily Hope (https://youtu.be/1Kg9rpNGrco). Sealaska Heritage Institute, 2021. Lily Hope dyes wool weft with copper, using alum and ammonia. (Video)

• Chilkat Weaving Prep: Dyeing Weft with Wolf Moss with Lily Hope (https://youtu.be/52Kr3pBx6QE). Sealaska Heritage Institute, 2021. Lily Hope dyes wool weft with wolf moss. (Video)

• Chilkat Dancing-of-the-Robes Ceremony with Lily Hope (https://youtu.be/SoReBAi5fVQ). Sealaska Heritage Institute, live-streamed on Feb 1, 2023. Chilkat weaving and a dancing-of-the-robes ceremony. (Video)

• Chilkat Blanket (https://www.sheldonmuseum.org/vignette/chilkat-blanket/). Haines Sheldon Museum, exhibit. Interesting high-level history of Chilkat blankets. (Website)

• Revision Alaska: Weaving our Identity (https://youtu.be/YUA2j6f7L9E). KTOO 360TV, produced by Paige Sparks in 2023. Indigenous weavers, chemists and Alaska State Museum curators collaborate to research historic and new yarn dyeing techniques. (Video)

• Chemists, curators and Chilkat weavers present findings on historic dye techniques (https://www.ktoo.org/2024/06/12/chemists-curators-and-chilkat-weavers-explore-historic-dye-techniques/). KTOO, by Anna Canny on June 12, 2024. The results of the collaborative study between indigenous weavers, chemists and Alaska State Museum curators. (Article)