| Folk Arts - Master Artist - Cheryl SamuelRavenstail weaving was a lost art until Cheryl Samuel traveled around the world to study original Ravenstail woven robes in museums where the only original ones are known to exist. Samuel studied the patterns, and through trial and error, she taught herself how to weave them. Now she teaches this tradition at the University of Alaska, and has participated in an Apprenticeship Program project as a master artist teaching Haida artist Evelyn Vanderhoop.
Both Ravenstail and Chilkat weaving are used for robes, dance aprons and other ceremonial regalia. The styles share several varieties of twining and surface braiding, although they differ in pattern, construction, weight, and composition of the warp. When one looks at each type of robe, the differences are apparent: Ravenstail robes have bold geometric patterns; Chilkat robes have curvilinear representations of clan crests. The geometric patterns on Ravenstail robes are considered symbolic, and may have the same significance as the clan crests on Chilkat robes. Both types of weaving originally used wool from mountain goats, but in contemporary times, sheep’s wool has been substituted. Combined with the spun wool is yellow cedar bark. Traditionally, ranking members of clans and house groups wore these robes during dances when officiating at ceremonies.
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