Aboriginal American Weaving

"Aboriginal American Weaving" by Mary Lois Kissell is an educational exploration into the weaving traditions of Indigenous people in North America, originally shared at a National Association of Cotton Manufacturers’ meeting during the beginnings of the twentieth century. The paper gives understanding of the resourceful methods used by native groups while at the same time comparing them and modern methods of creating fabrics. The core ideas of the text are centered around the woven materials, as well as their cultural meaning. Kissell analyzes different weaving styles, specifically those from groups such as the tribes of British Columbia and the southwestern U.S., highlighting things such as the construction of cedar bark mats and complex Chilkat blankets, demonstrating cultural and group-based importance behind traditional practices. It also covers in detail the natural materials and techniques utilized. The writing offers an analysis of the craft and the significant past woven into Indigenous weaving through images, descriptions, collaborative weaving methods in Indigenous societies, and the cultural symbolism found in design.