There’s a story behind every Ravenstail robe.
“Up here we have the northern lights with the Chilkoot mountains,” said fifth-grader Aurora Southerland, describing a robe she was wearing. “And then down here are bear prints and the salmon going upstream.”
She’s in fifth grade and in Harborview Elementary’s Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy Program. And on Tuesday night, she and her classmates made history.
“You have just witnessed the largest gathering of Ravenstail regalia in history — ever,” master weaver Lily Hope told a full crowd at Centennial Hall.
They had gathered to learn the history — and future — of Ravenstail weaving, or Yéil Koowú. People say the intricate art form slept for a century before it was brought back to life by master weavers like Cheryl Samuel and Kay Parker.
Both were honored at the event. Weaver Ksm L’x Sg̱a̱a Ruth Hallows commended their dedication to passing their knowledge to others.
“In 2019, there were fewer than a dozen weavers in the world who had woven Ravenstail dancing robe,” she said. “Today there are four times as many, and our numbers are growing.”
At the event, people learned about the stories behind the weaving and the journey that it took to bring it back to life today. And they got the first look at dozens of newly created, child-sized Ravenstail robes, which will soon be on display at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum.
Not only did they get to look at them — they got to watch them come to life.
On stage, dozens of students and adults danced and sang in unison to a drum beat. As they moved and twirled, the white fringes of their robes flew in the air like the tail feathers of a bird.
Memo Contreras, one of the students dancing, said his favorite part of dancing was watching the fringe move.
“Because it looks delightful,” he said.
Marie Johnson was one of the adult dancers on stage. She said it gives her so much joy to see people young and old gather to celebrate their culture.
“This is a great honor. You know, to bring something to life, and to be able to just share our culture,” she said. “Because every blanket and every article has a story.”
After the event, Hope said the journey to grow the number of Ravenstail weavers is far from over.
“It means we’re doing the good work. It means our communities are strong. It means we have mentors in multiple cities and villages. It means the art form is alive and well,” she said. “And it’s just going to get bigger and better from here.”
On Friday, the robes will go on exhibit at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum. They’ll be on display there through the summer.
Disclosure: KTOO was contracted to produce a broadcast of the event for TV and online. You can watch the recording of Tuesday’s event at ktoo.org and lilyhope.com.
