Basketry Hat

Item number Nbz903 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Twined cedar bark basketry hat with plaited accents in greenish-black dyed bark. The hat is dome-shaped with a flat top. Decorated with five bands of dyed wefts, two rows per band. Dyed bark is also used around two rows near the bottom rim. The inside of the hat has a diagonally plaited hat band. It is sewn to the hat with spruce root, which is visible on the exterior of the hat.

Cultural Context

basketry; traditional clothing; contemporary art

Narrative

This hat was modelled after one worn by the Chief of the Point of Langara in a portrait by Jose Cardero. The ink and wash drawing is in the collection of the Museo Naval MS 1725-5-2, Higueras 2946, Sotos 649. It was featured in the Vancouver Maratime Museum's exhibit and catalogue "Enlightened Voyages". At that time enquiries were made at Musqueam as to whether anyone would be able to reproduce the hats in the portraits (see also 1664/1) and Rena's daughter Wendy Ritchie was contacted. She passed the information along to her mother, who then decided to weave replicas. Rena notes that this hat should also have a plumage of split feathers and bark on top. However, at the time when this hat was made she didn't have any feathers. The feathers in the portrait are quite dark, and Rena felt that they were probably eagle feathers. The rest of the plumage would have been pounded cedar bark.

Specific Techniques

This hat was woven using double strand twining, with triple strand twining used along the edge at the top. Plaiting is also used on the exterior. The hat band is woven using diagonal plaiting. Red cedar bark is used for the red and green portions; the green-black colour is achieved with a dye from a plant that is found in the Fraser Canyon. It has a bluebell-like flower on it that hangs off the rocks in the summer, when its really hot. These are picked and dried for future use. She breaks them up and boils them with tea leaves. This is a natural dye used by the Nlaka'pamux. In the old days they also used the bark from the fresh hemlock.