Chief's Blanket

Item number A3515 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Large loosely-woven wool blanket with fringe. There are three strips woven across the blanket width, predominantly brown. A large fringe hangs from the bottom edge of the blanket.

History Of Use

Mountain goat wool blankets worn as robes or used as bedding were marks of high social status. The blankets were objects of wealth, and were presented as gifts on ceremonial occasions. Presentations were made in the exchanges that accompanied weddings. They were also used to compensate shamans and other specialists for their services. They were distributed to those who witnessed weddings, naming ceremonies, and memorial rituals. The dead of wealthy families were wrapped in blankets. By the 1850s, Hudson Bay point blankets, and other trade blankets were beginning to supercede the ones woven locally. Women underwent ritual purification before beginning work with mountain goat wool, and some had guardian spirits who gave superior skills in weaving. Sto:lo weavers note that this blanket can be identified as a swoqw'`elh (chief's) blanket by the fringe that hangs down along the edge. Every family had its own designs. This blanket has brown stripes that would have identified the owner.