Native American Finger Weaving - Page 2
© Tara Prindle
In finger weaving, a number of lengths are tied to a secure post or tree. Keeping a steady tension, the dangling ends are tightly woven in an under-over pattern moving away from the fastened end. New lengths of basswood are spliced in as original lengths run out.
Penobscot prepare the inner bark of basswood by first cutting through the tree bark with an ax. The tree bark is loosened and pulled up in long strips. Using a knife the inner bark is loosened so it can be pulled off using the fingers in long strips. The long strips are rolled up into coils and carried home. The strips are then boiled with hardwood ashes, the layers are further separated with the help of a knife, and at last the fibers are softened by running the strips over a smooth hand stone. The lengths of basswood or other fibers were often dyed with plants or minerals one of several colors, commonly black, red-brown, yellow, or blue. Some Penobscot basswood finger weaving uses eight strips (less than one half inch wide) to make a well braided band only two and one half inches wide.
Traditionally finest finger-woven belts are decorated with false embroidery of dyed porcupine quills or moose hair, which was woven into the surface of one side of the belt. Embroidered designs are generally geometric, consisting of zig-zags, crosses, squares, and triangles. Zoomorphoic designs, animal beings like the Thunderbird, were embroidered on some belts.
Indigenous art industries of America were severely disrupted by European contact and trade. With European contact the Native Americans accepted and transformed many European techniques and materials into their existing traditions. Glass seed or pony beads (generally in white) were now woven into or sewn onto these belts. Often Native Americans unraveled yarn from new trade wool blankets, re-spun new string, and wove this into belts or garters that had diagonal, chevron, lightening and other designs.
French Canadian traders learned finger weaving from the Native Americans and began making what was later termed "Assomption" sashes from their originating town in Quebec. They became so popular their colors and designs became standardized and they were marketed hrough the Hudson's Bay and Northwest Trade Companies. These wide tightly-woven sashes were worn as belts, as straps for bags and powder horns, and even wrapped
