Lily Hope and her family are continuing her motherB次元官网网址檚 work for an important cause.

The daughter of late acclaimed Chilkat and Ravenstail weaver Clarissa Rizal, Hope is an award-winning Tlingit weaver and weaving teacher who is now leading a new project called the Giving Strength Robe.

Dozens of Chilkat and Ravenstail weavers from all over North America will be weaving 5-inch-by-5-inch squares to create one traditional indigenous robe, a blanket-like garment worn over the shoulders. Once completed, the robe will be given to Aiding Women in Abuse and Rape Emergencies (AWARE), JuneauB次元官网网址檚 gender-inclusive shelter for survivors of gender-based violence.

B次元官网网址淚 think (my mother) would say, B次元官网网址楧oesnB次元官网网址檛 this speak to the generosity of spirit of the weaving community and the community as a whole?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Hope said in a phone interview. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e all giving our time to make collaborative art with a purpose.B次元官网网址�

The project is the first effort by Spirit Uprising, a new non-profit pursuing 501(c)(3) status that Hope and her family started to perpetuate the ancient art of weaving.

Chilkat and Ravenstail weaving are complex art forms traditionally practiced by Northwest Coast Alaska Native peoples, and make use of hand-twined textiles.

Hope said she got the idea for this robe after she saw a Facebook post in a Ravenstail and Chilkat Weaving Facebook group about work dedicated to survivors of domestic violence. The purpose of the robe is to draw attention to the issue of domestic violence in Alaska, and hopefully inspire positive feelings in survivors.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e all touched by it,B次元官网网址� Hope said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 in our villages and communities.B次元官网网址�

She added, B次元官网网址淲e want to be bringing healing to those who may put this (robe) on their shoulders.B次元官网网址�

Hope enlisted the help of her sister Ursala Hudson and aunt Deanna Lampe to get the project going, and put the call out to artists. The response was great, she said. More than 60 weavers from all over Alaska (including artists in Juneau, Anchorage, Ketchikan, Wrangell, Klawock, Sitka, Yakutat, Kake) committed to participating. Responses came in from other states, provinces and territories, too. Oregon, Washington, California, Colorado, New Mexico, British Columbia and Yukon will also be weaving squares.

Hope and her family sent out kits to the weavers that included materials, warp and west spun from merino wool. The effort was funded through contributions from weavers.

B次元官网网址淓verybody donated or bought a kit for $50,B次元官网网址� Lampe said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e hoping to crowdfund some kind of a booklet that could be published with every weaverB次元官网网址檚 photograph and a short biography.B次元官网网址�

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

So far about 16 squares have arrived in Juneau and several more are on their way to the capital city. All the squares will be in a teal, purple and white colour palette.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been cool to see them come in,B次元官网网址� Hope said.

Although this is the first project for their budding non-profit Spirit Uprising, itB次元官网网址檚 not the first time Hope and her family have done a collaborative weaving project. HopeB次元官网网址檚 mother Rizal previously headed Weavers Across the Waters Community Robe project.

About 40 weavers contributed to that project, which was first used in a ceremony in August 2016 before RizalB次元官网网址檚 passing in December of that year. Hope led the completion of a bottom row and border for that robe, and it was finished in 2017.

Hope, Hudson and Lampe were all involved in that project that was

B次元官网网址淚 called my sister and said, B次元官网网址業snB次元官网网址檛 it about time we did another collaborative robe?B次元官网网址� Hope said, adding, B次元官网网址淲e were all like, B次元官网网址業 guess weB次元官网网址檙e going to do this again.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

She said her mother likely would have thought they were crazy for attempting such a stressful, involved undertaking again.

B次元官网网址淚 think that she would say, B次元官网网址楧idnB次元官网网址檛 you learn how much work that was last time? Ha ha ha,B次元官网网址� Hope said enunciating each laugh.

Weavers helping with the Giving Strength Robe were instructed by Hope to approach their work with thoughts of resilience, healing and compassion for survivors of domestic violence, rather than righteous anger directed at perpetrators of violence.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important to come to weaving with grace, strength and positive thoughts,B次元官网网址� Hope said. B次元官网网址淲hen we are in a state of rage or coming at it with more anger than peace, we donB次元官网网址檛 weave.B次元官网网址�

Saralyn Tabachnick, Executive Director for AWARE, said she is moved by the project and its intentions.

B次元官网网址淎WARE is deeply touched about this project, and honoured to be the recipient of such generous, thoughtful and caring weavers,B次元官网网址� Tabachnick said. B次元官网网址淲e are super grateful and fortunate to have Lily Hope in our community, building community and providing leadership. The depth and breadth of this project and the process is inspiring.B次元官网网址�

Lampe said she didnB次元官网网址檛 hesitate when her niece asked if she wanted to participate.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 for a good cause,B次元官网网址� Lampe said. B次元官网网址淲e all know the stats of domestic violence. Plus, we all know somebody who knows somebody.B次元官网网址�

An average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the U.S., according to statistics compiled by the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Nearly 30 per cent of women and 10 per cent of men have experienced one of those forms of domestic violence.

The robe is also meant to be a companion piece of sorts for Tlingit master carver Wayne PriceB次元官网网址檚 healing totem pole for AWARE, which is similarly intended to bring awareness to gender-based violence and healing to its survivors.

The pole is expected to be raised this spring, but the robe will be coming later this year.

B次元官网网址淲e wanted to have it done at the same time, but itB次元官网网址檚 just not realistic,B次元官网网址� Hope said.

When the Giving Strength Robe is completed, Hope said there will be a reception and first dance for the garment, B次元官网网址渟o it can come alive and have the spirit of dance put into it.B次元官网网址�

Ben Hohenstatt, The Associated Press

Like us on and follow us on .