Cedar Weaving

The purpose of this activity is to engage students in the traditional weaving process of the Stó:lō people. Cedar weaving is an important skill for the Stó:lō people. It is used to make baskets, clothing, rope and much more. It is an activity that will provide students, especially those with Stó:lō ancestry, with a connection to the past and weave it into their future. Through experiential learning, the students will consider the Stó:lō ways of living prior to European contact and how that changed after European settlement.

Introduction

• The students will have a moment to look at the cedar strips and then place them in the bins of water provided
• The educator will introduce the students to cedar weaving using physical samples of baskets, hats, etc. and using the Halq’eméylem vocabulary to label the items
• The educator will discuss with the students: What purpose could the Stó:lō have for these items? (storage, clothing, rope, ceremony and trade)
• Play the beginning of the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6XAO0xfGHM
  • Stop the video at 5:42

Weaving

• Take the strips out of the water. Explain that the students will be using a plain weaving technique which requires the weft to be woven over and under each warp. Explain the video shows the weft being twill woven over two and under two strands of the warp but they are going to be weaving over one, under one.
• If the strips are not pre-cut, the students require 12 strips of cedar approximately 6” long for the warp.
• As in the video, the students will lay out six strips of the warp side by side on the table. Next, weave one of the remaining strips over and under each strips that are already on the table. Do this will all six remaining strips.
• As the student adds more strips to the weaving, they should notice a rectangle being formed where the strips are woven together. It should look similar to the diagram. There should be a square or slight rectangle of woven cedar when all the strips are woven together.
• Sinew can be used to secure the weaving together. Take a strip of sinew or a longer piece of cedar that is approximately ¼” thick. Fold the sinew in half and wrap it around one of the strips at a corner of the ornament. Twist the sinew pieces once then wrap it around the next cedar strip like in the image. This is called twining. Do this all the way around the ornament two to three times to secure it. Use the excess sinew or cedar to make a loop to hang the ornament. This may require teacher assistance or the assistance of a peer to keep the weaving together as the sinew is twined around the warp and weft.
• Trim the edges of the ornament to the same length and then snip each strip at an angle. This step is optional as it is more for decorative purposes.
• Simplification: If students find it challenging to weave twelve 3/8” strips, try weaving eight 1” thick strips.
• Extension: Students can draw and paint a Coast Salish design on the ornament to further explore Coast Salish arts. The teacher would need to have very simple patterns for the students to use such as ovoids, u-shapes and trigons.

Reflection

• Students will be asked to think about the cedar weaving process and how it felt to make something the Stó:lō people made in the past and today. This is a skill that can be transferred to more complex items such as baskets and hats. The students should consider whether they want to extend their learning and try to make other items. This can be written on the worksheet.

Spiritual

Cedar bark harvesting is a Stó:lō, tradition that is inherently sacred.  There are a number of protocols that go with collecting cedar bark, including how and when to do this without harming trees and the ecosystem.  The intergenerational transmission of this knowledge will benefit students who thrive off of relational learning.

Emotional

Both harvesting cedar and the weaving process allow students to become increasingly self-aware and better understand the concept of reciprocity when working with cedar.  It also requires a great deal of self-control and patience throughout. 

Physical

In this case, students will have a very concrete experience, and can observe and reflect upon this experience, as opposed to hearing or reading about one’s experience.   This type of learning will ensure a high level of retention.

Intellectual

For students who are very methodical or logical/linear in their mode of thinking, weaving does have a component that requires memorization and repetition.  Being able to recall steps and their sequencing is integral to this work.