TEACHING WEAVING AND THE PASSING DOWN OF CAP TRADITIONS

The teaching of weaving has significantly changed from 1929 when almost all weavers were taught by family members. Today, some weavers still learn from family members, but many now learn in college and community classes. Madeline and Grace Davis were important teacher among the Karuk and Ella Johnson among the Yurok and Hupa at Hoopa. Classes have partly replaced teaching within a family and brought much of the same support on a social and instructional level. Classes now often provide the discipline of regular weaving. Susan "Tweet" Burdick (Yurok), Leona Wilkinson (Wiyot), Jackie Colegrove (Hupa), Marilyn Hostler (Hupa), Edie Norton (Hupa), Kathy Wallace (Karuk), and Verna Reece (Karuk) are teaching basketmaking and bringing along a new generation of weavers. Vera Ryerson (Yurok, recently deceased) and Vivian Hailstone (Karuk) a senior weaver also taught many weavers. Among recent teachers only Tweet has taught a few basketmakers to weave caps.
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