Category: Aleutian Facts

Tix^yux^ – Wild rye.

Basket woven by Diane Svarny.

Unangan weaving has the reputation of being some of the finest weaving being done today; for millenia, for that matter.  It can take a weaver many months to complete a project.    It also has the reputation of being some of the most beautiful weaving, exacting in the details of process and design.  So much goes into weaving each project that it should come as  no surprise at how time consuming even the first steps can be.

If you have ever been to the Aleutians during the summer, one of the first comments you are likely to make will be something about the abundant, large grass growing on the beach shores and up into the meadowlands.  You are looking at tix^lux^, or wild rye grass, or in the scientific lingo, Elymus mollis.  It is this beautiful grass that played such a large part in the lives of the Unangax^.

Salmonberries and mushrooms 066 (2)Weaving used to be a very utilitarian aspect of Unangan life.  Grasses were used to weave fish baskets, berry baskets, clam containers, floor mats, wall coverings, room dividers, mittens,  socks, burial mats, capes….you name it and it was probably a woven product.  The beauty of the fine weaving, though, was not recognized until the Unangax^ were invaded by Russian fur procurers and items began leaving the region, either as items taken forcibly, or, in later years, as items of trade.

I am lucky that my mother has passed on the art of gathering and curing grass for basket weaving.  It is no longer a common occurrence.  I miss seeing women returning from the hills carrying large bundles of grass over their shoulders.  Those bundles were tossed and dampened and protected from sunlight for up to 2 months, depending on conditions.  Then the grass was stripped down to the inner blades of grass; the ones that were at the center of the blade, thus protected from the salty elements.  One large bundle is reduced to a bundle measuring, perhaps, an inch in diameter.

basket grass

Just so you know, both my daughters have been on the August grass gathering forays.

Matter of Fact 2

The older you get, the faster time flies.  My mother, Gert Svarny, has been saying that to me for years.  She also has added over the years “Wait until you’re 60.”  Or, “Wait until you’re 70.”  Then it was “Wait until you’re 80 and you’ll see how fast time whips by you.”  You would think that living in a small, remote city between the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean would mean that time would just forget about you.  Or at least drag by slowly.  But it doesn’t.

Since my last blog post in February of 2011 (!!!) much has happened.  All of the ordinary stuff, of course, like holidays, birthdays, spring, fishing, berry picking, and teaching.  I’m still making medicinal products from plants.  I most certainly am still creating chocolates.  I almost killed myself last winter trying to dig us out of the most never-ending snow of winter.  We grew our Aleutian potatoes again this year.  A couple of milestones this year were my son marrying his love, my youngest daughter going back to school, my Dad turning 86, my oldest grandson entering 5th grade, helping mom, dad, and Caleb replace part of the foundation of mom’s and dad’s house, my sister and nephews moving to Anchorage, my husband losing his gall bladder, my daughter losing her appendix, and me stopping my consumption of wHeat.

Mom and Dad hosted the most rip roaring Christmas Eve party again this year, and to give ourselves a break, Mom and I decided that instead of the New Year’s Eve double birthday extravaganza that we usually have, we are all going out to dinner!  We’ll have some appetizers at the folks, go to dinner, come home to watch the midnight fireworks, and cut into 2 birthday cakes – one for my husband, Caleb, and the other for my mother who will turn 57 and 83 on January 1st.

See?  We are trying to slow things down.  We want to have more time to enjoy each other.  More time to work on art.  And, darn it, we are going to go on more picnics this summer!  Even if it means a menu of crackers, cheese, and olives.

12282012 008a

So my mantra for the coming new year is to simplify.  And to look as good as my mother when I reach the age of 83!  And fie on time flying.

Matter of Fact 1.

Webster’s dictionary defines exhilaration as a gladdening or enlivening; the act of enlivening the spirits; the act of making glad or cheerful.  It is the state of being enlivened or cheerful. 

One of the facts of life in the Aleutians is that the weather is never boring.  In fact, it is somewhat… exhilarating.  One of the values of the Unangas is that you should never say anything bad about the weather.  And so we don’t; or, at least if we do, we immediately note that we have inadvertantly done so.

The Aleutians are known as the birthplace of the winds; the cradle of the storms.  It is rarely ever still.  There is always a breeze wafting around, even on our calmest days, and a calm day is any day when the wind is below fifteen to twenty miles per hour. 

I often find myself in awe of our weather, either because of the wildness, the force, the absolute beauty, or the serenity.  I am contantly exhilarated.