Too Much Work…

…not enough play.

Or that should be not enough relaxation, recuperation – I’m sure there is a re-word pertaining to the state you’re in when your brain is over-taxed and over-heated and you haven’t done enough physical work for a long time. To that end, I’m going to get the loom ready this weekend so I can start making some rugs again.  I know of no better therapy than sitting there, making rugs from old sheets, curtains and clothing. The first one usually is so tightly woven that it can almost be leaned up against the wall…

Now that the light is returning, I won’t risk getting headaches from straining my eyes over the work in the loom – not to mention that the tension in my shoulders should be all but gone after a few days of slamming the batten up against the breast boom…

From The BC Museum

I was really pleased to see that the museum in Victoria was open on New Years Eve. That gave me an excellent opportunity to spend a few hours there, marvelling at all the beautiful displays.

We have a long tradition of basketweaving in my part of the country – but I think these show more of an artistic flair. Compare to the ones we have at our museum, some of which are very utilitarian in making use of every last bit of space.

Taking pictures of items behind glass has its’ pitfalls… This picture is a bit more blurred than I would like – but… Enjoy the beautiful shape of a raven outlined with mother-of-pearl buttons. Or, at least as far as I could determine this was not modern-day substitutes for mother-of-pearl.

This was but one of a number of Chilkat weavings on display. How I wish I would one day be able to reproduce something this beautiful!

Inuit Carvings

I own a few smaller pieces of Inuit Art, but none as big (or expensive) as these. They were displayed at a gallery in Gastown, not too far from the place of Samiches-fame…

 The top one is made from soapstone, wood and I suspect bone (the spear) and the bottom one is one piece of soapstone

At the Museum, part 4

These belts are excellent examples of the way a Sami man displayed some of his wealth. The silver was cast in smaller pieces that were fastened to their belts. This way it was easy for the owner to remove only as much as he needed for a particular purchase. Of course the reindeer were the basis of all wealth, but the herd could be wiped out during a bad winter or from illness, while silver retained its’ value over time..

The women had their own wealth – displayed on the “kolts” and kerchiefs.

Clasps and buttons, chains and pendants could tell a lot about how well off a woman and her family was.

Have started the final count-down. Today was the last Monday before I leave… Tomorrow is…. the first day of four with meetings and appointments stacked on top of each other.

Back in the days when I worked as an accountant, we used to talk about those Fridays when our clients decided to clean their desk and rang us about all the lost receipts and sundry items they came across. Well, working for the county means that the entire month of December resembles those Fridays. Suddenly all those meetings and negotiations they didn’t get around to earlier on in the year simply. have. to. take. place. NOW.

At the Museum, part 3

Mobile storage is nothing modern man has invented. This is what the Sami used to haul some of their gear in from one place to another in the winter. The opening at the front is not very big, so it must have been quite a challenge to pack everything in. Notice that it is put together with wooden plugs.

The hay hanging on the right side is not some type of emergency ration for the reinder, but what they used in their shoes for warmth. It’s made from a special type of grass very warm and dries very fast – much faster than wool. The chest in front would hold all valuables.

At the Museum, part 2

I’m not all pleased with this shot but it’s the best I could do. The mannequins are displayed in glass cases and I had to shoot this at an angle to avoid having the reflection from the flash obscure the image.

This is the traditional style female Sami “kolt” from this area. It’s not as ornate as the ones from further north, but I do like the neck piece with the pewter embroidery. Yes, that’s correct – the thread is made from pewter. It’s prepared by being drawn through holes (in a piece of wood) that get smaller and smaller until it has the desired thickness.

From left to right on her belt: A small pouch for this and that. The rings at the bottom were used to transport snared ptarmigans. In the middle an old sheath for a knife and then a sewing kit made fromleather and a piece of hollow bone. I’m not sure th sheath is an authentic picec of the traditioal garb, though.

A friend of mine and I had planned on sewing our “kolts” this winter, but right now I can’t see when we would have the time… Which means that we should make time for it. The last year has certainly shown me that there’s no time better than the present to accomplish the things you want!

Our trip to see the people at the Migration Board went without a hitch. Not too cold, just a few lumber transports along the road and the interviews went well. This time there were two of us, so the boys had each others’ company and I had another grown up to talk to. After we were done with the official stuff, our two guys enjoyed a couple of hours at the local indoor swimming pool. They worked off a lot of energy (anxiety as well) jumping, swimming and playing around. They both slept most of the return trip.

Next step? We were told the Migration Board will endeavour to leave an initial decision by the end of this month. I was really surprised to hear this, since I know that some of the teenagers at campus here have been waiting for 8 months or more already!

At the Museum, part 1

Yesterday I went to our excellent museum while waiting for a person I needed to see. I’ve been through there a number of times, but never thought to photograph any of their collections. They have some beautiful Sami silver, traditional costumes, mock-ups of school rooms, homesteads and a number of other interesting things.

Or – I should say – things I find interesting.

Baskets made out of roots, leaves or other natural fibres are common in most cultures – but the one in the center here has a very odd shape. I couldn’t figure out why someone would go to the trouble of making a basket this warped. The explanation is that this shape fits perfectly into the “stem” of an ackja (the sled Sami people used behind their neutered and tamed reindeer.) These items are made from peeled and split birch roots, as is the baskets made to shape cheese curds in.

A cousin to my mother was a master at making baskets like this. She even made flasks that could hold salt and keep it dry.

Tomorrow we head for a city close to the coast for a visit at the Migration Board. -B- seemed very collected this afternoon when I met him, but I so wonder what he’s thinking. Speaking through an interpreter makes it hard to show or speak about feelings for all of us involved in this process.

Wish us luck!

On Potted Plants and Warps

Someone is obviously thriving in the dry air in my apartment. Imagine my surprise when I realized that one of my cacti is sporting buds. This has never happened before – in my entire life! What makes it even more special is, that these are shoots from a plant my Mom was given when I was born.

A dear friend of mine came over tonight and helped me get the warp in place. This looks like a total mess…

… but here’s 34 m of warp on the boom.

Notice the bile-green floor and the rust-coloured wallpaper? Yeah – it’s a good thing this room will be used to work in – not any other activities. Such as sleep, or….

More Therapy

This is what 34 meters of warp looks like when taken out of the bag.

Looking at this picture, I realised I had made a mistake when reeding the first set of threads…

That’s better!

Here the loops are transferred onto the stick attached to the warp boom.

This looks like a mess but actually isn’t. Now all I need is someone who can hold the braid while I roll it up on the boom.

Therapy Sessions

The last few weeks have been extremely taxing, since there has been numerous and very frustrating meetings regarding next year’s budget for the county. I’ve had my fair share of sleepless nights over it all – or woken up with a start because of disjointed dreams.

Today when I came home after work, I decided it was time to get started on some therapy.

This

combined with some of this

will eventually produce things like this…

This particular rug is made from the most hideous curtains I think I’ve ever seen. Nice cotton fabric, but with huge, red flowers on a background of such intense green shades it could have caused migraines!

Oh yes – I know… I have a good 2-3 hours or so of work just getting the warp ready before I can get it onto the boom on the right-hand side in the top picture. But that will on the other hand keep my mind occupied and away from the dismal state of the economy in our county for tonight at least. After that comes all the work with guiding each thread (248 of them altogether) through the heddles and then again through the reeds… Should be good for a therapy session every evening for a full week!