Lily Hope and her family are continuing her mother害羞草研究所檚 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), Juneau害羞草研究所檚 gender-inclusive shelter for survivors of gender-based violence.

害羞草研究所淚 think (my mother) would say, 害羞草研究所楧oesn害羞草研究所檛 this speak to the generosity of spirit of the weaving community and the community as a whole?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 Hope said in a phone interview. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e all giving our time to make collaborative art with a purpose.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e all touched by it,害羞草研究所� Hope said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 in our villages and communities.害羞草研究所�

She added, 害羞草研究所淲e want to be bringing healing to those who may put this (robe) on their shoulders.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淓verybody donated or bought a kit for $50,害羞草研究所� Lampe said. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e hoping to crowdfund some kind of a booklet that could be published with every weaver害羞草研究所檚 photograph and a short biography.害羞草研究所�

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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.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been cool to see them come in,害羞草研究所� Hope said.

Although this is the first project for their budding non-profit Spirit Uprising, it害羞草研究所檚 not the first time Hope and her family have done a collaborative weaving project. Hope害羞草研究所檚 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 Rizal害羞草研究所檚 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

害羞草研究所淚 called my sister and said, 害羞草研究所業sn害羞草研究所檛 it about time we did another collaborative robe?害羞草研究所� Hope said, adding, 害羞草研究所淲e were all like, 害羞草研究所業 guess we害羞草研究所檙e going to do this again.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

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

害羞草研究所淚 think that she would say, 害羞草研究所楧idn害羞草研究所檛 you learn how much work that was last time? Ha ha ha,害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 important to come to weaving with grace, strength and positive thoughts,害羞草研究所� Hope said. 害羞草研究所淲hen we are in a state of rage or coming at it with more anger than peace, we don害羞草研究所檛 weave.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淎WARE is deeply touched about this project, and honoured to be the recipient of such generous, thoughtful and caring weavers,害羞草研究所� Tabachnick said. 害羞草研究所淲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.害羞草研究所�

Lampe said she didn害羞草研究所檛 hesitate when her niece asked if she wanted to participate.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 for a good cause,害羞草研究所� Lampe said. 害羞草研究所淲e all know the stats of domestic violence. Plus, we all know somebody who knows somebody.害羞草研究所�

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 Price害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淲e wanted to have it done at the same time, but it害羞草研究所檚 just not realistic,害羞草研究所� Hope said.

When the Giving Strength Robe is completed, Hope said there will be a reception and first dance for the garment, 害羞草研究所渟o it can come alive and have the spirit of dance put into it.害羞草研究所�

Ben Hohenstatt, The Associated Press

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