Gwishalaayt - the spirit wraps around you

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Overview

While art forms such as carved masks depicting mythic beings by Northwest coast indigenous people have received worldwide recognition, little is known about Chilkat or Northern Geometric weaving also practiced traditionally by these people. Although the art form is thousands of years old, today there are only 15 weavers alive who practice it. Award-winning `Namgis filmmaker Barb Cranmer and producer Cari Green travelled to Alert Bay, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska to document the work of these six weavers. Gwishalaayt, which in the Tsimshian language means "the spirit wraps around you", follows the work of these weavers and presents their woven regalia in cultural context at potlatches and other ceremonies. The weavers share their knowledge and personal experience of practicing an art form that has become a way of life for them, while addressing some of the misconceptions about the weaving that were presented by those who have written about it in the past.