Tlingit Ceremonial Blanket (1920s-1930s)

The Tlingit clan lived alongside the coast mountains, to the left of British Colombia.

This ceremonial blanket is made entirely from foreign wares: dark blue broadcloth imported from the Sprout valley in England, red flannel from textile mills in Manchester and Massachusetts, and pearl buttons from China, America, and Europe. It also contains mother of pearl and abalone shell buttons and glass buttons. This ceremonial blanket was worn at various occasions, displaying the family crest of the owner (depicting ancestor beings and signaling Tlingit clan rights).

The detailed design on this blanket shows us that the American Indians were very keen on intricate designs. Each button is sown on separately, all linked in the shape of what seems to be a kind of fish. The fact that the cloth was traded from foreigners illustrates that not only did the English adopt from the American Indians, but the American Indians also took from the English.

We know from textbooks that the English learned the how-to’s of the land from the American Indians. We also know that the English traded with the Native Americans for their goods, which they then sold overseas. This artifact further shows us that the American Indians also used English goods, particularly cloth. It shows us that the American Indians adopted from the English, and welcomed their lifestyle in some ways.