Duwamish master weaver Mary Lou Slaughter hosted the first of a series of her receptions at the Duwamish Longhouse Museum Jan. 21, where she discussed the importance and intricacies of historic Duwamish baskets and other weaving, and described the difficulties of shaping bark, cedar, and other woods.
She walked a small, but attentive, crowd through her own designs displayed on shelves and in cases, some traditional, others modern, most for sale, all the while giving a nod to a cherished basket on display woven by Princess Angeline, Chief Seattle’s eldest daughter, and Slaughter's third generation great-grandmother.
"It's in my DNA," said Slaughter, a Port Orchard resident, who started weaving 15 years ago at age 55. "I'm just having the best time of my life."
She studied from Suquamish carver and weaver Eddie Carriere for three years. Her work has been displayed at the Peabody Museum at Harvard University, and is sold at the Burke Museum here in Seattle.
As a child, Slaughter was in DNA-denial, one might say.
"I was so ashamed of my heritage when I was a kid," recalled the elegant, and feisty 70 year-old. "I went through hell when kids chased me around and called me a 'dirty old Indian.' I'd run home and tell my mom, 'I'm not Indian like you. I'm Swede like Dad.' My mom said, 'You didn't get those big brown eyes from your Swedish father.' I told her I wish I had blue eyes like my daddy, and she said, 'Shut up and be glad they're straight and you can see out of them.'"
She said she came to terms with her Indian heritage when, on a salmon-fishing trip in Alaska, an eagle dropped a feather that landed on her feet, and as she picked it up she experienced an epiphany.
"I heard Father Creator tell me in a human voice that it's OK that you're Indian."
That's when she began weaving. Still, she has not abandoned her paternal Swedish roots.
She explained, "There's just something about birch bark. That's what Swedes use to weave. Duwamish traditionally use red cedar, so I combined the two woods and created my Heritage Basket."
You can see Mary Lou Slaughter's work on display for two months at the Duwamish Longhouse Museum, 4717 West Marginal Way SW. (206) 431-1582. Call for hours, or go to: www.duwamishtribe.org and click "Longhouse Events."
Steve Shay may be reached 932-0300 or steves@robinsonnews.com.
