Today was a bit of work but we also had fun too. We went to the Lenape Indian Museum. They happened to be demonstrating what the Lenape people did for fibers and weaving. Well they didn't use animal fibers, they did of course use leather. They fibers they used where plant fibers such as nettle, milk weed, blood root and different tree barks. If I paid attention The strongest fiber they had was blood root.
They used an awl to poke holes in the leather before sewing. That was a beaver tooth, then they just used the sinew of the deer as sewing thread. Before beads they used porcupine quills to do there embellishments.
The most unusual thing I didn't know about. They didn't use a drop spindle to spin there fiber. They did it all by had, ALL OF IT. They would spin the fiber between there thumb and four finger. Then twist it over another bunch of fiber. So by hand they would be spinning and plying at the same time. The demonstrator gave us a piece of raffia to try our had at it. Ed had five minutes then he was done. I did my piece and then his.
It was a really good time. I learned quite a bit and had fun with it. If you are ever in the Allentown Area stop by the Museum. They do have events all year plus they do a really good Pow Wow they call the roasting of corn festival. That is in August. So if you get the chance to go you just may see us there.
No comments:
Post a Comment