Weaving has been part of Unangax̂ heritage for thousands of years, from large baskets to small ornaments. An exhibit at the Museum of the Aleutians in Unalaska shows the art form’s evolution.
Unalaska weaver Risa Causey presented her work on Nov. 29 as part of Native American Heritage Day. She examined dozens of modern baskets at the museum, pieces created throughout recent decades by various weavers, including the Unangax̂ women who taught her the craft.
Causey started weaving at age nine when elders taught the traditional craft at her school in Nikolski, a neighboring island community west of Unalaska.
"Agnes Sevorov, Augusta Dushkin and Christine Dushkin — they were elders in Nikolski," she said.
The baskets range from small decorative pieces with colorful embroidery to larger functional baskets, showcasing different artists' craftsmanship. Causey brought one basket she made from wire, though traditionally, baskets were woven with grass collected from the Aleutian Islands.
Museum Collections Manager Joselle Hale said the museum houses many woven artifacts, including mats preserved in caves.
"These are at least 2,000 years old, but likely weaving has been here since the Unangax̂ people arrived, and the oldest sites archaeologically found are about 5,000-9,000 years ago," Hale said. "That's a long time ... lots of time to perfect the craft."
The special collection shows the evolution of basket weaving, from traditional large fish baskets to modern adaptations. Recent artists have incorporated contemporary items, weaving around hot sauce bottles and COVID-19 vaccine vials using grass and raffia, a fiber commonly found in craft stores.
Causey primarily worked with raffia but recently started focusing on grass, which has its own advantages and challenges. If the grass becomes too wet, it can get moldy and deteriorate, but when it’s prepared correctly, it is more refined.
"I like weaving with grass because once you get the width of it, it doesn't split," Causey said. "The grass down here has barbs, so it doesn't come apart when you weave it, and it's just lovely."
Causey weaves with grass harvested around Unalaska. She said grass varies in color throughout the region.
"The grass out west, Atka and Attu, everybody says is the best grass because it is really white," she said. "This grass is from Unalaska, and it kind of has a pinkish tinge, which I like, but they would think it was inferior to theirs because it's not as pale straw-colored."
To help spread the tradition of basket weaving, Causey teaches the craft to eight students in Unalaska. She plans to continue developing her skills using grass and making more baskets.
