Biography of Jennie Thlunaut: Part 5

"Jennie Thlunaut” Master Chilkat Blanket Artist
by Rosita Worl and Charles Smythe
from the Exhibit book “The Artists Behind the Work”
published by the University of Alaska Museum,
Fairbanks, Alaska 1986
Reprinted here with author's permission
Jennie Thlunaut 1892-1986

Jimmy Martin’s Blanket

Jimmy Martin had ordered a Chilkat blanket from Jennie. He told her he wanted to be buried with it because he had been given the name Yaakwaan, which is the name of a noble, a “big name.”

Before Jimmy was able to get the blanket from Jennie, he drowned. As soon as she learned of his death she went to his home and told his son. “ You daddy order some blanket. He wants to use it when he died. He put on his casket in the graveyard. I got it one at home. He order that, that’s why I tell you.” Jennie returned home, packed the blanket, and mailed it to his family. Jennie later received a picture of the blanket which had been cut into four pieces. The blanket pieces had been attached to an anchor and thrown into the water where Jimmy Martin was presumed drowned. Jennie said, “That’s all right, that’s my brother.” Jimmy was a member of the Kaagwaantaan Clan, which is also the clan to which Jennie belongs.

Fig. 22. Jennie Thlunaut instructs student, Edna Jackson at the Chilkat weaving workshop taught by Jennie at Raven House in Haines in 1985. The workshop was sponsored by the Institute of Alaska Native Arts. Photo by Larry McNeil (www.larrymcneil.com)

Jennie Thlunaut has continued to make Chilkat blankets and shirts up until a few years ago when her eyesight failed. Many of blankets and shirts are still seen and used in the traditional potlaches. Some remain the property of clans and others are sold by the Tlingits who had originally ordered them from Jennie. Jennie also indicates that some of the blankets she made were made for commercial sale to non-Tlingits.Jennie is best known for her Chilkat blanket weaving. However, she is an accomplished spruce root basket weaver as well (plate 11). She made baskets primarily for commercial sale sometimes for gifts. In addition, Jennie designs and sews her own beadwork. She continues even to this day to sew moccasins. She has made beaded vests for her family members (fig. 9,10).

Jennie Thlunaut is ninety-two years old (March 1984). Jennie has said she feels strong in her mind, but her body will not do what she wants it to. At one of her low points, when her eyes began to fail. she was so disheartened that she said she might as well have her hands cut off since she could no longer work. The depression was only momentary since she did continue to work. She remains active and alert. Today she continues to travel, visiting friends and relatives in the northern Tlingit communities. She never misses participating in a potlatch or attending Alaska Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood conventions. She is a devout Christian and a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is admired and loved by all.

Endnotes

The following is a list of the blankets and shirts Jennie recalls making. The listed amount represents the price she received or the money she received during a potlatch.

Chilkat Shirts
1. John Mark (Thlunaut), Haines
She made a shirt for her husband who sold it to someone who worked on the Sheldon Jackson vessel.
2. John Mark (Thlunaut), Haines
She made a duplicate shirt after he sold the first one. Austin Hammond, who succeeded John Marks, inherited this shirt.
3. Jack David, Haines
Spirit Naa Tuxgaayi. Austin Hammond also inherited this shirt. $300.00
4. Peter Dick, Angoon $300.00
5. Tom Jimmie, Haines $400.00
6. Jimmie Marks, Hoonah
Gift to Jimmy, who had adopted Jennie. Shirt woven with bear crest.

Chilkat Blankets
1. First blanket $50.00
2. Second blanket made in Ketchikan ca. 1910, traded for a gold watch.
3. Third blanket made in Ketchikan ca. 1910, sold for a sailing boat.
4. Wrangell $50.00
5. Juneau $50.00
6. Sitka--Frog design $50.00
7. Mrs. Charles Benson, Sitka $300.00
8. Annie Sauaton, Angoon $300.00
9. Mr. Johnson, Angoon $300.00
10. John Smith, Hoonah $300.00
11. Joseph Pratt, Hoonah $300.00
12. Mrs. Jimmy Martin $300.00
13. Mrs. Hakkinen, Haines $300.00
14. Mrs. Schnable, Haines $300.00
15. Alaska Native Arts and Craft Cache, Juneau $300.00
16. Alaska Native Arts and Craft Cache, Juneau $300.00
17. Alaska Native Arts and Craft Cache, Juneau $300.00
18. Alaska Native Arts and Cache Cooperative, Juneau $1000.00
19. Carl Heinmiller, Haines $500.00
20. Jenny Marks, Juneau
Lukwaax.adi Clan (wife of Jimmie Marks) $600.00
21. Jenny Marks, Juneau $600.00
22. K’alaxeitl (Sam Hopkins) $600.00
23. K’alaxeitl (Sam Hopkins) $600.00
24. Joe White, Hoonah $600.00
25. Joe White, Hoonah
Chief of the Shangukeidi. Desigh with Gagaan Yatx’i (Children of the Sun). Brought out at the dedication of the new Shangukeidi tribal house in Klukwan in 1971, named Kawdliyaayi Hit X’oow. $600.00
26. Mary Hamilton, Fairbanks, $1000.00
27. Rosita Worl, Shangukeidi, Anchorage. Jennie and John Mark Thlunaut’s grandaughter. Eagle crest (fig. 22) $2000.00
28. Dan Katzeek’s daughter in Skagway. Design: Kutkataa Ch’aak’ (nesting eagle) This design was designed by Johnnie Marks. $10,000.00
29. Josephine Winders. Wolf.
30. Agnes Bellinger, Juneau. Wolf
31. Jimmie Martin. Kaagwaantaan. Chilkat blanket put into water after he drowned.
32. Johnny Marks. Likwaax.adi Chookaneidi Yaidi. Jennie gave this to him as a gift. Design: “Two-door house” (formerly named Raven House)
33. Sheldon Jackson Museum. Small Chilkat blanket with a frog emerging from its winter hibernation (plate 12). Jennie gave this to pay for one of her daughter’s tuition at Sheldon Jackson. Les Yaw donated it to the museum two years ago.

Fig. 23. Jennie Thlunaut demonstrates weaving Chilkat blankets at the Festival of American Folklife, 1984. Anna Ehlers, Juneau, has been learning weaving techniques from Jennie. Photo courtesy Smithsonian Institution.

Bibliography

Goldschmidt, Walter R., and Theodore H. Haas.
1946. Possessory Rights of the Natives of Southeast
Alaska. A Report to the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs. "N.p."

Krause, Aurel. 1956. The Tlingit Indians. "Translated
by Erna Gunther. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

Oberg, Kalervo. 1973. The Social Economy of the Tlingit
Indians. The American Ethnological Society Monograph
No. 55. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

Samuels, Cheryl. 1982. The Chilkat Dancing Blanket.
Seattle: Pacific Search Press.

Thlunaut, Jennie. 1983. Taped interviews and transcripts
with Rosita Worl and Charles Smythe with the assistance
of Johnny Marks. "The Artists Behind the Work": Oral
History Program, Alaska Polar Regions Collections,
RasmusonLibrary, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.

ACKNOWELDGEMENTS

We would like to acknolwedge the graciousness and iwllingness of Jennie thlunaut to work with us. We realize we have only been able to capture some of the highlights of her life. Although she is remarkably strong for her years, she was only able to work with us for short periods during the limited time we had with her. We are also expecially granteful to John Marks who assisted us in the interviews and subsequently clarified many issues for us. Special thanks to Austin Hammond who took good care of us when we stayed in Yeil Hit.

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Clarissa Hudson
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