Other Materials Used For Weaving

Spruce roots were dug early in the spring. Only a few of the smallest and thinnest roots were taken so that the tree would not die. The roots were washed, partly dried, soaked and then split into strips.

Cattails and Tules

Cattails and tules were collected near Fishery Bay during the spring oolican run in April. The stalks were cut, sun dried, then slightly moistened before sewn together for mats and capes.

Wool

Mountain goat wool was gathered high on the mountains. The woolly undercoat is finer than cashere wool. It is shed between the end of May and mide July. Mountain goats shed their wool in patches, first from the head, shoulders and legs and finally from their rump. Nisga'a collected the mountain goat wool from the ground and from shrubs where it was shed.

Mountain goat were killed for food. If the hair was taken off the skin it was used for weaving. This fleece contains long coarse hairs which had to be romoved and thrown away.

The hair was cleaned with a white clay solution. The solution soaked up the grease and left the wool fibres clinging together. The weaver carded the hair with her fingers and made it up into loose hanks.

Yarn was made bye rolling and twisting the hair. Before it was woven it was sheared, dyed twined around thin cedar bark strips and strung.

*Nisga'a made glue from fungus. A special fungus was beaten together with rotten oolichans. This glue is said to have been very strong and long lasting.