Making String Videos
On a visit to Humboldt County, I was honored to meet Janie Risling, a Hoopa elder, who invited Malika Rubin-Davis and I to demonstrate the craft of processing iris fiber and making cordage as part of a project for the Me'dil Institute.
These first 3 videos form a series on How to Make Iris Twine.
There are also shorter single videos on 3 ply cordmaking and making cord with 2 people.
They were filmed by Native American Studies students at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA in the fall of 2012.
Enjoy!
Videographer Sky Schofield put lots of effort into this short intro.
Parts 2 and 3 are the nuts and bolts of iris twine making.
Courtesy of the Me'dil Institute, a nonprofit corporation chartered by the Hoopa Valley Tribe.
Part 2 of three part series on this channel:
Making twine or string using iris fibers found throughout the Pacific Northwest.
As demonstrated by Tamara Wilder of Paleotechnics
Courtesy of the Me'dil Institute, a nonprofit corporation chartered by the Hoopa Valley Tribe.
Part 3 of three part series on this channel.
Making twine or string using iris fibers found throughout the Pacific Northwest.
As demonstrated by Tamara Wilder of Paleotechnics
Courtesy of the Me'dil Institute, a nonprofit corporation chartered by the Hoopa Valley Tribe.
3 Ply Iris Twine Making.
As demonstrated by Tamara Wilder of Paleotechnics
You can see the longer version of the original iris twine video in three parts on this channel or in one video here.
Courtesy of the Me'dil Institute, a nonprofit corporation chartered by the Hoopa Valley Tribe.
Making 2 ply twine with 2 people using Dogbane.
Courtesy of the Me'dil Institute, a nonprofit corporation chartered by the Hoopa Valley Tribe.
Full length Iris Twine Video on Internet Archive.
Courtesy of the Me'dil Institute, a nonprofit corporation chartered by the Hoopa Valley Tribe.
ME’DIL is the Hoopa word for boat, that is, the redwood dug-out canoe traditionally used by northwest California tribes for cultural and ceremonial purposes. The name is also an acronym that sets forth the mission of the organization: Maintaining, Enhancing, Defending Indigenous Living.
Visit their website for more information.
The Me’dil Institute is a nonprofit corporation chartered by the Hoopa Valley Tribe. They operate to support traditional cultural activities of California tribes as a means of sustaining Indian identity and improving community health through a broad cross-section of indigenous cultural revitalization initiatives, including:
For the Children. Research and writing relating to traditional world view and values, indigenous identity issues and trends in tribal membership.
Community Sharing Gatherings. Grass-roots, low or no budget gatherings which bring practitioners of traditional arts or community health together to share knowledge and experience with the community.
Living Traditions. Practicing traditional arts and transmitting traditional knowledge.
Making Their Presence Known. Advocacy and Public education presentations.
Their activities are values based and thus relevant to all of Indian Country, however, their efforts focus on traditional practices of tribes in California. They focus on documenting and transmitting traditional knowledge that promotes continuation of the land based cultural practices that reinforce balanced, harmonious and respectful life ways.
