Indigenous Weavers of the Americas: Artistry, Agency and Appropriation

Jessica Seymour

Advisor: Dr. Astrid Runggaldier

Abstract

My thesis can be divided into three main areas of interest: the agency and artistry of indigenous weavers in the Americas; the relationship between colonization and indigenous identity; and how the dismissal and appropriation of designs and patterns highlight a systematic disregard for indigenous textile arts. The research builds on many of the themes I encountered in ARH 322, Issues in Exhibitions and Collections of Visual Arts: Textile Arts of the Indigenous Americas. Weaving and textile arts are consistently overlooked and dismissed as a form of “craft” instead of fine art. This is a direct result of the well-established hierarchy of art media that the West has historically promoted. Much of this prejudice comes from the identity of weavers, who are often women of color. Despite colonial attempts to classify weaving as a product of domestic homemaking, textiles function as incredibly complex forms of communication. While this has long been understood in various Indigenous cultures, colonization uprooted traditional systems of expression. In order to address this progression, I conducted three case studies highlighting how textiles were celebrated in Maya, Inka, and Diné societies. By stressing the cultural value of textiles, I challenge the established hierarchy of media, framing it as a product of misguided colonial values. It is crucial that I also acknowledge issues of colonialism as ongoing and not frame them as products of a distant past. The treatment of indigenous people and their material culture is still the subject of much ethical debate. My goal is to contribute positively to this larger discussion while respectfully acknowledging the rich and diverse culture of America’s indigenous peoples.