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Pendleton Blankets
The blanket has been and is a constant in the life of the Native American; rituals are tied to blankets from birth to death - births, christenings, marriages and burial. Blankets were used to pay debts, show gratitude or indicate status; they were used as temporary shelters, warmth, adornment; shade in the heat and warmth in the winter. They were used as a trade item between tribes so to accept commercially made blankets from Europeans in trade was a natural transition. The first trade blankets were very simple - solid colors with contrasting stripes. Various woolen mills sprang up to supply the traders with blankets. Then in 1896, Pendleton woolen Mills in Pendleton, Oregon became the only mill founded specifically to produce trade blankets. By the late 1800s, most Native peoples had been resettled onto reservations and the trading posts became the focal points for food, jewelry, clothes and blankets. The woolen mills found a built-in market for their blankets and the high-quality Pendleton blankets eventually became the favorite. By the end of World War II, all the American woolen mills had gone out of business with the exception of Pendleton. Although Pendleton blankets are not Indian-designed or Indian-made, many non-Native people recognize Pendleton as Indian goods. The name has become a universal and generic descriptor for any of the distinctively patterned blankets, even those made by other mills.
Pre-World War II Pendleton blanket that are especially sought after by collectors were light, warm, inexpensive and easy to replace and therefore, really used. As a result, there are few that have survived in good condition. With this renewed interest, there are new designs being created. Pendleton has contracted with Santa Fe artists Ramona Sakiestewa who became the first Native American to design a series of blankets for Pendleton. In his surrender speech delivered in 1897, Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce said: "It is cold and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are — perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children and see how many of them I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my chiefs. I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever." If the Pendleton Blanket is an art form you're interest in for collecting or either buying for yourself or giving as a gift, become familiar with it. Visit museums to study the various items, materials, tribal affiliations and designs. Go to art shows that showcase these items. Antique shows are also a good venue - go through the booths of vendors selling these items. If they are passionate about what they have for sale, they will answer your questions. And, of course, inter-tribal powwows are excellent venues to look and ask. Native American Arts has free e-books covering the subjects of Collecting and Fraudulence that are excellent! Return to Weaving-Rugs from Pendleton Blankets
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