tional dress, these clothes are worn at feasts and potlatches, weddings, celebrations, graduations, gatherings, and during performances. Wearing special clothing at events such as these is a long-standing tradition for Athapaskan people. These special items of clothing continue to tell us about the wearer. Many have a wolf or crow incorporated into the design indicating the clan of the wearer. Some women wear sashes that tell us where they are from. Sewers tend to develop an individual style over the years that is recognizable to other sewers and community members. Many people can determine a sewer by looking at the style, colours, and patterns of work. Today beadwork is both an art and a craft. Many individuals think nothing of properly compensating sewers for their time and efforts. Some sewers continue to participate in the cash
economy by selling their work. Others sew for family and friends or simply for the love of creating something beautiful with their hands. Through beadwork women add beauty to our world.
Photo: Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Archives.