The Cowichan Sweater

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Function
Coast Salish women of southern Vancouver Island have produced Cowichan Sweaters for nearly a century. These women had a long tradition of weaving before contact with the Europeans and their blankets played a major role in both early coastal trade relationships and ceremonial purposes (The Ring , 2000). When the Europeans introduced knitting to this group they adapted the craft to produce these warm, waterproof and long lasting sweaters. The sweater originates from the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. Because the people lived in an outdoor environment it was important for this sweater to withstand outdoor living conditions and to protect the wearer against the elements such as rain and snow. The natural oils are left in the wool, which retains the lanolin and gives the sweaters their waterproof quality. These knitted items are much in demand and many Cowichan bands have websites where the sweaters can be custom ordered. They sell from $300- $600 and based on testimonials on their websites, are being bought by people all over the world who recognize the artistry and uniqueness of this highly recognizable garment from the west coast of Vancouver Island (ACS, 2007). These sweaters are indeed world famous and have often been presented as gifts to visiting dignataries over the years. It is interesting to note that one seldom sees First Nations people wearing these sweaters. The function of these sweaters seems to have shifted to one of family income rather than protection from the elements of the west coast. According to Liscomb, in the film, " The Story of the Coast Salish Knitters" the women speak of staying up all night knitting a sweater to buy groceries the next day for their families" (The Ring, 2000). Like their previous tradition of weaving, Coast Salish women have put their creative energies into a product that generates benefits for their families and communities while showcasing their skill and artistry.

Artistry
In the early years of sweater production, Cowichan Sweaters were made from “pure, raw sheep's wool” (George, n.d.). Specifically, only the fleece from Dorset, Hampshire and Suffolk sheep were used, offering a range of natural colours from creamy white to brown, black, and grey (TCS, n.d.). Even though the wool was left un-dyed, most of the hard work took place before the wool even made it onto the knitting needles. According to Jennifer George, a Coast Salish Knitter, “[the] wool was processed leaving the lanolin intact and weatherproof. Just after sheering time [her] whole family would go on a big outing to the farm for the raw sheep's wool. It was [the kids] job to take the bigger sticks and things out of the wool. This was followed by "walking' or 'dancing' on the wool-in-cold-water in large galvanized tubs to wash it. The sheep's wool would then spend a couple of weeks hanging out in the rain, wind, and sun, for bleaching and cleaning.” Next the wool would be carded into uniform strands (by continuously turning a large handle) and then spun into yarn on a foot-powered spinning wheel. Once the wool was processed and spun into yarn, the knitting began. While knitting was first introduced to the Coast Salish women by the European settlers, the Cowichan sweaters they created from this new skill are uniquely Coast Salish (Liscomb, 2000). According to TCS, a true Cowichan sweater will have about 4.5 pounds of slightly uneven wool yarn knitted ‘in the round’ which means that there are only seams on the tops of the shoulders (n.d.). The benefit of knitting ‘in the round’ is that this technique lends strength to the garment resulting in a more durable sweater, in fact, “if the sweater is not washed too often, say about once every four or 5 years in very mild detergent so as not to remove the natural oils, the sweater will have a life span of about 80 years” (TCS, n.d.)! All Cowichan sweaters also have the same trademark collared neckline, however, consumers have three style choices when selecting their personal Cowichan sweater: v-neck pull-over, zipper front, or a button-up style. The latter two choices require the knitter to knit the sweater in the open state. The zipper or buttons are then sewn on by hand. Sweaters that are cut apart down the center and have zippers sewn in by machine are weaker in structure and have a significantly reduced life expectancy (TCS, n.d.). In the past, this process from sheep to sweater was time consuming and generally not properly paid for by shopkeepers who purchased such sweaters to sell in their stores. In more recent years, Coast Salish women have realized the true value of such sweaters and expect fairer prices for their ‘labors of love’. As for the process, while Coast Salish families have developed more efficient wool processing means and no longer ‘dance’ on the wool in cold water, instead washing the wool by hand in boiling water, in general, the wool processing remains very much unchanged (George, n.d.).

Design
The symbols used on Cowichan sweaters represent clans of the Coast Salish people and are why these functional sweaters are also distinctive ethnic art forms. Animal motifs include the killer whale, twin eagles, deer design, and jumping salmon which all figure prominently in the legends of these first nation peoples (TGCS, 2007). Non-animal designs featured include snowflakes, stripes and waves. Both the Whale and Eagle depicted on the sweater above are integral parts of the coastal environment. The whales are symbols of great fishermen and the protectors of people while on the ocean, and the Eagle symbolizes power, peace and friendship to the Coast Salish (SCNE, 2007). Each Cowichan sweater is unique, incorporating designs of animals, birds, and sea creatures and/or non-animal designs including snowflakes, stripes, and geometric shapes, which have been passed down from mother to daughter (Liscomb, 2000). A variety of borders are used on Cowichan sweaters and this one seems to look somewhat like waves although a more obvious wave pattern is also available. Cowichan sweaters are custom designed for people who wish to select traditional First Nation symbols or their own design patterns and a custom-knit sweater takes 2 to 3 weeks to complete (TGCS, 2007).

Environment
To describe the environment of the Cowichan Valley by looking at the sweaters one must know some background information about where the fibers of the sweater came from. Sheep were first introduced to Vancouver Island in the mid 1850’s. It was around the same time that European settlers started arriving in the Cowichan Valley. We can infer that the European settlers brought these sheep from their homeland fully knowing their great worth. These sheep have been sheared and prepared as raw wool since then (TCS, n.d). According to TSC, if treated properly, “the wool retains its lanolin which is the natural oil that gives the wool its strength and integrity” (n.d). Due to the high humidity of this part of the world it is vital that these sweaters be both warm and water-resistant. These features are at the top of the list for workers in this area.


Identity
As mentioned previously in the Design section, Cowichan Sweaters greatly represent the wearer’s identity. Many of the symbols on the sweaters show the coastal wildlife of the area. Everything from Eagle, Elk and Killer Whale to Deer and Bear are used in these sweaters. In addition to animals, some designs have been passed down through generations and others are taken from traditional Salish basketry and weaving motifs (TGCS, n.d). Each symbol represents specific characteristics embodied by the clan.


Reference List

George, J. (n.d.). Jennifer George, Knitter – A Coast Salish Journey. Retrieved March 3, 2007, from http://www3.telus.net/Coast_Salish_Journey/jennifer.html∞

Liscomb, R. (2000). The Story of the Coast Salish Knitters [electronic version]. UVIC Knowledge: Research and Discovery at the University of Victoria. Vol.1 No.7. Retrieved March 10, 2007, from http://communications.uvic.ca/edge/v1n07_2000.pdf∞

Sa-Cinn Native Enterprises Ltd. (2007). Authentic Cowichan Sweaters. Retrieved March 10, 2007, from http://www.sa-cinn.com/cowichanmain.htm∞

The Cowichan Sweater: Some background. Retrieved March 11, 2007, from http://www.cvvm.com/cvvmzine/sweater.htm∞

The Genuine Cowichan Sweater. (2007). Genuine Cowichan. Retrieved March 10, 2007, from http://www.quwutsun.ca/measurement.htm∞

The Ring. (2000). Film tells story of Coast Salish knitters. Retrieved March 10, 2007, from http://ring.uvic.ca/00sept22/welsh.html∞