"When the nation's premier woolen company asked artist Jesse Henderson to design a Pendleton blanket, he took it seriously. “I was trying to be sensitive to my people,” said Henderson, a Chippewa-Cree from the Rocky Boy's Reservation in northern Montana. “It's not just another pretty blanket. I set out to show a good representation of us.” The Missoula resident met with a Cree Canadian spiritual leader. They went into a sweat lodge and prayed about how to respectfully represent the First Nations Cree in Canada and the United States using the designs of thunderbirds, drums and the sun. With the blessings of tribal spiritual leaders, Henderson has since designed a blanket that depicts the Cree communicating with the Creator. The design is well on its way to becoming a best-seller in the Pendleton Woolen Mills Legendary Blanket series. Each blanket in the series is given a name. And each blanket design is based on a specific tribe's beliefs, traditions and ceremonies. The best-seller to date reflects the horse culture." Get the Story:
Jodi Rave: Weaving a story: Missoula artist Jesse Henderson honors his Chippewa-Cree heritage (The Missoulian 2/28) Relevant Links:
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