Jenny Williams

I am Nez Perce/Omaha, raised on the Nez Perce Reservation, and named for my grandmother Jane Red Cloud (Grandma Jenny), a Menominee from Wisconsin. She taught me to bead, knit, crochet, darn, cook, dig roots, and cut up deer meat for drying. She spoke Nez Perce so she could communicate with her Nez Perce in-laws. My introduction to cornhusk weaving came while visiting the Nez Perce National Historical Park. Several elder Nez Perce women were displaying their work and I was overwhelmed by its beauty. I wanted to learn the art, but few elders were willing to teach; even my own grandmother did not know how, so I taught myself. I learned the basics of the warp and the weft, simple designs, how to weave both round and flat bags, and how and when to gather the natural fibers. After learning the basics, I began studying with master weavers from around the northwest. I have a deep love and dedication for this traditional art form. I have been a featured weaver at the Northwest Native American Weaver's Conference and enjoy sharing my knowledge with other weavers. I was featured in the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian magazine (January 2003). My child-size cornhusk that is part of the permanent collection at the National Museum of the American Indian. In addition, I have demonstrated cornhusk weaving at the museum. I enjoy weaving with cornhusk, pine needles, cedar bark, jute, bear grass, and other traditional grasses. I have learned the art of gathering and processing Dog Bain (Hemp) twine, which was the traditional material used to weave cornhusk to create baskets, hats, and bags for storing roots and berries. Weaving has been my passion for more than 25 years and I believe it is critical to passing on this tradition to those who want to learn.