2012 Product Information Guide

LEGENDARY BLANKETSThe role of blankets is woven deep in the history of Native Americans. For centuries,they have been used for warmth and comfort, as a medium of exchange, for artisticexpression and as an important part of ceremonies and tribal councils. Pendletonhas worked closely with Native Americans to create high-quality blankets in vividdesigns. Pendleton’s collectible Legendary Series honors this culture’s special symbols,traditions and beliefs. A new commemorative design is introduced each year, witha woven label telling the design’s story. They are true collectibles, to use and enjoytoday and pass down for generations to come.All Night MeetingThe All Night Meeting design is from an original pen-and-ink and colored pencildrawing by Yankton Sioux artist Joseph Chamberlain. His work often portrays spiritualaspects of Plains Indians. This pictorial represents a meeting traditional among Lakota,Nakota and Dakota tribes at which members drum, pray and meditate. The sevenfigures in the meeting and the seven Water Birds represent the Seven Fires shared bythe peoples on their journey to the Plains. The Seven Council Fires represent thegoverning group of the seven tribes of the Sioux Nation. The two warriors hold agourd rattle, small drum and other items used during the meeting. Water Birdssymbolize the renewal of life, the rain and rivers that feed us. Moon and Sun signifythe all-night nature of the meeting.Celebrate the HorseA brave warrior astride a swift steed thunders across the plain, accompanied by wildmustangs perhaps yet to be tamed. Similar vivid images were painted on buffalo hidesby Plains Indians in the 1800s. The Celebrate the Horse blanket is based on a designfrom the Blackfoot tribe, expert horsemen who called the animal “elk-horse” for itsgreat size. The arrival of the horse with 16th-century Spanish Conquistadors changedforever the culture of Native Americans, influencing the tribes’ migration, trading, herdingand hunting. Eventually Sioux, Cayuse, Nez Perce, Crow, Comanche, Cheyenne, Kiowaand other tribes became horse-based societies and cultures.Circle of Life/EldersThe Circle Of Life blanket honors tribal Elders who teach that all things are interrelatedand an equal part of the whole. It is a reminder that we are all children of the Earth,and we all share an equal place in the circle. The four sacred colors– yellow, red, blackand white–represent the four Directions and humankind, and when mixed togethercreate brown, the color of Mother Earth. The east represents the Sun and is yellow. Thesouth represents the warmth and vitality of life-blood and is red. The west representsthe darkness in the night sky and is black. And the north signifies the purity of snowand is white. Each direction also represents a stage of life: east symbolizes birth, souththe vitality of youth, west the maturity of experience and north the wisdom of age.The Circle of Life blanket includes blue for the sky and green for the Earth.Shared SpiritsThe Shared Spirits blanket celebrates the commonalities of many Native Americantribes. This brilliantly colored design incorporates imagery that is universal amongmany the tribes rather than symbols specific to one tribe or region. The sun, moon, starsand rain clouds represent an honored relationship with the spiritual world of the cosmos.Native American reverence for the natural world is represented by both flora (corn, squash,beans and tobacco) and fauna (buffalo, elk, bear and eagle). The dynamic central image isa sacred circle filled with a cross, a universal symbol of the origin of humankind and thefour directions that guide us on our journey through life.SpringThe Spring legendary blanket is based on an original design by Chickasaw artistDustin Mater. The blanket is rich with symbolism common to several tribes of theMississippian/Muskegon culture of the Southeastern United States. Mater’s designrepresents the annual rebirth of the earth through the spring rains. The vivid shade ofgreen signifies a fresh beginning and the promise of new life and prosperity. Central tothe piece is a spiral, illustrating the human soul and its cycle. Another important symbolis the pashofa paddle. This long wooden tool is used to stir pashofa, a traditional hominydish central to the Chickasaw diet and cultural tradition of food and communitygathering. Woodpecker eyes are emblematic of good luck, happiness and wealth.The Storyteller/Keep My Fires BurningKeep My Fires Burning is a tribute to Native American storytellers. Storytellers fill animportant role in each tribe, passing on to future generations the customs, beliefs andhistory of their culture. They teach through the interpretation of tales they learned fromtheir elders, who learned before them. They then add their own experiences to thestories. Using language as their tool, these important tribe members (usually an elder,shaman or artist) perpetuate Native American traditions of healing, song and dance,ceremony, religion and, most importantly, the story of creation. In many ways, today’steachers and educators are storytellers, passing on to the next generation the customs,beliefs and history of our society.TurtleThe Turtle blanket recognizes the Iroquois Confederacy: the Oneida, Seneca, Mohawk,Cayuga, Onondaga and Tuscarora Nations. The Turtle design is a representation of theIroquois Creation legend. Long ago, the earth was covered with deep water and therewere no people. According to stories, the birds saw Skywoman fall from the sky. As shefell, she grabbed the roots of a tree from heaven. The birds spread their wings togetherto save her. Only the Turtle was strong enough to hold her, so they placed her on theturtle’s back. There she planted the roots; and as her garden grew, Turtle grew in size firstbecoming a large island, then finally North America, known as Turtle Island.Lakota Way of LifeThe Lakota Way of Life blanket is based on the art of Jim Yellowhawk, a member ofthe Cheyenne River Lakota Sioux Tribe. It is a visual representation of Pte Oyate –the Buffalo Nation. For many Plains Tribes, the buffalo sustained all life. Every part ofthe animal was used – the meat for food, and hides for robes, tepee covers and shields.Horns were crafted into bowls and arrow points, fat was rendered for candles and soap.Swift horses, introduced by the Spanish in the 16th century, became essential to thebuffalo hunt. The tepee and blanket strips signify the four winds, the world above andbelow, as well as night and day. In this unique design, a Pendleton Blanket serves as abuffalo robe, keeping the body warm and the spirit strong.14 15