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Artist Database
PERATROVICH, Selina
- Born
- Old Massett, British Columbia, 1890
- Died
- , 1984
- Biography synopsis
- Haida artist Selina Peratrovich (Selena/Selina Adams Harris) was born in Old Massett (also known as Haida Village), Queen Charlotte Islands in Northern British Columbia in 1890 (some sources state 1887or 1889). Peratrovich grew up in Howkan, Alaska, but later moved to Ketchikan, Alaska. At the age of 25, Peratrovich learned weaving by observing her mother-in-law, Elizabeth Adams. Although she spent much of her life in Alaska, Peratrovich visited Haida Gwaii several times a year, where she would harvest the materials necessary for basket weaving. She was one of the last weavers who had knowledge of producing traditional Haida spruce root baskets and hats. The art was almost lost until Peratrovich passed on her craft; she is recognized for sustaining and promoting Haida cultural heritage. Peratrovich is the mother and grandmother of noted artists Delores Churchill, Isabel Rorick and Elizabeth Vanderhoop.
- Media used
- Basket making
- File & Archive locations
- Library and Archives Canada, ON - Peter Winkworth Collection of Canadiana
- Royal British Columbia Museum
- BIBLIOGRAPHY
Writings about- Talking Alaska: The Priceless Heritage of Alaska's Native Languages, Parts 3-4 Alaska: Alaska Native Language Centre, (1978-1982)
- "Entwined with Life: Native American Basketry." Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture 2001
http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/baskets/artists/nnwc.html - "Index: Arts, Justice, Social." Canadian Press NewsWire (4 Oct. 2006)
- "Twentieth Anniversary Issue." American Indian Art Magazine 21.1 (Winter 1995): 39-99
- Arnold, Grant, et al. Topographies: Aspects of Recent B.C. Art Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1996
- Beaumont, Marie; Piper, Debbie. "Alaska Women in History Poster: Teacher's Guide." Celebrating Alaskan Women in the Arts & Women's History Month Juneau, Alaska: Alaska State Department of Education, 1988
- Busby, Sharon. Spruce Root Basketry of the Haida and Tlingit Seattle: Marquand Books, 2003
- Consortium for Pacific Arts and Cultures. Pacific Basket Makers, A Living Tradition: Catalog of the 1981 Pacific Basketmaker's Symposium and Exhibition Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Alaska Museum, 1983
- Dangel, Helen Dianne. A Celebration of Weavers: Catalog of Weavers and Baskets of the Doris Borhauer Basket Collection, Sitka, Alaska Virginia Beach, Virginia: Donning Co. Publishers, 2006
- Demmert, Jane. "Haida Basket Weavers: Selina Peratrovich and Delores Churchill." Alaska Native News 2.3 (1984): 32-33
- Enrico, John & Stuart, Wendy Bross. Northern Haida Songs University of Nebraska Press, 1996
- Fang, Madeleine W.; Binder, Marilyn R.; Haskell, Susan H. A Photographic Guide to the Ethnographic North American Indian Basket Collection, Volume 1 Cambridge, MA: Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, 1990
- Henrikson, S. "Selina Peratrovich (1890-1984)." American Indian Art Magazine 21.1 (Winter 1995): 88-89
- Jessup, Lynda; Bagg, Shannon. On Aboriginal Representation in the Gallery Hull, Quebec: Canadian Museum of Civilization, 2002
- Jonaitis, Aldona. Art of the Northwest Coast Seattle: University of Washington, 2006
- Thom, Ian M. Challenging Traditions: Contemporary First Nations Art of the Northwest Coast Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 2009
- Toelken, Barre. The Anguish of Snails: Native American Folklore in the West Utah State University Press, 2003
- Vancouver Art Gallery. Raven Travelling: Two Centuries of Haida Art Vancouver: 2006
