Gladys Lavallee

Moose hair and caribou hair tuftings are a traditional form of decoration used by most Northern Indians. The craft had all but been forgotten until a few years ago.

The moose hair most suitable for tufting is very late fall or mid winter and usually all or most of the hair can be used. The hair should be left on the hide and cut into small pieces then dried. It is then ready for dyeing.

A pattern may be drawn onto the velvet or it may be done free hand. A small bundle of hair is cut off and a stitch is made around the hair and pulled tight. This makes the hair stand up in a tuft. The hair is then sculpted with scissors to create a very beautiful and unique picture.

Gladys Lavallee is of native ancestry, born in Northern Manitoba. She moved to Yellowknife on November 7, 1968 where she learned her craft. Gladys has been living in Carmacks, Yukon since 1979.