yafuseekyávans - Cultural Dressmakers

The Cultural Resource Fund (CRF) grant funds activities to include gathering trips, community classes, and workshops that emphasize the importance of dresses and the stories associated with them. Activities will coincide with a yearlong mentorship program, in which Karuk girls (apprentices) will apply for a special grant, made available with CRF funds, to work with a mentor and a cultural expert to complete a dress. The apprentices will create a visual journal of their passage from novice to proficient dressmaker. Awards upon completion of dresses will be given to the apprentices at a special reception at the Karuk Tribe People’s Center during the Karuk Tribal Reunion. Mentors and cultural experts will receive stipends for sharing their time, knowledge, and expertise with apprentices upon completion of the project.