SiSeeNaxAlt Gail White Eagle in the Artist Studio

About the Artist

My name is SiSeeNaxAlt; my English name is Gail White Eagle. I am a 52 year old enrolled member of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and reside in Auburn, WA. I was born in Seattle, Washington and I work for the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe as a Master Cultural Traditions Specialist. I did not grow up here in Auburn but in another urban area and during an era where it wasn’t ok to be Native. I always felt like I didn’t belong. I had many struggles during my young life and resorted to drinking and drugging. It wasn’t until I went to a Native Treatment center in 1994 that I started to learn about my Indian Identity, and reclaimed my identity as strong, resilient Native Woman. It was then that I made the lifetime goal of learning anything and everything about my Culture so that I could share with others like me who felt like they didn’t belong in a Western Society. I am a mother of 5 beautiful children and grandmother to 6 even more beautiful grandchildren. They are my life.

I have been weaving for the last 30 years with various fibers which include red cedar, yellow cedar, cattail, sweet grass, nettle, and cedar roots. Over the last 30 years I have committed to learning basketry techniques from many different elder teachers. Since then I am able to integrate traditional weaving techniques into any form of traditional or contemporary items.

I have been Coast Salish Weaving for the last 15 years; which in the old days consisted of harvesting, carding, and spinning mountain goat hair, specially bred wooly dog hair, cattail fluff, fireweed fluff and stinging nettle. Today, we are a little spoiled and are able to go to a store andbuy 10 skeins of wool to warp up our loom to weave a blanket, shawl, or regalia. 

Today I teach those same weaving techniques to Youth, Adults and Elders, and it is not limited to just learning the techniques but how to source the materials, process, dye and weave it. Because our Culture is broad and in-depth I also teach and guide others to harvest edible plants such as stinging nettle, camas, and wild berries. I share my knowledge of processing salmon, smoking, and canning of many different foods. I also participate in the training of our canoe pullers using holistic methods and have been a skipper of Muckleshoot Canoes for the last 10 years.

I continue to teach culturally and work as an artist from my home in Muckleshoot, revitalizing older styles of basketry, regalia and utilitarian items that were used in ceremonies, cooking, and everyday harvesting. I design contemporary items such as earrings, bracelets, coffee mugs, vases, headbands and next on my list are cedar face masks and face shields. I am on the Board of Directors for the National Native Basket Weavers Association and Coast Salish Wool Weaving Center.

My lifetime duty will always be to continue to carry my work in a good way for my people and to preserve, evolve and teach.