Fish Skin Baskets

[Jenny]

Anybody made any baskets from fish skins, or know anything about that? Years ago, I heard that it could be done. Then, last year I ate some dried, smoked salmon strips. I noticed that the skins were very tough, so I started collecting them as people tossed them in the trash. One of the natives noticed and asked me why I was doing that. When I told her that I wanted to learn to make baskets from them and was going to experiment with the strips, she smiled. She told me about when she was a little girl, her mom used to save the fish skins to make muk-luks for the children when they didn't have other warmer and more durable hides. She said they used to line them with dried grass for insulation, then wrap their feet in cloth before putting on the muk-luks. That kept the grass from sticking their feet.

She didn't really know how her mom did it. She could only remember the skins being dried. She also said that spawned out salmon were the best because they would stretch, and were prettier colors.

Last summer, I saved a few salmon skins, and some fins for decoration. Haven't done anything with them yet. One of the many things on my list of things to learn.......

Jenny
Alaska HOMESTEADING Journal

[smwon]

That is an interesting idea Jenny... something I would never have thought about. One question though, won't they um... smell?

[Jenny]

I don't think they'll smell. At least the few strips I've played with to learn the qualities of fish skins didn't smell. Maybe larger ones would. I'd think it would be like using raw hide or something. When I get around to actually making something from my fish skins I'll start another thread about it. For now, well . . . . . . it's all just speculation . . . . . ;D

Jenny
Alaska HOMESTEADING Journal