Irene Bigeagle

Irene Bigeagle

IL60640-002

audio

Oral History

Irene Bigeagle

Karen Musgrave

01/10/2008

Chicago, Illinois

Kim Greene

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<partial_transcript>This is Karen Musgrave, and I'm doing a Quilters' S.O.S. - Save Our Stories interview with Irene Biag-, -eagle, we are at the American Indian Center in Chicago, IL, today's date is December 10th, 2008, it is 2:15 in the afternoon, and Irene, thank you for doing this interview with me, and tell me about the. the block that you selected.</partial_transcript>
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<synopsis>Bigeagle's block depicts Kateri Tekakwitha, whom Bigeagle describes as "one of my patron saints." Bigeagle tells Tekakwitha's life story. She was a very religious woman who lived during the 1600s and died at the age of 24. She lost her family to smallpox, and, while she herself was not killed by smallpox, she was not very well after having it. Accoding to Bigeagles, Tekakwitha "declared herself a bride of Christ at an early age" and moved from New York to Canada to avoid a suitor. Bigeagle comments on Tekakwitha's good works several times. At the time of the interview, Tekakwitha had been beatified and needed to have only more more miracle attributed to her to become a saint. There is an annual Kateri Tekakwita Conference. In addition to Tekakwitha, the block depicts mountains, a river, trees, and a tiger lily. Bigeagle wants to do more work on the Kateri figure's dress and hair, but, aside from that, the block is pretty much complete.</synopsis>
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<keywords>American Indian Center (Chicago, IL); Kateri Tekakwitha; Kateri Tekakwitha Conference; Catholicism; Panels</keywords>
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<title>Involvement with Ancestor Quilt Project / How many panels has made</title>
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<partial_transcript>How long have you be-, have you been involved with the, um, Ancestor Quilt Project?</partial_transcript>
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<synopsis>When asked how long she has been involved, Bigeagle says, "Since Diane's been around..." [Diane's last name is not give, but a note in the interview transcript identifies her as Diane Green.] Bigeagle believes that, at the time of the interview, they have been working on this project since the previous year. Bigeagle has also made panels depicting an eagle, a woman, a cucumber plant, and a tobacco plant. The interviewer comments on the high quality of Bigeagle's embroidery. As of the time of the interview, Bigeagle was expecting to create an image of a buffalo next.</synopsis>
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<title>Interest in quiltmaking / Plans for panels</title>
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<partial_transcript>So, tell me about your interest in, in, in quiltmaking.</partial_transcript>
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<synopsis>Bigeagle finds quiltmaking therapeutic and it occupies her time. When asked about the plans for the panels, Bigeagles says, "We'll be making, uh, animal spirits, um, be making more animals and, eh, uh, ancestors." She expects to depict her ancestors on a panel for the ancestor quilt. She is also thinking of creating panels for either Crazy Horse or Geronimo. The interviewer suggests Bigeagles could do panels for both of them and Bigeagles says that she will, if she has enough fabric.</synopsis>
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<title>Favorite part of making quilt panels</title>
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<partial_transcript>So, what is your favorite part about making the quilts, the panels?</partial_transcript>
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<synopsis>Bigeagles says that her favorite part of making the panels is "making, trying to make, uh, the face, come alive..." The interviewer comments on the expressiveness of the eagle's eyes. The interviewer also comments on the increasing amount of detail in Bigeagles work. Bigeagles became involved in the Ancestor Quilt project, because Diane asked her to. [Diane's last name is not in the audio, but a note in the interview transcript identifies her as Diane Green.] Bigeagles had never had a particular interest in sewing and, while she had crocheted in the past, had not done so for years. Nevertheless, she agreed to quilt, as she thought, "I still have a few good years left in me. So long as my eyes are good and my knees, my fingers are, able to do it, why not?" She would like for more people to become involved in the Ancestor Quilt project</synopsis>
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<partial_transcript>What advice would you give somebody starting out?</partial_transcript>
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<synopsis>Bigeagle advises new quilters to have "patience and don't give up, even if you prick your fingers a few times." Once a picture is completed, Bigeagles likes sewing the borders. She aims for "good color combinations." She finds appropriate material in a shared rag bag. Bigeagles was involved in the hand dyeing of much of their fabric. but it was Diane who knew which plants to use for which colors. They tie dyed t-shirts, specifically to use for quilt borders [Diane's last name not given, but she is identified in transcript note as Diane Green.] Bigeagles likes the colors hand dyeing produces and also suggests, "maybe it's got more meaning, to dye your own fabric." When asked if she might at some point make something that she would keep, Bigeagles says she might, and that it would probably be an animal. The interviewer asks if animals are Bigeagles favorite subject for quilt panels, and she clarifies, "Yeah, animals and flowers, plants. I love plants."</synopsis>
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<transcript>Karen Musgrave (KM): This is Karen Musgrave and I am doing a Quilters' S.O.S. -

Save Our Stories interview with Irene Bigeagle. We are at the American Indian

Center in Chicago, Illinois. Today's date is December 10, 2008. It is 2:15 in

the afternoon. Irene, thank you for doing this interview with me. Tell me about

the block that you selected.

Irene Bigeagle (IB): I selected the block, of course, she is one of my patron

saints and her name is Kateri [Mohawk for Catherine as it is pronounced in

French.] Tekakwitha [translates literally to "she moves things."] and she was

born in 1600's [1656 to a Mohawk warrior and a Catholic Algonquin woman.]. She

passed on when she was twenty-four years old [April 17, 1680.]. From an early

age, she was interested in her religion, helping the poor and the sick. Her

parents and her brother died of smallpox. Her whole family died and she survived

but the disease left her with scars and poor eye sight and unable to get around

too well. She was sickly. She did a lot of things good. She was baptized when

she was in her early teens by the Black Bulls at that time. She declared herself

a bride of Christ at an early age. She went on to do her works of mercy and she

made all her sacraments. She left her home in New York and she traveled on the

rivers to Canada to get away from a man that her father wanted her to marry. She

won't accept that. She wanted to be what she wanted to be. She chose to be a

life with Christ. When she got to Canada, she did all her good works and she was

very religious. She helped with the poor and she did some miraculous things and

when she got sick she couldn't carry on no more. She was twenty-four years old

when she passed away. Her face was pox marked from the smallpox and at the

moment of her death her face cleared up. It was just as beautiful as any young

lady. Anyway, she was declared Venerable [by Pope Pius XII on January 3, 1943.]

and then Pope John Paul [II.] declared her Blessed [the first Native American to

be so honored.]. Now she needs one more miracle to be declared a saint. We are

hoping that it happens soon. We have a Kateri Tekakwitha Circle and it is held

once a year at different states where all the natives go to this Kateri

Tekakwitha conference. It has been held for seventy some years now. Every year

it is held a different state. Last year was in Edmonton Alberta, Canada, and the

last news we got there were possible miracles that they are looking into,

investigating. Hopefully we are praying that she becomes a saint very soon.

KM: Tell me about the different elements in your block.

IB: The picture I got was like this with a river and she is facing out. That

curve is the cedar trees and these are mountains I think or something. That

brown. [pointing to the mountains.] The flower, [pointing to the flower in the

block.] the Tiger Lily. I'm told that when she died the Lily was plain but all

those spots appeared on the Lily so they call her Lily of the Mohawks. Lily of

the Mohawks she is known as Kateri Tekakwitha. I still have some things to do.

KM: What do you have left to do?

IB: Decorate her dress. Do her hair up a little bit and then I will be finished.

KM: How long have you been involved with the Ancestor Quilt Project?

IB: Since Diane has been around. I think this is our second year. [the project

began in June 2007.]

KM: How many panels have you made?

IB: I made the eagle. The eagle was my first one and there is the eagle and I

did the cucumber plant and a picture of a lady. I got that picture [the image

for the panel was taken from a painting by Diane Green.] from Diane. I liked it

so I decided to make it. I don't remember what the name of it was. I did.

KM: Why did you choose the cucumber plant?

IB: Why?

KM: Um, hum.

IB: I liked the flowers. I like the flowers. From the plant I like the flowers.

Oh here, "Squirting Cucumber" [reading the name embroidered on the block.]. I

thought the flowers and leaves were very pretty so I decided to make it. Oh this

is the one I made- "The Harmony and Love." [shows KM the other block that she did.]

KM: Very nice embroidery. Do you like to embroider?

IB: I never did before. This was my first one, the eagle. It was the first one I

ever made. Diane taught me all the stitches.

KM: What is your favorite part?

IB: Oh then I made the tobacco plant. This is a tobacco plant. Then the Kateri,

that is how many I have done so far.

KM: Pretty good.

IB: My next project is a buffalo.

KM: Tell me about your interests in quiltmaking.

IB: To me it is fun and it's like therapy. It is like a therapy. I'm

seventy-eight years old and it is a good pastime for me. Instead of sitting

there watching TV all night, sometimes I would be up at 12:00, 1:00, 2:00 doing

my stitching. It is good for me. I widowed and I live by myself. It keeps me

busy and entertains me then after I finish a panel I admire it.

KM: What are the plans for all the panels?

IB: What are the plans, well we will be making the animal spirits, I will be

making more animals and ancestors, ancestors. I have yet to get pictures of my

grandfathers. My grandfather, both my parents are gone and make a panel with a

picture of my ancestors. That will go on the ancestor quilt. Then I might make

Crazy Horse.

KM: Why Crazy Horse?

IB: Why, or the other one, what is his name. The other one. That's Crazy Horse,

the other one, Geronimo. Either one of them, I haven't decided which.

KM: You could do both.

IB: I could. As long as I have the material I will make them. After the buffalo

I think the ancestors after I finish my buffalo then go on from there, whatever

else I make.

KM: What is your favorite part about making the quilts, the panels?

IB: My favorite part?

KM: What do you like the best?

IB: I think making the face come alive like the picture and other subjects. Even

the animal. Like my eagle. Those eyes are-- [pause.]

KM: Very expressive.

IB: Yes.

KM: You did a good job. They are very expressive eyes. They are very alive.

IB: I try to make them come alive is what I want to do.

KM: I can see that your work is improving too. You are getting much more detailed.

IB: Yeah that is what I aim to do.

KM: Tell me a little bit about the Ancestor Quilt Project.

IB: Well Diane mentioned the Ancestor Quilt Project. First she asked me if I was

interested and so I thought about it and said, 'I was not into sewing.' I used

to crochet and that was a long time ago too. I used to do it for therapy after

my husband passed away and then I decided why not. I still have a few good years

left. As long as my eyes are good and my fingers are able to do it, so why not.

I will work with her as long as we can.

KM: Is there anything else you would like to add?

IB: I just hope more people enroll in the Ancestor Quilt, or the Quilt Project.

It would turn out to be so nice to see them all.

KM: What advice would you give somebody starting out?

IB: Patience. [laughs.] Patience and don't give up even if you prick your finger

a few times, that happens. Stings for a while but you get over it. Just keep on.

Do your best. Each one I hope will get better, better than the last. I like

doing the borders on them too after I finish the picture.

KM: You like the solid and then the print?

IB: Try to match a good color combination.

KM: You do a good job.

IB: Yeah, we pick our own. We go through that bag of rags and we pick out what

looks good with them.

KM: Did you help with the hand dying of those fabrics?

IB: Um, hum.

KM: Tell me about the natural dyeing of the fabric.

IB: That was my first time and I still don't know my plants. She [Diane Green.]

was putting them in the pot, she would tell me which ones they were and what

color they would be. So we put the materials in there and then put a tee shirt

or two in different ones. We would tie them up with rubber bands and make tye

dye tee shirts. They came out real nice. Then the tye dye material will be used

for the borders on our quilts. You've seen them over there that she had.

KM: Did you like the natural dye? Playing with the natural dye?

IB: They are pretty colors. It is different. Instead of buying your materials

from the store. I don't know, maybe its got more meaning when you dye your own fabrics.

KM: Do you ever have any plans of making something that you will keep?

IB: I don't know yet. I might. Maybe make one and put it in a picture frame, but

I don't know which it will be. Usually I make something, I always give it away.

So I might just make something and give it to someone. Probably an animal.

KM: Is that your favorite subject matter animals? Do you like animals the best?

IB: Yeah, animals and flowers, plants. I love plants. I probably be making plants.

KM: Is there anything else you would like to add?

IB: No I think that is about it.

KM: Thank you very much. We are going to conclude our interview at 2:35.
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