EUGENE, Ore. -- (Sept. 1, 2011) - A new art exhibit at the University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History will showcase Native American weaving. "SQ3Tsya'yay: Weaver's Spirit Power by Susan Pavel" will be on view in the MNCH Galleria Sept. 7 through Jan. 29.

SQ3Tsya'yay is pronounced "cut-see-ya-ya" and means "Weavers Spirit Power." The exhibit includes woven blankets, used as clothing and worn on ceremonial occasions, and hand woven goat and sheep wool textiles. Visitors will have the opportunity to try their hand at weaving and touch samples of weavings and materials, including rare mountain goat wool.

sa'hLa mitSa (Susan Pavel) spent six years as an apprentice under Coast Salish master weaver subiyay (Bruce Miller) (Skokomish) to become a master weaver and weaving teacher.

Pavel will attend a free public reception to answer questions about her art from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, at the museum.

About the Museum of Natural and Cultural History
The UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and youths ages 17 and under, and $8 for families (two adults and up to four youths). Museum members are admitted free. Guided tours are offered each Friday at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m.

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is among the 108 institutions chosen from 4,633 U.S. universities for top-tier designation of "Very High Research Activity" in the 2010 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO also is one of two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Judi Pruitt, assistant director of visitor services, MNCH, 541-346-1671, judip@uoregon.edu

LINKS:
http://natural-history.uoregon.edu; http://facebook.com/oregonnaturalhistory; http://coastsalishweaving.com/

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