Xaadas dajáangaa
Haida Style Hat, circa 1971

Selina Peratrovich
Haida

Xíxch'
Frog Design

Nathan Jackson
Tlingit

Painted spruce root hat with Frog design woven by Selina Peratrovich and painted by Nathan Jackson.

Peter Corey purchased this hat from Selina Peratrovich in July 1971 as cultural revival was gaining traction. Peter had been hired by the Alaska State Museum in 1969 to be curator after graduating from the esteemed Cooperstown Graduate Program. He was likely one of the first, if not the first museum professional in Alaska with graduate-level training. In 1972, Peter came to Ketchikan and worked as curator while the Totem Heritage Center was under development. While here, he assisted with the initial installation of original totem poles at the Center. In 1977, he moved to Sitka to serve as both director and curator of the Sheldon Jackson Museum, a post he held for nearly 25 years until his retirement in 2002. When Peter passed in 2015 he bequeathed his basket collection to museums throughout the state, including Ketchikan Museums.

Ketchikan Museums
KM 2015.2.31.1