Small on stage, giants in legacy for participants in Celebration’s toddler regalia review

Elizabeth Peele, 3, and William Wallace, 3, shared the same fashion designer — their grandmother Winona Wallace — but were distinctly different in their stage presence while exhibiting the garments during the toddler regalia review as part of the second day of Celebration on Thursday.

“She’s the one that wanted to just really treat them to some nice regalia,” said Markel Wallace, Winona’s daughter, who said it was the first time her son had ever been on stage in front of a crowd.

William hung close to his mother while exhibiting a tunic made of turquoise wool with rainbow trim and buckskin leather ties, and turquoise wool robe with a raven-brown bear crest. Adding to the outfit was a rainbow-colored Ravenstail headband topped with sea otter trim, plus an octopus bag experimental bead work.

Those listening to emcee Sarah Peele’s presentation during William’s appearance learned he is of Yahgw’Laanaas and T ł ‘ízí lání (Many Goats) clans, and Diné (Navajo), Haida and Tsimshian tribes. Hundreds of people — along with lots of video, professional and smartphone cameras — captured the moment.

When it was her turn, Peele broke away from her father as they were exiting the stage to perform an encore twirl in her pink outfit to tremendous applause before departing again. A member of the Yahkw’laanaas (Haida) and Many Goats (Navajo) clans, she wore a traditional Navajo silk top, skirt, jewelry and moccasins, and a button robe with a raven brown bear crest.

“I can’t wait to check it out later,” said Markel Wallace said of the different appearances. (Recordings of the show and other Celebration events are available on YouTube.)

Nearly 30 toddlers ranging between 14 months to five years old participated in the show, featuring a wide variety of garments and accessories generally incorporating traditions from multiple tribal connections within the family’s ancestry.

The first on the stage was also the youngest. Tayana Copper-Jan Cavan Adamek, 14 months old, wore regalia honoring her Tlingit, Łù’àn Män (Kluane People) and Mohawk (Haudonosaunee) lineages, including an emphasis on purple and white colors to reflect her Mohawk-Haudonosaunee ancestry. Rabbit fur on the cape collar and top of the headdress helped provide white touches, while the waist of the tunic featured bead acquired at the inaugural biennial Celebration in 1982.

Sarah Peele, in between announcing what many other parents’ children were wearing, also got to narrate the lineage and regalia of her son Gyaa’aang Peele-Frisby, 2, as his father guided him across the stage. She noted her son’s Indigenous name is Xyaahl Gaayaas and he is Haida from the Sdaast’aas clan.

“Gyaa’aang has a button robe that has an eagle design that was my baby blanket,” she said.

Peele-Frisby was also wearing a red-and-yellow hldiin dajaang (cedar hat), leather shin guards featuring painted eagles, and a dáalaa stlagáa (silver bracelet) and his daalaa kán xudáangw (silver necklace) feature carved eagles.

While wearing such regalia was new for many of the toddlers — and making it a new experience for some of the adults — even participants familiar with the craft said they saw some things during the show to learn from. Emily Bergtold said she made regalia for her five children before making the first-ever items to appear at the Celebration show for her niece Vivian Janes, 4, of Metlakatla, and had plenty of opportunity to see what others were waiting as they waited their turn on stage.

“I loved the little capes, the capes with the fur on the collars,” he said. “And I would love to learn how to do the Ravenstail weaving too. That’s one of my goals.”

The four-day Celebration continues with events through Saturday, including an hour-long Native fashion show scheduled at 4 p.m. Friday at Centennial Hall.

• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.

More photos from the toddler regalia review