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ArtsCultureTraditionalCrafts17TuesdayMay72013ByRENEFRANCOEURJenniferBowen-AllenishappylivinginthewoodsoutsideofWhitehorseYukonbuteverynowandthenshedeeplymissestheNorthwestTerritorieswhereshewasraised.IspentalotoftimeoutinthebushintheNWTsnowmobilingcanoeingtoMacKayLakeacrossthebarrenlandstravellingtotheEastArm.EvenwhenIwaslivinginYellowknifeIdgooutandspendadaygatheringwillowsforreedbaskets...IlovetogohomeandvisitBowen-AllenoftheYellowknivesDeneFirstNationsaid.Oneofthewaysthe40year-oldtraditionalartistkeepsthememoriesofhomeburningbrightisthroughmakingDenechildrenspar-kasinthetraditionalrufedMotherHubbardstyle.TheseparkasnativetotheMackenzieDeltacom-munitiesaremadewithcot-tonbroadclothandquiltedpolyesterBowen-Allenex-plained.Sheusescoyotefurforthetrimbuttraditionallywolfandwolverinepeltswerealsoused.Ribbongarnishesthehoodcuffandbottomofthecoatandcascadingruf-esoffabriconthesleevesdenethedistinctfashion.Parkahoodsarestitchedto-gethertocreateapointedtipthatwillkeeptheedgesclosetothefaceformaxi-mumwarmth.IdgrownupwatchingmyTlichostepmotherandauntalwayssewingbutIdnevermadeaparkabe-foreBowen-AllentoldTheJournal.WhenImovedtoInuvikin2004andmetmyhusbanditwashismotherBerthaAllenwhoshowedmethedifferentpatternsinmakingchildrensparkas.GwichinelderBerthaAllenwasatrailblazingInu-vikactivistwhofoundedtheNativeWomensAssociationoftheNWTservingasitsrstpresident.Beforeherpassingin2010shewasrecognizedwithnumerousawardsincludingalifetimeNationalAboriginalAchieve-mentAwardandtheOrderofCanada.ContinuingonwithwhatAllenpersonallytaughtherisanhonourBowen-Allensaid.Irememberstartingwithabeautifulcolouredpatternwithdufeunderneath...Thedufeandallthatpaddingisthemostchallengingpartshesaid.ItsrelaxingandsomethingIjustenjoydoingformychildrenforanyonewhowantsone.SinceherrstchildrensparkaBowen-Allenhasmadeabout16othersadjust-ingeachmodelasherownchildrengrow.Onaverageoneprojecttakesherabouttwoweeks.Shechargesbe-tween250-300.Oneofherfavouritesisthemint-greenbroadclothcoatpatternedwithnavyblueowersshemadeforveyear-olddaughterJuniper.Theparkais26incheslongfromshouldertohem-lineandsuitablefor-10Cto-15C.NavybluefabricandwhiterickrackisusedtoDenejacketskeephomeclosetoheartforartisttrimthepocketsandrufedhem.Thebodyoftheparkaisroomyenoughforaddedlayersshesaid.Juniperlovesit...ItsfashionableandasymbolofCanadasNorth.ButmakingparkasisntenoughtopaythebillsBowen-Allennoted.Parkasconnectwithpeople.Theyrenotsome-thingthatcansellveryeas-ilytojustanyoneshesaid.TheyrealsodifferentfromtheYukonstyleofparkaIseemoreofherewhichdoesnthaverufes.Soyouhaveveryspeciccustomers.TosupplementherincomeasatraditionalartistBowen-Allenalsocreates25ear-ringsfromcaribouantlers.Icutapieceoftheant-ler-Igetthesefromlocalhunters-intoadiscaboutthesizeofaquarter.Ithastobereallydriedout.ThenIsandthediscforasilkynishandaddbeadsshesaid.Workingwithantlerisfantastic...Younoticelittlethingslikehowbarrenlandcaribouantlerhasawhiteredgetoitandwoodlandcaribouhaveadarkertrim-ming.Itsquitebeautiful.BowenAllenalsocur-rentlyworkingasthevisualartscoordinatorandcura-torfortheAdakaCulturalFestivaltookAuroraCol-legestraditionalartspro-gramwhenitwasofferedinInuviktoexpandherknowledgeofnaturalartmaterials.Shecontinuedherstud-iesatYukonCollegewhenshemovedtoWhitehorsetakinganthropologyandNorthernhistorycourses.ItswhatIminterestedin...IwanttoknowwhatAboriginalpeopleworeinthepast.Itenrichesmyun-derstandingandmyworkasanartistshesaid.PhotosJenniferBowen-AllenJenniferBowen-AllencreatestraditionalDenejacketsandearringsfromherhomeoutsideofWhitehorse.Bowen-AllenssonHaydenshowsoffoneofhismomshandmadejackets.Bowen-AllenworksonthesleeveofaMotherHubbardcoatforherdaughter.