The Ceremonial Stole
Unique Presidential Regalia Showcases Diversity through
Textile Traditions
Using the textile traditions of many cultures, WSU President Elson S. Floyd has new academic regalia that reflects the university's ethnic diversity.
The regalia was designed and assembled by AMDT professor Linda Arthur and AMDT chair, Karen Leonas, in collaboration with WSU administrators, AMDT students, and several well-known fiber artists.
The show-stopper of the new regalia, which Floyd and future presidents will wear to convocations and graduations, is a hand-made stole. The stole was created to represent some of the ethnic groups in Washington.
From left to right: Dr. Linda Arthur, AMDT Professor and contributer to the stole; Willemina Kardong, Director of Presidential Events; President Floyd; and Dr. Karen K. Leonas,
AMDT Department Chair.
Arthur said she and her team worked "for months selecting the right colors, fabrics, trims, and designs for the regalia. We started on the stole in August and I brought my students into the research process as we collected data on the ethnic diversity in Washington and then set about researching the textile traditions of each of the groups," Arthur said.
"With only a small amount of space, there was no way we could represent all of the ethnic groups in the state, and even if we could, not all have clearly identified textile traditions."
Four well-known fiber artists contributed handmade pieces for the stole. Susan Pavel, a master Salish weaver, hand spun and wove two pieces of traditional Salish design. Ann McCormack and Joleen Gray embroidered pieces representative of the Nez Perce textile tradition. Charlene Hughes created traditional Hawaiian hand applique, while Cynthia Hosick wove an American coverlet sampler.
Dr. Linda Arthur and Deborah Christel, an Apparel Design student, working on the stole for President Floyd.
To represent Central and South America, the stole incorporates a Mexican serape fabric and hand-woven textiles from Ecuador and Guatemala.
Europe was represented by the costume itself, as acaedmic regalia developed in the Middle Ages in Europe, but also includes a peice of Scottish plaid. Oceania is represetned by two pieces of bark cloth. Africa is represented by kente cloth, India by silk sari fabric, Japan by kabe crepe, and China by silk jacquard.
It is my hope that the diversity represented in these textile pieces is a visual reminder of WSU's commitment to ethnic diversity," Arthur said.
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