What is a 'Corn Dolly'? An Irish Tradition Hangs as Tan Ornaments at the Fair
Cecelia Ross weaves a "corn dolly" at the Forest Fair Saturday afternoon. It took her about 10 minutes to complete. (Photo by Soren Wuerth)
By Soren Wuerth
TNews Editor
Across decades and hundreds of vendors, the Forest Fair has had its share of knitted, cross-stitch, embroidered, and crocheted patterns and fabrics.
Weaving with wheat may be a first of its kind at the fair, but it certainly isn't a new craft.
On Saturday, using five blades of black top wheat, 9-year-old Cecelia Ross shaped a "corn dolly", her fingers weaving a vessel the size of a prawn.
Cecelia said she learned from her Irish grandfather. She pointed to rows of corn dollies, hanging like earrings outside her booth, "Ross Weavings".
"There's black top wheat, wild grass, black bearded wheat and ... regular wheat," she said. Her sister, Juniper, 7, helps out.
Cecelia, who goes to Rilke Schule in Anchorage, said she's sold her corn dollies only once, at school, and this is her first year at the Forest Fair.
She says the dollies can be used as ornaments, or door or window decorations. Cecelia's father, sitting nearby—who hopes to learn the Irish craft of willow weaving from his father as well—suggested hanging the dolly from a car's rear view mirror.
A plastic card accompanying a Ross Weavings purchase, explains a dolly's significance:
"In ancient times throughout Europe versions of this weaving were made at the end of the grain harvest and then overwintered in the farm cottage. It was thought that the fertility spirit of the fields would reside in the chamber for the winter.
"This spirit would then emerge when the corn dolly was mixed back in with seed to plant in the spring. Hence people believed the fertility of the land was renewed."
Weaving blades of five or ten blades takes 10-15 minutes, Cecelia said, and requires the wheat blades to be soaked for several hours beforehand.
What does she like about the Forest Fair?
"I like meeting new people and spending time with my family," she said. "And selling the corn dollies is really good."
