Mitochondria are the sources of energy in our cells, replicating their own circular DNA. Powerhouses. Balancing the energy books, avoiding deficits. Paying the bills, generating income, distributing finance. Mitochondrial DNA is transmitted from mothers to their children.
“Making Money” is wooden box containing seven pieces of handmade flax paper, hanging in mid-air at my waist height. The short flax fibres – called “tow” or “tau” – used to make the paper are the same fibres that are spun into yarn and woven into fabric to create “Flying High”.
Each piece of paper is propped up against a cardboard cone that once had yarn wound around it. The papers represent wage packets. Each one is printed with black lettering that states WAGES, NAME, DATE and DEPARTMENT, and is embroidered in red cotton thread with the name of one of the seven weaver-ish women in my matrilineal line, beginning with me and ending with Agnes. The date on each indicates a year that each of them was employed in a weaver-ish role, which we know from personal histories or from national records. The department codes indicated are those used for the 1921 Scotland census, shown on a nearby ledger page that has been handwoven and embroidered.
This work represents mum’s occupation related to the weaving trade, which was working as a clerk in a weaving factory after leaving school, between 1969 and 1974. One of her earliest tasks when she started this job was to hand out the wage packets to the weavers on the weaving floor, from a wooden usherette-style tray.
Women, working as weavers and in other weaving-related roles, were directly earning money in every generation as one of the ways they contributed to the care of their families.
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