Indigenous Beadwork, Embroidery, and Quillwork: Programming and "Viewing Sessions"

Before the exhibit was installed, the MCML hosted historical beadwork viewing sessions for an opportunity to review the historical pieces up close and personal. The pieces included garments, bags, saddles, and more. All of the items were likely made before 1900.

The viewing sessions provided a safe space for learning between the community and the museum.

These sessions were part of the research process wherein the exchange of knowledge provided a higher level of understanding of the pieces and information gained in these sessions was included in the final content of the exhibition.

The Pointed Toe Moccasin Workshop was hosted at the C2 Centre programming room, led by Red River based beadwork artist and designer Cynthia Boehm.

In this workshop, participants leaned how to sew and assemble the moccasin.

Participants also learned floral two-needle beading.

Old style pointed toe moccasins were a form fitting, slipper style moccasin dating back to the 1800s and were adopted form of footwear by the European fur traders.

They were made by women from the many Indigenous groups that were unique in style to each region.

They were mainly constructed from durable home tanned smoked moose, deer or caribou hide and often embellished with elaborate floral and/or geometric beadwork, silk embroidery and horsehair wrapping/piping.

Historically, pointed toe moccasins were made from durable home tan smoked hides, but in this workshop, commercial hide was used.

Moccasins in progress by one of the participants.

This workshop was also hosted at the C2 Centre programming room. It was led by Métis artist Mona Moquin.

Participants in the Intro to Quillwork workshop.

In this workshop, participants learned how to do the zigzag technique of quillwork.

Participants were given a small piece of smoke tanned hide and 10 different quill colors to do a line.

A participant makes their quillwork project with multiple colors in a zigzag fashion.

Participants at work with their quillwork.

The participants show their completed quillwork piece.