PROJECTS
Weaving Tears Into Dreams of Reconciliation
Every Thread Tells a Story
The Weaving Tears into Dreams of Reconciliation project celebrates the enduring tradition of shíshálh wool weaving while bringing people together to learn, create, and participate in the shared journey of reconciliation.
Guided by four shíshálh Master Weavers, community members of all ages were invited to help weave four friendship blankets and a collection of ceremonial sashes. As each thread was woven, participants learned about the cultural significance of weaving, shared stories, and engaged in conversations about truth, respect, and reconciliation.
The project travelled throughout the shíshálh swiya, welcoming participants in schools, the Sechelt Public Library, community centres, faith communities, Trail Bay Centre, and local events such as the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl. Every weaving became an opportunity to build relationships, deepen understanding, and celebrate the living traditions of the shíshálh Nation.
Completed between August 2018 and June 2019, the friendship blankets were unveiled and presented to community during a special ceremony on National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21, 2019. The reconciliation blankets were gifted to the shíshálh Nation, the SCRD, and the District of Sechelt, where they are on display. The Sunshine Coast School District and shíshálh Nation Education each were gifted a shawl to be used for ceremony.
Today, they remain proudly displayed as lasting symbols of our shared commitment to reconciliation and the relationships we continue to weave together.
