I think I mentioned that Ive been working on some special requests lately. My mom asked me to make beads for two of her dearest friends. Back in March. Its, um… August. Now you understand why I dont usually do custom orders… :) Here is the first - a bead for a special lady who is very proud of her Métis heritage. The design on the front of the bead is patterned after traditional Métis beadwork. The colors on the reverse represent the beautiful and distinctive fingerwoven Métis sash - the ceinture fléchée. For those not familiar with the history of the Métis people, here is a brief overview from Wikipedia: During the height of the North American fur trade in the 18th and 19th centuries, many British and French Canadian fur traders married First Nations and Inuit women, mainly First Nations Cree, Ojibwa, or Saulteaux. The majority of these fur traders were Scottish and French and were Catholic. Therefore, their children, the Métis, were exposed to both the Catholic and indigenous belief systems, thus creating a new distinct aboriginal people in North America. First Nations women were the link between cultures; they not only provided companionship for the fur traders, but also aided in their survival. First Nations women were able to translate the language, sew new clothing for their husbands, and generally be involved in resolving any cultural issues that arose. The First Peoples had survived in the west for thousands of years, so the fur traders benefited greatly from their First Nations wives knowledge of the land and its resources. Métis people were thought of as the bond between the Europeans and First Nations and Inuit peoples of Canada.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 18:19:41 +0000
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