A tapestry made by Aboriginal master weaver Raquel Joe was unveiled at the Sunshine Coast campus of Capilano University on Monday, March 23.
The weaving, commissioned by Cap U, now hangs in the main foyer to acknowledge the relationship that Cap U has with the Sechelt (shíshálh) Nation.
“Since we are on the territory of the shíshálh Nation, our relationship with them is very important,” said First Nations student liaison officer Sarah Ward. “We’ve been working closely with systemic change … changing the way that the campus community, the students and the institution engage with each other, in a way that’s more honouring and holistic, and acknowledging of Indigenous world views and Indigenous education and knowledge values.”
More than 40 people were on hand to see the unveiling. The ceremony included shíshálh Nation culture keeper and educator Andy Johnson and Elder in Residence with the EA certification program Jamie Dixon.
“I don’t mind showing people who are non-band members how to weave,” Joe said. “Because that’s how we are, we share. We share everything, we share our land, we share our resources, we share our knowledge and our history and our culture. [The tapestry] is just a small part of that.”
Cap U has 56 Aboriginal students on their Sunshine Coast campus. Fifty-one are from the shíshálh Indian Band and five are from the Squamish, Métis, Mi’kmaq, and Sto:lo nations.
Joe has been working with Cap U for the last 20 years, although it was still a college when she started.
“They’re so nice,” she said. “They’re really open and down to earth. They made me feel so welcome here.”
Joe’s weaving is two metres long with 464 lines of stitching. It was commissioned in blue and white, the colours of Cap U, not the traditional colours of the shíshálh Nation. Traditionally the shíshálh used wool from goats and the now extinct woolly dog. This one is made of goat wool and acrylic.
“For me what this does, is it’s one more thing that when people walk through our doors, they understand that this campus operates in the traditional territory of the shíshálh Nation, and that’s something we honour and we expect everyone who comes through our doors to also honour,” said dean Jean Bennett.
