The Fabric of Our Land: Salish Weaving

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Photographer: Markku Haverinen

Artist unknown, "Salishweaving Finlandblanket," prior to 1828

mountain goat wool, woolly dog hair, plant fibres, black bear hair (?), local and possibly imported dyesCollection of the National Museum of Finland - VK-1

Exhibition Opening: Sunday, November 19 | 12 pm   For generations Salish peoples have been harvesting the resources of their territories, transforming them into robes of rare beauty and power. Symbols of identity they acted as legal documents and were visible signifiers of the presence of knowledge holders and respected people.  

Now mostly stored away in museums these masterworks are rarely seen. They have much knowledge to share and many stories to tell. Musqueam asked the Museum to bring these weavings to inspire weavers and share part of this rich legacy with all of us. Salish weavers selected ten blankets from the 1800s to be part of this unique exhibition. Returning from Finland, Scotland, England and the eastern United States this is the first time that these blankets have been seen in Vancouver. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the unique design of Salish blankets up close and to learn the rich history and significance of weaving in this region. The exhibition takes you on a journey through the past two hundred years of Salish weaving from the early 1800s through to today’s vibrant renaissance..