Li tayrayn araa en rivyayr – The Watershed
This finger-woven sash is a collaborative work that symbolizes the massive migratory watershed flowing from the Rocky Mountains east across the Métis homelands, through Lake Winnipeg, up the Nelson River and out into Hudson Bay. The rivers within this watershed served as our people’s pantry, medicine cabinet and superhighway.
Various original designs printed on textile represent each of the six main ecosystems within the watershed. Master finger-weaver and historian Matt Hiltermann has woven these ecosystems into an enduring symbol of our history and culture – the Métis sash.
Special thanks to Kay Beckett and Patricia Hamlin, who prepared over one kilometre of textile strips for the weaving of the sash.
Photo Credit: Lina Samoukova