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Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre displays first of its kind rug hooking Indigenous exhibit

The Every Child Matters exhibit a the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre. There are black boards with 66 different rug art pieces.
The Every Child Matters exhibits includes 66 different sized colourful rugs and tapestries, inspired by five different Nova Scotian indigenous artists. Photo by Sara Gouda.
Sara Gouda - CKDU - Halifax • NS | 03-02-2023
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A new exhibit at the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre in Halifax is using rug hooking and fibre arts as an artistic expression to create awareness about residential schools, showcase Mi'kmaq artists and as an opportunity for the community to learn more about "Every Child Matters."

Partnered with non-profit organization Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia, the exhibit, "Every Child Matters" includes 66 different sized colourful rugs and tapestries, created by 49 different rug hookers from the guild. The tapestries were inspired by the works of five Mi'kmaw artists across Nova Scotia: Tara Francis, Gerald Gloade, Phyllis Grant, Lorne Julian, and Noella Moore.

Photo of cultural advisor at the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre Theresa Meuse standing next to the Every Child Matters exhibit. She is wearing an orange shirt with the title Residential Schools on it.

Theresa Meuse is the cultural advisor at the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre. Photo by Sara Gouda.

Theresa Meuse, cultural advisor at the centre, said the idea for this exhibit first came about last year.

"We're actually the first to showcase the exhibit. When we found out about it, we were so excited because the artwork is just unbelievably beautiful. It's one thing to take a picture and try to draw it or paint it but to know that these individuals are rug hooking, it is just amazing how much they replicated those initial designs," said Meuse.
Rug hooking is the craft of pulling loops of yarn or fabric through a stiff woven base.
Meuse said it's important to find creative ways to continue raising awareness about residential school and the impact the system had on Indigenous people.
"When the Kamloops remains of the 215 buried children came to the surface, it really opened up a door for people to see what happened in our history, and for wake up society. Now we call it truth and reconciliation, and that's where we are right now and this what you're seeing in this tapestry," said Meuse.
Trina Empringham, coalition coordinator at the centre, said there were about 11 paintings that were interpreted differently, some even appearing 3D.

"They are commonly referred to as rug hookers, it is quite a neat technique that they do. It's almost like it's a canvas. They have to sketch, design, use wool and different mediums to actually create that. When you see them, each has done a different technique to create the pieces," said Empringham.

Empringham said the tapestries were divided into different sections in reference to the seven sacred teachings; love, respect, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility and truth.

 

Photo of the rug artwork at the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre.

The artwork was presented under the seven sacred teachings Mi'kmaq. Photo by Sara Gouda.

 

The art installation will be available until the end of the month, and will then be moved to Truro and will travel throughout the Maritimes.

"We don't want the education of residential schools to stop, and the spirits of those children, they're still finding more grave sites so we've got to keep that momentum going. It really is a big piece of our history," said Meuse.

Listen to the full CKDU interview below:

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