LU students working on Aboriginal quilt with Elder

Aroland Elder Ella Gagnon and a group of Lakehead University students are working on a quilt for display in the Aboriginal Cultural and Support Services Smudging/Cultural Room.
“We (made) it with beads, buttons or whatever you want to use,” Gagnon said about the quilt project, which was held every Tuesday from Oct. 9 to Nov. 27 at the Aboriginal Student Lounge. “I was just there sort of giving them the idea what to do and helping them.”
About 50 students and LU staff took part in the quilt project, where they made from one to three quilt squares using a variety of techniques, including traditional beadwork and creative, crafty beadwork.
“Some people are using buttons and just doing whatever, taking off with it,” said Stephanie Ritch, LU’s Aboriginal student counsellor and liaison. “On average we had about 10 people coming out each day.”
About 60 of the five by five-inch squares have been completed to date, with about 10 more required to complete the quilt.
“We’re almost done and then Ella will show them how to put the quilt together,” Ritch said. “Some people just take (their square) home and work on it but some people have actually come to each session and (worked on their piece).”
Ritch said the students would often talk about their day while working on their quilt squares.
“They’re having a lot of fun,” Ritch said. “I find that they are kind of de-stressing from all the stuff they have to do in school. And they are learning a lot about Aboriginal beadwork and Aboriginal culture.”
Gagnon also brought bannock to the quilting sessions.
Gagnon developed the quilt project idea from two similar wall hanging projects she worked on previously over the past few years at Anishnawbe Mushkiki and Dawson Court Home for the Aged.
“It’s got 33 pieces on it,” Gagnon said about the eight-foot by six-foot Anishnawbe Mushkiki wall hanging, which hangs in the organization’s boardroom. “We beaded (the squares) and sewed them together.”
Gagnon enjoyed working with students on the quilting project.
“We made all different types of (quilt) squares and then we sewed them together,” she said. “It’s the university logo, the wolf and the U.”
Next semester’s quilting sessions are scheduled for Wednesdays at the same time, beginning on Jan. 9.
“The quilt will probably be done by the end of January, and then we’ll start doing a different craft,” Ritch said.