Tiny colorful beads were threaded on wooden looms to create bracelets, belts and more during the latest Elder in Residence series held at the UNBC South-Central campus in Quesnel.
Nazko elder Doreen Patrick led the workshop with Kamiya James on Wednesday, Feb. 16, teaching UNBC and CNC students, staff, faculty, and community members traditional beading techniques.
“I’m happy that people came,” Patrick said, noting not many had attended the previous workshop on Carrier culture.
“When you do beading, you’re really concentrating, and you forget about everything else except what you’re putting on here,” she said.
“It’s really calming if you know what you’re doing, and it’s really special for other people that don’t know what they’re doing but they’re learning.”
Patrick, a residential school survivor, credits her sisters Lena and Violet, who she had learned beading from.
Before noon, Patrick showed James how to prepare the bead loom and set up the warp threads.
“I’ve never done that before, so I’m learning something myself today too,” James said.
The Elder in Residence series will continue into March, with Patrick and others helping her facilitate events such as moccasin-making and medicine and healing practices.
The university’s student success coordinator, Athena Gordon, thanked Patrick for sharing her expertise and presence on campus.
“We were excited to make it a series and spread it out over two months, and we hope to do more Indigenous programming in the spring, summer and fall of this year as well bringing in different elders and more of the community to share their expertise and to encourage connections,” she said.
This is Patrick’s second year as Elder in Residence.
“I’m really happy teaching,” Patrick said, adding she provides presentations on Carrier culture to nursing students.
“They’re learning about our people and trying to get the message across that we are here—we’re called the Southern Carriers and a lot of people don’t know that.”
Patrick also does a smudge outside when asked and explains the different types of smudge that can be used.
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