mámawihitowin | Ganaagishkwadaadiwin | Asenbli | Rencontre | Gathering

​Exhibition and Heritage Database


​This year-long project was a partnership between Ross House Museum and the Manitoba Crafts Museum & Library. We set out to locate Indigenous beadwork, embroidery and quillwork in small museum collections across Manitoba. In many cases these collections were not well understood or easily accessible to the broader public.

We worked with artists, researchers, scholars and elders, to better identify and understand the history of these pieces.
Wherever possible we have attempted to identify regions and communities, with the hope that some day the names of more artists and families can be found.
The exhibit ran from March 3 - April 29, 2023 at the Manitoba Crafts Museum & Library.
mámawihitowin | Ganaagishkwadaadiwin | Asenbli | Rencontre | Gathering received the 2023 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive!
​This national recognition was bestowed by her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, for transcending traditional museum boundaries and advancing reconciliation.

Click here to watch an interview that our team gave to Canada's History Magazine.
Click here to read an article in MUSE Magazine, published by the Canadian Museums Association.
Beyond the beauty, the real purpose of this project is access. Many small museums don't have the resources to understand and celebrate the collections they hold. Many artists, scholars and individuals have lost the connections to their cultural heritage. How will they ever find it tucked in a remote museum's vault? We hope this project builds bridges, re-establishes connections, and ultimately helps some of these stories find their way  home.

These artworks represent identity, culture, and countless hours of love poured from the hearts of grandmothers. We can't wait to introduce you to them.

Heritage database

Every piece that was considered for the exhibit is listed in this catalogue. Information is often fragmentary and is based on the museums' original records, augmented by our researchers' comments where possible.
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​If you know more about anything in this catalogue, please contact us.

Exhibition catalogue

Click to navigate, or watch the slideshow.

Contemporary artists

Featuring:
​Bronwyn Butterfield
Maeghen Fillion
David Heinrichs
Tashina Houle-Schlup
Shauna Ponask

Online content

Click to explore bonus content related to the project:
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Workshops

​We were so excited to launch two public programs, to complement the exhibit with hands-on learning.

Mona Moquin - Introduction to Quillwork on April 1
Cynthia Boehm - Pointed Toe Moccasins on April 13, 22 and 23.

Because of the generous support from The Winnipeg Foundation and the Province of Manitoba participants only had to pay a $50 kit fee for each of these workshops.

Quillwork: https://c2centreforcraft.ca/.../introduction-to.../
Pointed Toe Moccasins: https://c2centreforcraft.ca/.../pointed-toe-moccasin.../

Registration was limited to Indigenous Participants.
This project was made possible through funding from the Province of Manitoba and the Winnipeg Foundation.