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Evelyn
Merrick Belcher hails from Long Plains First Nation in Manitoba. She
has been making pow-wow outfits, ribbon shirts, and blankets all her
life. She was inspired by her father and mother, who felt that she
had a gift for expressing her vision within the medium of textiles.
As
she was raised in a traditional household, she has gained a lot of
cultural knowledge, it has influenced the colours and symbols that
she uses in her work. She finds that she is able to make people happy,
for she says of her work - "it is a healing of the soul."
It
gives her great pleasure to be recognized as an artist making a contribution
to the community and to the well being of her people. It is her intention
to keep on creating pow-wow outfits, ribbon shirts, and blankets.
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Women's
Jingle Dress
This
detailed work was handcrafted from velvet and satin with handmade
bells. Worn by traditional dancers for pow-wow ceremonies, every
part of this piece must be carefully stitched and handcrafted.
People have been comming and bringing tobacco to Evelyn for years,
and requesting that she make thier traditional outfits.
It
was inspired by her colours navy blue and orange, it is used in
traditional events and pow-wows. It took her a week to create.
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Where
the Sun Meets the Horizon
This was made from cotton, silk and paint. It was created from
a dream she had, where she had seen her relatives pass from the
spirit world to unknown land. Within the piece is the sun with
four colours, blue, red, yellow and white, then in the center
are six tee-pees to represent community and at the bottom is a
herd of horses, who are to represent a way of life for her people,
the Dakota.
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Traditional
Woman's Dress
This was made from cotton for an Ojibway woman. It includes four
coloured ribbons, red, white, yellow and black. It is worn during
traditional ceremonies and pow-wows.
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Ribbon
Star Shirt
This was created to remember a brother who had passed away. The
idea of the star came from a star blanket, and how the Creator
has give us the day and balanced it with the night.
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