A group of Walpole Island youth are set to put their ‘beading’ projects on display.
After successfully applying for an aboriginal community educators grant through the Ontario Arts Council, Rhonda Longboat has been teaching 32 Walpole Island Elementary School students a specific form of beading called the peyote stitch.
“I was very honoured that they let me do this for the youth,” Longboat said.
Longboat has been teaching the kids since the beginning of February, twice a week during the after school program.
Tymmiecka Johnson-Greenbird, one of the students in the program, said she enjoyed learning the peyote stitch for the “wellness stick” she made.
Johnson-Greenbird added she plans on starting some other projects on her own.
“I would like to try to bead my outfit, a jingle dress,” she said. “I’ve already started on my moccasins.”
Longboat said the peyote stitch is a universal method used to create pow wow outfits and ceremonial regalia.
She added that the wellness, or healing sticks the children made during the program have become popular all over the world.
“Even in Tibet, Europe and Germany,” she said.
Longboat said photos of the students’ sticks have been taken and are being put on display.
For the first two weeks of April, the photos will be at Walpole Island Elementary School and the second two weeks of April, at Wallaceburg District Secondary School.
“They will end up with a certificate, pictures of their work, all for their first art portfolio,” she said.
Here are some photos of a recent class at Walpole Island Elementary School:
