In the winter months, plenty of people head south for a break from the cold weather, but this Southern lady decided to head to the frozen north—namely Alberta, Canada.
Unless you love to ski, I don’t know of many people who fly north to enjoy a cold snap on purpose, but now I think I will be taking a winter break every year. Beyond the advantages to off-season travel that we’ve written about before in Paste, there’s something to be said for really experiencing a true winter, and if you live in a part of the world where that requires travel, so be it.
My first thought when I landed in Calgary was how much it reminded me of my childhood in the midwest—flat, snowy, and you could see for miles. But there is so much more to do in Alberta than sit in your room watching the snow—even if that is a treat since it so rarely snows where I live. While I stayed at a very nice hotel, The Dorian, it was the activities outside of the mainstream that I will cherish.
Before this trip, I don’t believe I have ever learned about Indigenous art from an Indigenous woman. I spent an afternoon at Moonstone Creation and was surrounded by the works of Native artisans they have curated for their gallery. Even though I was surrounded by gorgeous beading, moccasins, and paintings, it was just as exciting and enriching to create my own art during the class.
Until the moment I sat down, I had no idea that fish scales could be used for art. I wrongly assumed the scales were trash, but it turns out they are anything but. I sat down at the table with my instructor and other would-be artists and found dishes filled with these brightly colored scales. Moonstone Creation actually collects them from fishers in their community who save the scales for them. No part of the fish goes to waste. Originally dyed fish scales were used as decoration for clothing, attached with glue made from moose hooves. This method of decoration predates beading and was often preferred. Now the methods are modernized, with glue from the craft store, and store bought dye, but the method of saving the scales and the act of creating the art are as old as time.
As I sat with tweezers and glue trying (poorly) to create something that looked like a flower with the scales, the instructor discussed the difference between appreciation (e.g. this is amazing, I’m going to buy your art and tell everyone about your store) and appropriation (e.g. I’m going to copy your art and sell it as mine for a profit). As a white woman, I’m willing to admit that I’m not always sure where that line is and it can feel uncomfortable discussing it with others. That was not the case here. A conversation was had where I mostly listened, and left the better for it.
