FREE Indigenous Beadwork for Youth

Registration opens at 11 am on August 24, 2023.

Description: This free workshop is intended for an adult accompanying a child to learn, bond, and be creative through the traditional art of indigenous beadwork. Children ages 10-16 may bring an adult of their choice to learn a variety of beading stitches, including instructions they can take home and projects that they can work on together. Beading helps children with concentration and it is a stress reliever that calms down their mind. Learning with an adult will bring them closer together and is a unique skill that they can also teach others as a family activity. This workshop consists of traditional techniques, talks, and stories learnt from elders, with new creative ways.

Cost: FREE

Audience: Children ages 10-16, accompanied by an adult of their choice.

Supplies: All supplies are provided. Please bring a drink and snack as there are no food services on site.

Instructor Biography: My name is Tania Big Plume, my Native blood is Cree, Cayuga from the Turtle Clan, and Tsuut’ina. I have always lived on the Tsuut’ina Nation. At age 5 I began watching my grandmother Clara bead and I knew I wanted to follow in her path. At age 12 I began my cultural training with the elders along with beadwork. Throughout my life I have continued the art of beading and have been teaching for more than 20 years – first starting with my nieces and nephew and now offering lessons to all ages from 5 to 100. I have offered workshops at the opening of the Calgary Library, youth programs throughout Calgary, and at the Banff Buffalo Nations Museum where I teach to an international audience. In my career as a beadwork artist, I have done traditional regalia, which has inspired my work in fashion and art. I love doing my art and sharing it with others. I want to keep my ancestor’s art alive. My parents are residential school survivors and my inspiration, always.