Coast Salish Weaving - The Fabric of Canada

Our second “Fabric of Canada” film celebrates traditional weaving by the Indigenous Coast Salish peoples of British Columbia. These weavings have important cultural and spiritual significance and play a key role in many ceremonies and rites. The story of Coast Salish Weaving also represents an important chapter in the history of wool in Canada.

Although Hereditary Chief Janice George of the Squamish First Nation set out to learn weaving as a teenager, she was not able to find someone to teach her until decades later. Now, Chief George and her partner Buddy Joseph are masters of the craft, sharing their knowledge with others and saving the practice from extinction. Chief George shares her love of wool and the incredible family story associated with creating weavings during the pre-contact period, before the introduction of sheep’s wool.

Coast Salish Weaving is a part of our film series, “The Fabric of Canada” which tells the unique stories of Canadian Wool and the Canadians who transform it.