Dene tradition is to keep our babies close, carrying them on our backs. This kept a strong bond, nurtured in safety and security. The warmth of your mother, her smell, learning her movements, listening to her heartbeat while you slept. Seeing the world and learning new things while your mother carried on with daily tasks. This tradition was one passed down from our ancestors. It represents the care and love for our children while keeping our culture and traditions alive.
The day I arrived home from the hospital is when I started my baby belt. I picked as many different florals from my Grandma’s paper patterns as I could fit. The bear paw represents our family clan. Berries were added as this is one of my most cherished memories, picking berries with my Mom, Aunties and Grandma. A butterfly represents the changes my daughter will face in her life. Our family name to carry on and be proud of. All these elements are intricately beaded onto purple velvet to represent luxury. It was important to me to use canvas for the base to represent my Grandfather. Strong, resilient, functional. It also represents the tents he would use for shelter out on the land. Traditional moose hide to represent our culture and main food source, look closely and you will see the vein lines that once pumped life in this animal. Seven months of beadwork will be passed down for generations, just as the many memories and stories that have been stitched onto it.