Why does Asian Carp make Trump think of Mark Carney?
Murray Wood ponders the question raised after Donald Trump insulted the Prime Minister in the middle of a random social ...
A large hooked rug taking shape inside the Royal Saskatchewan Museum is doing more than filling wall space — it’s turning tradition into a living, hands-on experience.
“This is part of bringing the culture forward,” said Métis Elder and artist Margaret Harrison.
“I think with Louis Riel saying that the artists are going to bring our spirit back, that was my inspiration. Maybe this could be part of that.”
Read more:
- A close look at the research projects at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum
- U of R, Métis government sign deal to verify Métis citizenship
- Behind the scenes of Métis cultural feasts at Back to Batoche festival
The large-scale hooked rug project is being created on site in the museum’s Indigenous gallery, with Harrison leading workshops that invite community members to learn the traditional Métis art form while she contributes to the final piece. Once complete, the rug will remain on display as a permanent exhibit.
Harrison, who is originally from Fort Qu’Appelle, said the project grew out of years of mentorship and collaboration with Bailey Monsebroten, the museum’s curator of Indigenous cultural heritage.
Métis Elder and artist Margaret Harrison works on a traditional hooked rug during a live demonstration at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.
(Jacob Bamhour/980CJME)
“I did quite a bit of research on Métis rug hooking for my master’s degree, and Margaret was one of the last people still actively practising and working to keep it alive,” Monsebroten said.
“We formed a friendship and over the years, she’s been teaching workshops here. We wanted to share the skills with the community, not just display the artwork.”
The rug is being made using traditional techniques, hooking strips of wool and repurposed fabric through a linen backing stretched across large frames. Harrison said linen was chosen for durability, allowing the piece to last longer than traditional burlap-backed rugs.
“We decide on the design, trace it, choose our colours and textures and then we start hooking,” Harrison explained. “You want it flowing, not too tight. Every loop matters, but it also has to breathe.”
The project incorporates thrifting and reuse, with sweaters and textiles cut into strips and hooked into the design, alongside wool cloth similar to that of Hudson’s Bay blankets. Harrison said that approach reflects the roots of Métis rug hooking, which began as a practical art form using whatever materials were available.
Completed hooked rugs and a Métis sash are displayed as examples of the traditional art form being taught during the museum project.
(Jacob Bamhour/980CJME)
The finished rug will measure roughly six feet by 10 feet, completed in three sections so it can be worked on and viewed from a distance as it progresses.
For Harrison, the project is deeply personal.
“I’m getting older now, and it’s such a blessing to leave something of our culture behind,” she said. “I want our young people to want to learn this and continue it. I know Bailey is one who will carry this on.”
Bailey Monsebroten, curator of Indigenous cultural heritage at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, speaks during a media event highlighting the hooked rug project.(Jacob Bamhour/980CJME)
The project also drew provincial attention, with Alana Ross, minister of parks, culture and sport, taking part in a demonstration at the museum.
“This is a great opportunity to glimpse our province’s past and connect with Métis culture,” Ross said.
Saskatchewan Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport Alana Ross speaks during a media event highlighting a Métis hooked rug project at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. (Jacob Bamhour/980CJME)
“The Royal Saskatchewan Museum has something for everyone, and projects like this keep traditions alive in a meaningful way.”
Monsebroten said the goal is for visitors not just to observe, but to understand the cultural significance behind the work.
“Children were so important to the Métis,” she said, pointing to recent updates in the gallery.
“We want people to see the care, the beauty and the knowledge that goes into these practices.”
As the rug continues to grow over the coming months, Harrison said the most important part isn’t the finished product — it’s the teaching that happens along the way.
“That’s how culture survives,” she said. “By sharing it.”
Read more:
