Alice Guss's first project depicted a mountain.
The shawl represented the battle between good and evil; mimicking the Squamish Nation tale of Sinulhkay, the two-headed serpent that terrorized the people living along the Squamish River.
"The first one you have to give away," Guss said of a person's first weaving project. "So I gave it to my daughter."
That was almost half a decade ago, when Guss began to learn to weave from her 81-year-old mother. Weaving is a tradition that's returning to her culture, Guss said. The Coast Salish people used to create items out of mountain coat wool, she said. When the Europeans arrived on their coast, First Nations began using dog hair, a practice Guss's mother can recall.
In Squamish, weaving started to resurface about 10 years ago, Guss said. The movement was initiated by Janice George. Guss has been hosting weaving workshops in Whistler at the Squamish Lilwat Cultural Centre. On Friday, Jan. 25, for the first time she'll be holding one in Squamish.
"Community members want to learn," she said. "Two young mothers came to me and said they wanted to start making regalia."
Weaving today is a mix of old and new, Guss said. The work still holds some of the Squamish Nation's culture and story within it, but the materials are modern. The craft is fun, she said, and good for all ages.
"It relaxes you, it's like you are in your own world," she said.
Sometimes she forgets what she's working on, Guss said, while noting it's not a good idea to weave will watching hockey. Last year, she spent several hours undoing work she had completed during a Canucks game.
"I can't weave and watch the Canucks at the same time," Guss joked.
Guss is hosting the Squamish workshop at her house on Friday, Jan. 25. The session will start at 6:30 p.m. Anyone interested in joining the gather can email Guss through her website at www.tsawaysia.com.
