Prince George, B.C. – When is a blanket not really a blanket?   When it’s an art piece designed to resemble a patch work quilt but is made of cedar planks “stitched” together with steel rods and screws.

 

Confused?

 

It is the Witness Blanket project,   which aims to aid in healing and reconciliation in the wake of the legacy of residential schools.  

 

The project started in Victoria, and is gathering items from across the country, items that have links to residential schools. The items could be anything, a photo, a piece of concrete, a door knob. Each item will be attached to a cedar plank and on the reverse side,  there will be a plaque detailing the item’s origin and significance.

 

Project Coordinator Rosy Steinhauer is in Prince George this week attending the Elders Gathering.   In addition to bringing along a sample of a “square” for this special quilt, she distributed pamphlets which outline  the importance of gathering such pieces together.  “Left alone, these pieces may be forgotten, lost, buried or worse- be uncomfortable reminders that leave painful impressions on the minds and hearts of those who recognize what they represent” reads the pamphlet. “Individually, they are paragraphs of a disappearing narrative. Together they are strong and formidable, collectively able to recount for future generations the true story of loss, strength, reconciliation and pride” says the informational material.

 

Steinhauer  says the goal is to collect 2,500 pieces and as the “blanket” takes shape, it is hoped it will be taken across the country to share the story. 

 

While the project is based out of Victoria, Steinhauer says the permanent site for display of the finished piece has yet to be decided.

 

Anyone looking for more information on the project,  or who would like to  donate  a piece can  find out more information  at the  project’s website