Bowl Giving Ceremony

Metis Women – 250 Years

250 individually hand formed, smoke enhanced, partially glazed low fire clay bowls

September 29th, the bowls will be gifted to 250 individual Indigenous women. In return for the bowl, women will name an Indigenous woman who they want to recognize and celebrate. Tracy will take the names and they will become woven into a mixed media tapestry that will honour the lives of 250 Metis/Indigenous women and girls. After the ceremony, there will be Métis dancers and Jingle dress dancers and drummers here to help us on all our individual healing and celebration journey. The ceremony will start around 6 p.m. at the Saint-Boniface Museum at 494 Taché Ave in Winnipeg. We will be present till 8 p.m. for the bowl giving.

The bowls which Tracy has made by hand celebrate 250 years the female Metis lineage in her family. These 250 bowls speak to the contributions made by Metis women to the making, the strengthening and continuance of the Metis Nation. Tracy can trace this history from 1770 to 2020 with the birth of Madelaine Saulteaux and the subsequent seven generations of her grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters and cousins and, of course, her own mother – Beatrice Nault-Charette.

The bowls are a blending of traditional and contemporary hand building and firing techniques. They are inspired by past generations of Indigenous creators and artists. Each bowl symbolizes a Indigenous woman as a carrier/holder of life and of future potential. Some of the bowls have hand carved designs that resemble Metis floral patterns.

If you have any questions, experiences@msbm.mb.ca

Tracy Charette Fehr is a mixed media Metis artist who works primarily in thread, textile and clay. Tracy has deep roots in the Red River Settlement and in St Malo/LaRochelle, Manitoba. She grew up in the North End of Winnipeg. Her work in thread and clay speaks to the experience of Manitoba Metis people with a special emphasis on the lives and stories of Metis women.

Tracy lives and works in Winnipeg. She has recently completed her MFA at the University of Manitoba. Recent exhibits are:

• “Heartbeat of a Nation: Metis Women 250 Years”, 2021, Winnipeg Art Gallery.
• “In MY Blood I Stand”, 2021, St Boniface Museum.
• “MOTHERLAND”, School of Art Gallery, University of Manitoba, 2022.
• “Monuments: Memories of a Family”, Mann Gallery in Prince Albert Saskatchewan.

We would like to thank Tracy for giving us this wonderful opportunity to host such a wonderful ceremony and event.