Sitting in her Jasper home, Matricia Brown reflected on the first time she dove into heritage arts.
She was 16 and had just learned how to intricately bead patterns onto the stems of feathers.
鈥淚 think you can focus on the negative things or the history which can be brutal, but a long time ago I made the conscious choice to concentrate on the things that are beautiful about my culture,鈥� said Brown, who identifies as Cree.
Since moving to Jasper about three years ago, Brown has been sharing that beauty with the community, teaching locals the ways of the drum, how to make mukluks, mittens and moccasins and loom beading.
鈥淪haring this has been very positive for me and has given me a good opportunity to connect with the community. When people come to my classes they end up becoming my friends and they experience my culture in a way that鈥檚 meaningful to both of us,鈥� she said.
Since that first beaded feather, Brown has taken several heritage arts courses and has served as a teacher for many across Alberta.
鈥淎 lot of my beading and leather work skills are mostly self-taught, but I鈥檝e had some really good teachers along the way,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 try to take a different course each year, learning to make stained glass or caribou tufting or different things that interest me.
鈥淔or me it鈥檚 important to keep learning and trying new things so I can hopefully pass that knowledge along to others.鈥�
Brown said she鈥檚 noticed an increased interest in her teachings each year. Her November mukluk course had 10 students.
鈥淲e live in a society of instant gratification. If you want a pair of shoes then you just go out and buy them. You don鈥檛 spend months making them or picking out the colour or not having them work out,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淢aking mukluks or mitts is a totally different experience and I think we鈥檙e seeing a resurgence in people wanting to make things for themselves.
鈥淚 had one of my students thank me not for the mukluks, but for teaching her a new life skill.鈥�
While working with small beads and natural materials like leather and fur can be challenging for most beginners, Brown said her students continue to surprise and inspire her.
鈥淚鈥檝e had people who have never even sewn show up and rise to the challenge. In my mukluk class I gave everybody the same instructions, but they all came up with totally unique designs,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s a teacher, that鈥檚 really great to watch.鈥�
As for drum teachings, Brown has been sharing her skills with young and old for years. This month she鈥檚 been teaching preschool children about different rhythms, beats and Indigenous dances.
When she鈥檚 not teaching, Brown and her daughter MacKenzie Brown, known by their stage name Warrior Women, can be found performing their serene blend of traditional drumming, songs and stories at events throughout town including the Jasper Dark Sky Festival and the park鈥檚 annual Aboriginal Day celebrations.
鈥淭he voice and the drum have been around for thousands of years so there is something very primal about those performances. When you strip everything away and you just have a person with a drum and a voice I think it really makes people pay attention,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淚 find it鈥檚 a very honest performance and it鈥檚 a nice way to continue this cultural conversation.鈥�
While Brown鈥檚 courses are coming to a close this season, she promises to be back again in September, offering more heritage arts.
鈥淚鈥檝e worked really hard to get where I am at today, but I also feel very lucky to have so much support from the town,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been lucky to have met key people in key places that have seen my potential and have given me the opportunity to share what I do.鈥�
Kayla Byrne
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