Popularity of beaded poppy on the rise
- EFN Staff | November 13, 2018
In honour of Remembrance Day, Indigenous beaders have been creating beaded poppies for years to honour those who fought for their country and their own people.
Bettina Stevenson from the Keeseekoose First Nation first picked up the trend from her mother Beatrice Bellegarde, about five years ago. Stevenson’s mother was always an avid beader and one year, Bellegarde was approached to make some beaded poppies for the elders in their community. It was a task that Stevenson’s mother took on but it became too much for one person to do. Stevenson noticed her mother was falling behind on her orders so she decided to pitch in to help her mother out. Since then, beading poppies became a yearly mission, a passion and special bonding time between her and her mother.
“Beading poppies brought my mom and I closer. Just sitting for hours talking about everything,” she said. “I cherish those conversations. I feel honoured that my mother passed down some of her craftmanship to me because of her age and health, she isn’t able to craft like she once did. I’m blessed to have such a crafty mom.”
Stevenson’s grandfather Wilfred Bellegarde fought in the WWII and when she beads her poppies, she feels pride to honour him and other Indigenous veterans for their contributions.
“In my newer beaded poppies, I try to incorporate the medicine wheel colours to remember our Indigenous veterans,” said Stevenson, who added that it takes five hours to make a beaded poppy. “There isn’t [much] out there that particularly remembers them and yet so many of our people went to war. I really like the [idea] of beaded poppies because it puts an Indigenous aspect on it and it helps others to remember our veterans.”
Leeann Gamble who lives in Duck Lake took on the beading trend two years ago as a hobby and to learn something new.
“Beading was like therapy for me. I thought it was a good idea to bead poppies so [people] can have forever as a keepsake,” said Gamble, who taught herself how to bead. “Sometimes, I can’t keep up with [orders] around this time.”
Gamble makes her beaded poppies for individuals, schools and groups who inquire. She charges $10 per beaded poppy and takes her 45 minutes to make one. When she’s making her beaded poppies, she often reflects on her late moshums who were veterans
“I have a couple moshums [who] were veterans. I have respect for all of the veterans who [fought] in the war,” said Gamble, who receives orders from all over including as far as Arizona. “I think about them a lot and I look at their pictures and I feel happy and pride for our Indigenous veterans knowing that they fought for everyone.”
As the trend continues to rise, more people are seen wearing beaded poppies to honour those who fought in the wars.