Debra Sparrow facts for kids

Debra Sparrow, also known by her traditional name θəliχʷəlʷət (Thelliawhatlwit), is a talented Musqueam artist. She is a weaver, artist, and someone who keeps important cultural knowledge alive. Debra taught herself the traditional Salish designs, weaving techniques, and how to make jewelry.

Her Early Life and Inspiration

Debra Sparrow grew up on the Musqueam Indian Reserve. This reserve is part of the traditional lands of the Musqueam people in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her grandfather, Ed Sparrow, was a big inspiration. He lived to be 100 years old and shared many stories with her. These stories helped her feel connected to her heritage and hear the voices of her ancestors.

Debra says, "We never stopped dancing, we never stopped singing, we never stopped practising our cultural ways." She sees herself as someone who lives and practices these traditional ways every day. Debra is also a mother to three grown children.

Bringing Back Salish Weaving

When Debra was a child, the special techniques of Salish weaving were almost lost to the Musqueam nation. There were no living weavers left to teach the younger generations. The last known weaver before this tradition was brought back was Debra's great-grandmother.

In 1985, Debra's oldest sister, Wendy John, took a Salish weaving course. The next year, Debra and her younger sister Robyn Sparrow also started to learn weaving.

Debra and Robyn worked together to start a group of women weavers in the 1980s. They helped bring the Salish Weaving tradition back to life. They learned how to weave again by studying an old book and looking at blankets passed down in their family. They also studied blankets in museums in British Columbia, Washington, and New York.

Debra describes weaving as a special connection to the past. She says, "When I stand in front of my loom and I'm working, I'm with them. I'm back in time, and I'm thinking of the women, and they're whispering to me and guiding me."

Long ago, Salish weavers used dog hair for their blankets. But those dogs are now extinct. Today, weavers use sheep's wool, often spun by hand. Weaving these robes takes a very long time. Debra says, "Robes take longer to weave than totem poles take to carve."

Sharing Knowledge with Others

Debra Sparrow is very active in teaching others. She has created programs and taught elementary school children about Musqueam culture and history. She did this through the UBC Museum of Anthropology.

She also teaches Salish weaving techniques to kids, teenagers, and adults. She has taught at places like Birkland Brothers Wool Shop, through the Urban Weavers project, and with the Vancouver School Board.

Debra often gives demonstrations and public talks. She shares her knowledge at places like the Greater Vancouver Weavers and Spinners Guild and the Bill Reid Gallery. She also takes part in presentations and publications at big meetings around the world. These events focus on modern and traditional Indigenous art, including those organized by UNESCO.

Debra has also taught a special "Reconciliation Weaving" course at Langara College. This course continued a series that aimed to bring people together through art.

She also helped lead a project called "Weaving Our Way." This was a group weaving project that brought different cultures together. The special blanket they created is now a public artwork. It is displayed permanently at the Dunbar Community Centre in Vancouver.

Important Artworks

Debra Sparrow's artwork is highly valued. Her pieces are found in private collections and public museums. Some places that own her work include the University of British Columbia, the Heard Museum in Arizona, and the Canadian Museum of History in Quebec. Her art is also at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles and the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle.

In 1996, Debra and her sister Robyn wove two large blankets for the "Out of the Silence" art display. This display is at the Vancouver International Airport. These four weavings are made from hand-dyed, hand-spun sheep's wool. Each one is about 4.9 meters long and 1.5 meters wide. These weavings are part of the Musqueam Welcome Area. This area officially welcomes all international flights to Canada, British Columbia, and Vancouver. One of the blankets by Debra and Robyn is called Sulsila, which means "The Grandparents."

Other designs by Debra Sparrow are reproduced by the Kanata Blanket Company.

In 2009, Debra was asked to create a special ceremonial blanket and shawl. These pieces are displayed in the First Nations gallery at Government House in Victoria, BC.

Debra also designed the logo for the Canadian Hockey Teams for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver. The logo is shaped like a maple leaf. It shows a mix of Salish and Canadian symbols drawn by Debra. These include a thunderbird, eagle, beaver, moose, hockey sticks, and Orcas.

For the 2010 Olympic Games, Debra and Robyn Sparrow created two weavings. These are called Thunderbirds: Keepers of the Sky. They hang in UBC Thunderbird Arena as a lasting reminder of the Games.

Debra was part of the design team for the Queen of the Night costume. This was for the Vancouver Opera's production of The Magic Flute in 2013. The costume was inspired by Coastal Salish art. She also created special clothing for the movie White Fang II for Disney.

In 2015, Debra designed the Unity Scarf for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. She worked with a Vancouver company called Peau de Loup. The scarf had a Salish design on one side and the word Canada on the other. Debra said she was honored to share her designs. She wanted the world to see the connection between all people in Canada. She also celebrated the accomplishments of women athletes.

In 2018, Debra worked on several mural projects in Vancouver. She designed a three-part mural series called "Blanketing the City." These murals use modern Coast Salish design elements. They focus on geometric blanket weaving patterns. The first mural is on Granville Island. It wraps around two cement pillars under the Granville Street Bridge. The second mural, "Blanketing the City Pt. II," is in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood. The third mural is a collaboration with Capilano University and artist Carrielynn Victor.

Awards

Debra Sparrow received the BC Creative Achievement Award for First Nations' Art in 2008.