Bring warmth, meaning, and cultural artistry into your home with this beautiful Welcome Blanket, crafted from natural cotton and drawn from Indigenous weaving traditions. This blanket can be used as a cozy throw, decorative accent, or meaningful gift.
The Story of This Blanket
The Welcome Blanket is the first in a series of blankets drawn from Debra Sparrow's monumental woven work, created in 1996 for the Musqueam Welcome Area in the International Arrivals Hall at Vancouver International Airport.
As international travellers arrive on the traditional, unceded territory of the Musqueam people, Debra's weaving offers a welcome through the visual language of Salish weaving As the Host Nation, Musqueam’s presence and connection to these lands extend across generations. Through textiles and other forms of cultural expression, Musqueam stories, knowledge and relationships to place continue to be carried forward. Today, we welcome residents, newcomers and visitors to these lands and invite them to connect with the history and living culture of Musqueam.
The Welcome Blanket is drawn from one section of the original composition. Its motifs, patterns and colours are drawn from Salish weaving traditions, reflecting a visual language that has been carried forward through generations.
Originally woven by hand from hand-spun and hand-dyed wool, the design has been thoughtfully translated into an heirloom-quality blanket woven from 100% natural cotton. Every detail honours the integrity of the original work while remaining true to the story from which it began.
Debra wove this when her grandfather ShWienum (Edward Sparrow) was nearing one hundred years old. He saw the end of weaving, when it died out in his community, and witnessed its revival through Debra, her sisters and other women. She had the opportunity to wrap him in this blanket before it was raised at YVR.
The Making
Originally woven by hand from hand-spun and hand-dyed wool, the design has been thoughtfully translated into an heirloom-quality blanket woven from 100% natural cotton. Every detail honours the integrity of the original work while remaining true to the story from which it began.
