The Sunshine Coast Grandmothers and Grand Others have contributed to a beautiful quilt that celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF).
The quilt is currently touring Canada to celebrate the work of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign right across the country, and it will be arriving in Sechelt to be displayed Aug. 16 and 17th.
The quilt, “Nurturing Generations Under the Canopy of Sisterhood,” depicts a grandmother tree, her outstretched arms forming branches filled with leaves. Beneath the tree are seedlings, which represent the community growth that comes from the strength, nurturing and shelter that grandmothers provide. The quilt symbolizes the solidarity of the Grandmothers Campaign and is stitched together with contributions from grandmothers across Canada and from Africa.
Each leaf on the quilt represents a message from a Grandmothers group from across Canada.
The collective effort of more than 300 grandmothers, this remarkable work of textile art demonstrates what becomes possible when women gather, connect, and share their resources, creativity, and compassion.
In designing and sewing a leaf for the grandmother tree, the local grandmothers chose to depict an orca to symbolize the West Coast. Similar to the plight of grandmothers in Africa, these have been difficult years for Canada’s West Coast orcas, but with resilience and support from their human friends and the traditional knowledge of the orca grandmothers, the Salish Sea orcas are showing an increase in calf survival and pods are beginning to recover.
Each orca pod, or family, has a grandmother or great grandmother that guides the pod in their daily quest for food, shelter and safety. The Sunshine Coast Grandmothers and Grand Others hope that this quilt will both educate and inspire others to do what they can to help our African sisters to guide their families to a brighter future.
When the HIV epidemic swept across the continent of Africa, it took the lives of nearly an entire generation, leaving their children alone and vulnerable. The grandmothers of Africa stepped in to care for the children. Canadian grandmothers now raise funds to support life-enhancing programs run by grandmothers in Africa and the community-led organizations who support them. The SLF delivers these funds directly to the grandmothers who are organized to empower women and girls and orphaned and vulnerable children.
The quilt took on life with contributions from the African continent and all across Canada. Come prepared to be amazed by this beautiful work of love. A reception will be held on Saturday, Aug. 17 starting at 10:30 a.m., and the quilt will be on display both days for your enjoyment.
St. Hilda’s Anglican Church is very close to the location of the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, which will be in full swing. This is a wonderful opportunity to visit the festival and the unveiling of the quilt at the same time.
