Saturday, February 16
Demonstrations in Fort Gibraltar’s Historic Cabins
Historic Workshop cabin
12 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Coopering with Barry Webb
Coopering is a highly skilled trade dating back for thousands of years. The cooper fashions sturdy shipping containers out of wooden staves held together using only hoops, without glue or nails.
Historic Warehouse cabin
10 a.m. to 9 p.m. - Travois Making and Fishnet Weaving
Demonstrations in the Warehouse will include the construction of a Seine net, commonly used at Red River for catching a variety of fish and bolstering necessary food stores; As well as the lacing of a travois using traditional rawhide strips soaked for malleability.
Demonstrations on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Paper Marbling with Janet Carroll
- Homemade Soap with Heather Forgie
- Flint Knapping with Archeologist Chris Whaley
- Loom Weaving
- Finger Weaving
Workshops on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. – Storytelling with Ruth Christie and Marc Kuly (kids welcome!)
3 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. – Historical Lecture Series : The North West Company at the Forks with historian Dr. Scott Stephen
4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Paper Marbling with paper artist Janet Carroll (limit of 8 people)
Paper Marbling is a traditional craft that involves floating paints on a liquid, swirling them into patterns and applying paper to make an instant print. It is fun to do, if a bit messy. Come learn about this fascinating craft and take home unique decorative papers.
5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. – Homemade Soap with Heather Forgie (limit of 25 people, kids welcome)
7 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Learn how to make tools out of stone with Archeologist Chris Whaley (limit of 10 people)
Make a plain old rock into a useful tool! Using age-old techniques our expert will show you how people developed these essential skills to survive in times gone-by.
Sunday, February 17
Demonstrations on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Inuit Snow Goggles with Bill Fernie
- Silversmithing with Nathan Beal
- Wool Spinning with Corie Johnston
- Loom Weaving
- Finger Weaving
Workshops on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. - Learn how to spin fleece into yarn with Corie Johnston (limit of 10 people)
Spinning transforms fibers into yarn that can be used in knitting or weaving to make different items. This workshop will show how to spin fiber on a spindle and a wheel.
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. - Make your own pair of Inuit Snow Goggles with Master Interpreter Bill Fernie (limit of 10 people, kids welcome)
Have you ever wondered how the Inuit developed the first sunglasses? Test your creative skill by making your own pair of wooden snow goggles using traditional methods and materials.
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Make your own pair of Inuit Snow Goggles with Master Interpreter Bill Fernie (limit 10 people, kids welcome)
Have you ever wondered how the Inuit developed the first sunglasses? Test your creative skill by making your own pair of wooden snow goggles using traditional methods and materials.
5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Historic Lecture Series : All That Glitters is not Gold: The Significance of Silver to the North American Fur-Trade with Silversmith Nathan Beal
6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Historic Lecture Series : Scottish Roots of the North West Company with U.S. National Parks Service interpreter Jeremy Kingsbury
Monday, February 18
Demonstrations in Fort Gibraltar’s Historic Cabins
Historic Warehouse cabin
10 a.m. to 9 p.m. - Travois Making and Fishnet Weaving
Demonstrations in the Warehouse will include the construction of a Seine net, commonly used at Red River for catching a variety of fish and bolstering necessary food stores; As well as the lacing of a travois using traditional rawhide strips soaked for malleability.
Demonstrations on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Métis Arts and Crafts with Nancy Gouliquer
- Métis Beading with Artist Jennine Krauchi
- Sash Weaving with fiber artist Carol James
- Loom Weaving
- Finger Weaving
Workshops on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Finger Weaving with fiber artist Carol James (limit of 10 people)
Finger Weaving is an ancient low-tech method for producing cloth without a loom. This is the technique used to create the Ceinture Flechee and Metis sashes.
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. - Métis Beading with artist Jennine Krauchi (limit of 15 people, kids welcome)
Be that person with the beautiful beadwork! Learn how to make your own traditional métis-style beaded crafts with our resident expert.
3 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Traditional Dance Workshop with Denise Reimer and Family (limit of 20 people, kids welcome)
Put on your dancing boots and join us in a whirl of jigs and reels reminiscent of times and traditions gone by.
4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Make your own Métis Slippers with Nancy Gouliquer (limit of 15 people, ages 10+)
Make your very own slippers from wool point blanket scraps, in a moccasin style adorned with beads and other decorations.
Friday, February 22
Demonstrations on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Loom Weaving
- Finger Weaving
Workshops on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
7 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. – Historic Lecture Series : Pierre Bonga Loops with Troy B. Bailey
The son of freed slaves, this highly skilled African-American voyageur had a lasting impact on the fur trade. Come and discover this fascinating character through an interactive workshop and lecture.
Saturday, February 23
Demonstrations in Fort Gibraltar’s Historic Cabins
Historic Workshop cabin
12 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Coopering with Barry Webb
Coopering is a highly skilled trade dating back for thousands of years. The cooper fashions sturdy shipping containers out of wooden staves held together using only hoops, without glue or nails.
Historic Warehouse cabin
10 a.m. to 9 p.m. - Travois Making and Fishnet Weaving
Demonstrations in the Warehouse will include the construction of a Seine net, commonly used at Red River for catching a variety of fish and bolstering necessary food stores; As well as the lacing of a travois using traditional rawhide strips soaked for malleability.
Demonstrations on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Métis Arts and Crafts with Nancy Gouliquer
- Indigenous Archery with Dr. Roland Bohr, Director for Rupert’s Land Studies at the U of W
- Ojibwe Twined Bag with U.S. National Parks Service interpreter Jeremy Kingsbury
- Natural Textile Dyeing with Artist Kelly Ruth
- Flint Knapping with Archeologist Chris Whaley
- Loom Weaving
- Finger Weaving
Workshops on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Traditional Dance Workshop with Denise Reimer and Family (limit of 20 people, kids welcome)
Put on your dancing boots and join us in a whirl of jigs and reels reminiscent of times and traditions gone by.
3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. – Storytelling with Ruth Christie and Marc Kuly (kids welcome!)
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Learn how to make tools out of stone with Archeologist Chris Whaley (limit: 10 people)
Make a plain old rock into a useful tool! Using age-old techniques our expert will show you how people developed these essential skills to survive in times gone-by.
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Make an Ojibwe Twined Bag with Jeremy Kingsbury (limit 10 people)
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Learn how to make Métis style mittens with Nancy Gouliquer (limit 15 people kids welcome)
Come and make a pair of heritage pattern mittens from wool point blanket scraps and adorn them with beads and decorations.
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Natural Textile Dyeing with Artist Kelly Ruth (limit 8people)
Explore the history and use of natural dyes, understanding the basics in how they work. Through hands on experience folks will have the opportunity to experience the magic of natural colour!
7 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Come hear Emmanuel Nivon of Canada de Louis XV give a presentation on the commerce of the fur trade in New France during La Vérendrye’s era. Sponsored by Compagnie de La Vérendrye and fortgrouge275.ca
Sunday, February 24
Demonstrations on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Silversmithing with Nathan Beal
- Loom Weaving
- Finger Weaving
- Métis Embroidery Artist Jennine Krauchi
Workshops on the 2nd floor of Maison du Bourgeois (Fort Gibraltar)
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Learn how to do Métis style embroidery with Métis artist and craftsperson Jennine Krauchi (limit of 15 people)
2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Historical Lecture Series: Food and the Fur Trade- with historian Dr. Scott Stephen
3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Historical Lecture Series: What did George Washington have in common with some Canadian Aboriginal people? Find out about the amazing ancient textile technique called ‘sprang’. With fiber artist Carol James
4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Historic Lecture Series: All That Glitters is not Gold: The Significance of Silver to the North American Fur-Trade with Silversmith Nathan Beal
