By Jennifer Ruth
Staff Writer
HOULTON — A shawl can provide comfort and warmth and for the purpose of one project, it is providing a message of hope.
“Shawls Stories” has been a creative and positive way for adults and youth to share their experiences with domestic violence and to spread the message of hope to anyone, regardless of age, race, religion or financial background, that domestic abuse is not OK.
Submitted photo
FOUR WINDS — Amy Dennis and Danya Boyce play during opening ceremonies at the Blue Moon Gallery on Friday, Oct. 5.
For the next two months, these shawls and their stories will be on display at the Blue Moon Art Gallery on Main Street for the public to view courtesy of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians in recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“These shawls are extremely personal,” explained Rosalind Morgan, coordinator of the Blue Moon Art Gallery. “Their message is of strength, of triumph and they are an impact.”
The exhibit is called “Ksuwoson Akonutamakonol: Shawl Stories.” Since Friday, Oct. 5, the Blue Moon Gallery has become a scene evocative of a Native American sweat lodge. Birch poles and cedar boughs representing the earth line the walls, water flows from a fountain, ribbons in the colors of the medicine wheel (red, black, white and yellow) and a dream catcher move in the air currents, while stones glow. The voices of survivors and victims whisper and shout from shawls that line the walls. Each shawl’s color denotes someone who was abused; verbally, sexually, emotionally and even murdered.
“The sweat lodge was used as part of the exhibit as a way to include as many different cultural elements as possible,” explained Morgan. “Mostly, we wanted to highlight the fact that it’s something that spans a very wide border and unfortunately, it’s a very inclusive problem. No one people are excluded.”
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OPEN DAY — Blue Moon Gallery opens with “Shawl Stories” from the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Seen here from left are: Audrey Zimmerman, Houlton Town Councilor Sue Tortello and Betty Joseph. The gallery opened the exhibit on Friday, Oct. 5 and will resume until Nov. 24.
The shawls project began as part of the HBMI Domestic Violence Response Program. The shawl colors also tell a story: red – sexual abuse; blue – childhood abuse; brown – abused for being a Native American woman; white – died as a result of abuse; and yellow – domestic abuse (verbal, physical, emotional, sexual). It is an on-going, highly personal project with the ability to open eyes and offer hope.
“It’s on display for the next two months,” said Morgan. “People would have the opportunity to see the shawls and try to understand that everyone — children, men and women — we’re all the same.”
The Four Winds, the women’s drum group from the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, officially opened the exhibit with their voices and the sound of the drum. A small, but appreciable crowd of southern Aroostook community members including Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians Tribal Council Member, Linda Raymond and Houlton Town Councilor, Sue Tortello were on hand.
Ksuwosun Akonutomakonol: Shawl Stories will be on display through Nov. 24, at the Blue Moon Gallery, 66 Main Street, Houlton. Normal business hours are: Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
