Time Traveller: This basket weaver was known for high skill and close ties to Emily Carr

Born in 1872, Sewinchelwet (Sophie Frank) was a renowned basket weaver from the Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation).

She is remembered to have travelled daily to Vancouver from Eslha7an to sell and trade her work. These trips resulted in her meeting Emily Carr in 1906, with whom she enjoyed a close friendship.

Sewinchelwet’s work showcases the high skill and specialized knowledge of Coast Salish weaving, and her designs feature motifs and styles of the Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw, passed down through generations of weavers. The above photo shows Sewinchelwet with her family in the 1930s. June is National Indigenous History Month.

Visit the MONOVA website for more information about the history of the North Shore and to plan your visit to MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver, now open at 115 West Esplanade in The Shipyards.

Currently, MONOVA: Archives of North Vancouver, at 3203 Institute Road in Lynn Valley, is open by appointment only. Contact: [email protected]

Navigate culture on the North Shore by using the North Shore Culture Compass.