When səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) Chief Jen Thomas sparked the idea of creating a holiday craft market two decades ago, she had no idea how much it would bloom over the following years.
The Christmas Craft Fair returns for its 22nd year at the Tsleil-Waututh Nation Community Centre Dec. 7 and 8, with more than 80 vendors both Indigenous and non-Indigenous from across B.C. coming together to showcase their homemade products.
“It’s fun, it’s a hangout place. All the vendors have become family because it’s been so long,” Thomas said. “It promotes our Indigenous artists, our elders that just do their arts and crafts at home, and then provides the opportunity for them to make extra money.”
Thomas said the fair consists of First Nations vendors from across the province, selling products ranging from jewelry and beadwork to ribbon skirts and carvings.
Since the market began, Thomas has seen participation double, from 40 to 80 vendors. Businesses as far away as Prince Rupert will travel to take part in the annual event, with Thomas sometimes having to turn people away due to the demand.
“It’s just [grown] rapidly over the last 20 years,” Thomas said. “I sell out months before the craft fair.”
Tsleil-Waututh Nation member Bernadette Guss is one of the people returning to the market, selling handcrafted items like canoe and drum ornaments made from polymer clay.
“This is the first time that I’ve done it, I’m quite happy with how things have turned out,” Guss said.
Guss has been going to the market since it launched, and is happy to see how it’s turned out over the years.
Her crafting journey began when she was a child. When Guss saw her mom sewing a dress as a child, she begged her mom to teach her.
Guss was handed scissors, fabric, a needle and a thread to learn, and shortly after decided her first project would be creating a top for her teddy bear.
But the project went wrong, Guss said with laughter, as she sewed the top onto the living room couch.
The crafter has improved since then, expanding to knitting and crochet.
Guss did these things to keep herself busy, but decided to turn it into a business to share her work with others.
“I think it’s a good idea for people to be able to show their talents, without having a huge expense associated with it. Having people in the surrounding communities come by, and see that not everything has to be made in China for them to buy it and that local talent has something to offer as well,” Guss said.
There will also be door prizes given out, including a 65-inch TV, Thomas said.
Admission is by donation, with all funds raised going to the Nation’s annual baby celebration, a ceremony held every March welcoming newborns into the community.
“With the economics of today, people are always trying to make that extra money, and this helps them,” Thomas said.
səlilwətaɬ Christmas Craft Fair
Where: Tsleil-Waututh Nation Community Centre
When: Dec. 7 and 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission: By donation
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative. [email protected]
