Purpose, History, and Vision

Remembering the Missing

The Blanket Project is the resolution to a significant initiative that began with the discovery of the Le Estcwicw.ý (the missing) at Tk’emlúps Residential School. Its original purpose was to tie an orange ribbon for each spirit onto buildings and objects on the USask campus. As more unmarked graves were found across Turtle Island, the need for commemoration grew, resulting in over 9000 ribbons being placed. Initially, the intention was to burn the ribbons in a sacred fire after one year but due to the ribbons’ non-organic nature, it was deemed inappropriate to do so. Considering this, the mistatimôk committee, tasked with guiding the USask community towards meaningful and authentic commemorations related to decolonization and reconciliation, decided on an alternative approach.

The Star Blanket and Its Creation

The Blanket Project was born, implementing the ribbons into blankets, incorporating patterns of healing and celebration representing various nations across Turtle Island, including those across the Medicine Line. After consideration of multiple patterns representing nations across Turtle Island and after engaging in star teachings, consultation with Elders Evelyn Linklater and Florence Highway guided the decision to use the 8-pointed star. The Star Blanket acts as a blueprint for nêhiyawak cosmology and ways of being that connect life on Earth to the spirit world and the teachings of the stars. We know the Star Blanket is used to honour, protect, and celebrate an individual.

A Commitment to Healing and Reconciliation

The blankets that have been woven together in community will symbolize collective strength and exemplify the commitment to reconciliation as the USask community moves forward in acknowledging the painful history and working towards a more inclusive future, directly foregrounding Indigenous knowledges and narratives. The Blanket Project is both a necessary reminder of the atrocities committed in the past and present-day and a step towards healing and honouring the lives of those affected by the Residential school system.

Installation Process

The blankets have been framed individually with the same material for each. A solid wood frame protected by tempered glass give the 5’ by 5’ construction a powerful presence and brings attention to the Star Blanket and its intentional community driven commitment to residential school commemoration. Understanding the harm which has been experienced and continues to impact Indigenous families and communities.

  • public accessibility - no private offices This is not a trophy accessibility - everybody needs to be able to view it a place of high traffic visibility but respectful ideally a place where people would have enough space to be able to stop and reflect.
  • as your individual blanket placement becomes a node on a trail of connection, we also need to consider how it sits in relation to all other nodes.
The Blanket Project is the resolution to a significant initiative that began with the discovery of the Le Estcwicw.ý (the missing) at Tk’emlúps Residential School. Its original purpose was to tie an orange ribbon for each spirit onto buildings and objects on the USask campus. As more unmarked graves were found across Turtle Island, the need for commemoration grew, resulting in over 9000 ribbons being placed. Initially, the intention was to burn the ribbons in a sacred fire after one year but due to the ribbons’ non-organic nature, it was deemed inappropriate to do so. Considering this, the mistatimôk committee, tasked with guiding the USask community towards meaningful and authentic commemorations related to decolonization and reconciliation, decided on an alternative approach. The Blanket Project was born, implementing the ribbons into blankets, incorporating patterns of healing and celebration representing various nations across Turtle Island, including those across the Medicine Line. After consideration of multiple patterns representing nations across Turtle Island and after engaging in star teachings, consultation with Elders Evelyn Linklater and Florence Highway guided the decision to use the 8-pointed star. The Star Blanket acts as a blueprint for nêhiyawak cosmology and ways of being that connect life on Earth to the spirit world and the teachings of the stars. We know the Star Blanket is used to honour, protect, and celebrate an individual. The blankets that have been woven together in community will symbolize collective strength and exemplify the commitment to reconciliation as the USask community moves forward in acknowledging the painful history and working towards a more inclusive future, directly foregrounding Indigenous knowledges and narratives. The Blanket Project is both a necessary reminder of the atrocities committed in the past and present-day and a step towards healing and honouring the lives of those affected by the Residential school system.