Laura Gates

This quilt was created to honour the 215 little spirits we heard about at the start of the horrific discoveries at just one of the 139 Indian Residential Schools.   

"The buttons on the orange crosses represent the random numbers of our little ancestors found at other schools.  The ones going to the smoke hole (depicted at the top of the quilt) are representing the journey we all take to Lax Ha’ (the sky) when we pass on.  Walk on, walk on, walk on the breath of our grandfathers.  This is how we honour those who have passed". Cindy Jenson Fisk, Gitx’san.

You’ll see 215 teardrops stitched on the dark grey paddles along with 215 ivory buttons placed throughout the quilt.

Little Spirits was juried into the QuiltCon Phoenix and the Quilt Canada Vancouver show both in 2022

Quilt designed by Laura Gates

Quilted by Joanne Davenport

Button design by Cindy Jensen Fisk