What Are Thunder Beads Used For

Justine Gustafson, First Portrait, 20 x 15 inches, velveteen, felt, seed beads, 2020.

Justine Gustafson, First Portrait, xx x fifteen inches, velveteen, felt, seed beads, 2020.

This commemorative fine art exhibition presents artwork by the Gustafson family unit: Shannon, Ryan, Justine, and Jade. This exhibition honours their son and brother, Piitwewetam (Rolling Thunder), also known as the late Jesse Gustafson who travelled to the spirit earth afterward a car accident in 2015.

Piitwewetam: Making is Medicine is an offer from the Gustafson family to each of united states. As an Anishnaabe family unit the act of giving is an integral part of their life. Gifts are offered out of kindness, out of love. To requite is to simply offer without the expectation of receiving something in return. When we give, nosotros are enacting a sacred police that acknowledges life. With Anishnaabe tradition, a role of the grief ceremony is gifting. This beautiful exhibition is acknowledging all of the skilful life, including relationships, teachings, singing, and dancing that Jesse experienced when he was here on Globe. Each piece in this exhibition will be gifted to friends and family. These gifts come from kindness, from a deep love that honours Piitwewetam.

YouTube video

EXHIBITION VIDEO Tour

During the COVID-19 lockdown, in the showtime half of 2021, many people asked u.s. for a mode to experience this exhibition online, and nosotros listened. This Exhibition Video Bout is based on interviews with artists Shannon and Ryan Gustafson, who share personal and candid reflections on fine art, love, loss, healing, and ceremony.

Shannon and Ryan as well generously share Anishinaabe teachings connected to works in the show. They teach us how to grieve in a good way.

Co-curators Leanna and Jean Marshall offering insight into their curatorial process, beadwork, and thoughts on the gallery as a ceremonial space.

We promise y'all enjoy this tour as a deeply personal journey into the exhibition.

Thanks to the Gustafsons and Jean and Leanna Marshall for making this possible.

Filmed by Sarah Furlotte of 48th Parallel Productions.

Gustafson Family unit

As a grieving parent, your biggest fearfulness is that your child will get forgotten. By doing this, information technology will speak to him, it will speak to his life, it will somehow preserve that. Our journey is something that, despite how hard it is and how challenging it is, at that place is beauty in all of it. All the pain, hurt, tears — it speaks to love: the love that nosotros have for him.

— Shannon Gustafson

Making is Medicine

The human activity of making together is a part of the Gustafson'south grieving process. Their creations are a part of their story that allows them to express themselves. Afterwards Jesse'due south passing, Ryan and Shannon and their daughters, Justine and Jade, came together weekly to brand. They work collaboratively on regalia pieces. They spent time working on grass dance outfits and star blankets that were made to exist given away for Jesse's memorial dances at powwows. This family is serenity and they like to laugh also. Beading is a part of Anishnaabeg history and this family carries that tradition of making and creating, honouring, and giving. The Gustafson'southward remind us that beading has a way of soothing a wounded spirit. Their way of coming together, to brand, is the essence of this prove: making is medicine.

tikaangan made of wood with bead work depicting flowers and leaves

To Live in Balance, Justine Gustafson & Ryan Gustafson, 2016, 83.viii ten xl.6 cm, pine, black ash, sinew, melton wool, leather, seed beads. Photo Credit: Christian Chapman

To Live in Rest

A tikinagaan is a baby-carrier. It is one example of a sophisticated tool used past the Anishnaabe. The tikinagaan is used to continue the infant safe and soothed as it mimics the womb in condolement and warmth. The tikinagaan allows the baby to go with their family unit everywhere. It has been designed so the babe can behave witness to the goings on of life. The tikinagaan was designed to be carried on the back. The Anishnaabe are nomadic people whereby travelling on water is a way of life. In the brilliant design of the tikinagaan, it will flip up and stay afloat so the child is on the dorsum, facing the sky. It also protects the child from sun, insects and brush from their face up.

Let's Heal Together, Justine Gustafson, 2020, 22.9 x 25.4 x xxx.v cm, felt, satin, seed chaplet, metal clasp, smoked deer hide, brass sequins. Photo Credit: Christian Chapman

A fully beaded physician's purse to represent the healing that has taken place inside our family. We are bound by love and loss. A pocketbook to symbolically concord the tools that supports our healing journey. The beaded physician'due south pocketbook depicts floral motifs and imagery of the patriarchal and matriarchal clan animals.

—Shannon Gustafson

Let's Heal Together

Justine Gustafson fabricated this bag for her mom and dad. Information technology is symbolic of a physician'southward bag. She made if for them to carry their traditional medicines. Justine beaded 4 medicines on this pocketbook to remind her parents to utilise the plant medicine to help them when they need force. This bag exudes Justine'southward love she carries for her family. The free energy that was put into this bag is easy to feel every bit her thoughtfulness shines through and then conspicuously and lovingly. Justine is a principal beadworker, she carries stories and knowledge and all you need to do is await at her work to know and empathise that.

Jingle Dresses

The jingle dress originated from inside the ceremonies of the Ojibwe Nation. The dress and trip the light fantastic is ane of our most sacred gifts and is used for healing. There is nothing more beautiful than the sound of thousands of jingles dancing in support of your healing journeying. —Shannon Gustafson

Blue Jingle Dress, Shannon Gustafson, 2020, 132 10 71 cm velveteen, cotton, satin, silvery sequins, seed beads, jingles, 2020

Brown Jingle Wearing apparel, Justine Gustafson, 2020, 127 ten 61 cm, velveteen, satin, Swarovski crystals, jingles,

Wiingashk

Shannon created 13 skirts and 13 messages to her son. The collection of skirts is deeply bound to the moon bike, the wheel of motherhood, the state, the water, and a mother's body. These skirts celebrate the cycles and acknowledge the challenges that come with change.

Hey Jess,

Every now and once again out of nowhere the essence of burning sugariness grass would fill the air I breathed. Sweetgrass reminds me of your adventurous spirit and how yous loved to travel.
Information technology was the west that taught you about sweetgrass, I take memories of you lot cleansing yourself before heading out to dance. I have memories of you sitting at your drum, smudging yourself…and your bro's. Yous smudged with it when you were feeling down about things, when you were anxious or worried. Information technology is such a sacred medicine. I e'er made sure to give it out equally souvenir equally function of your memorial specials. It has become the medicine that reminds me of you lot.

Love mom.

Wiingashk, Shannon Gustafson & Ryan Gustafson, 88.9 10 94 cm, velveteen, satin, cotton, Photo Credit: Christian Chapman

Blueish Tobacco Pocketbook, Shannon Gustafson, 15.2 x 33 cm, smoked deer hide, velveteen, seed beads, brass sequins, brass chaplet, brass cones, hawk bells, embroidery floss, 2020

Blue Tobacco Bag

The tobacco bags reverberate the gratitude and respect that we carry for this medicine. Tobacco always comes first before anything. It delivers our thoughts and prayers to where they need to go and is used as a course of currency in substitution for guidance and teachings from our noesis keepers and Elders. — Shannon Gustafson

My Grandmother's Shoes, Shannon & Ryan Gustafson, 2020, smoked hide, velveteen, melton, seed chaplet, brass sequins, contumely beads, contumely

My Grandmother'due south Shoes

In club to utilise your anxiety, yous must motion forward. The Gustafson's are leading the resurgence of traditional Ojibway split-toe moccasins. These moccasins bring together the by, the nowadays, and the time to come generations. Dancing was an integral part of Piitwewetam's life and his footsteps inverse the land and all the people that intersect with them.

Gashkibidaagan

The Bandolier bags are specific to Anishnaabe. The designs on the purse show the story of y'all who are. They place who are, who your family is, where you are from, and what responsibilities you carry. Beaders deport a beading lineage that allows their work and story to be visually recognizable to others. The Gustafsons clearly acquit on this tradition. Through their beadwork, they have created a marking that identifies who they are.

The Gustafsons do their research by talking with Elders and knowledge keepers, reading books, and looking at one-time pieces. Once again, this shows their ability to bring a traditional practice and carry it forwards through the generations in the most respectful of means.

These beautifully decorated bags are the cultural icons of our past. They were used to acquit ceremonial items, medicines and considered a symbol of prestige. Bandolier bags were a valuable trade item and a souvenir of the highest award. Each bag, constructed collaboratively by the family, features the flowers symbolic of their family unit.

IMAGES: Gashkibidaagan, Shannon Gustafson, Ryan Gustafson,, 2019, 35.6 10 114.iii cm, velveteen, cotton, seed beads, satin ribbon, brass sequins, brass buttons, brass beads, yarn