OUR COLLECTIVE THREADS: SASKATCHEWAN PEOPLE IN CANADA

Exploring Saskatchewan History Through the Clothes We Wore

A Virtual Exhibit

The clothes we wear offer clues to who we are and where we come from. What we wear can often tell others about our hobbies and interests, our skills, our cultural background or our jobs.

Some clothing is purely functional. Other garments represent everything from religious beliefs to gender norms to power, wealth and influence. Some clothing is culturally significant, some is just fun and fashionable. Other pieces are worn only in special ceremonies or to mark important life events.

The WDM holds an extensive collection of textiles worn by Indigenous and non-Indigenous Saskatchewan people from the 19^th century to the present day. From this collection, 20 clothing stories are featured here, reflecting the diversity of Saskatchewan’s people past and present.

From everyday workwear to an exquisite evening gown, the garments featured here tell us something about their makers, sellers, wearers and repairers. The materials used range from earlier natural fibers and animal by-products to later synthetic mass-produced fabrics and fasteners. Each of them comes with a unique story.

First exhibited in 2017 to commemorate Canada 150, Our Collective Threads: Saskatchewan People in Canada has been expanded and is now preserved as a virtual exhibit for people to experience anywhere.

 

Click here to view artifacts >>

Teachers and Educators

Our Collective Threads Virtual School Program

Created to meet Grades 5 – 7 curriculum outcomes, this program introduces students to a selection of textiles reflecting the diversity of Saskatchewan’s people past and present and how their own clothing choices reflect aspects of their identity. They will be challenged to think critically about the exhibit creation process, what impacts decisions about what is or isn’t included, and what that means for how history is presented to the public by museums.

CLICK HERE to visit our program.