Family business revives ribbon skirts in Eskasoni

This story is part of a series from CBC's Eskasoni Community Bureau. This series comes from weeks of conversations with community members about what they feel is important to see, hear and read on CBC's platforms.

Three generations of women are helping bring back an item of clothing worn by their ancestors. 

Veronica Denny opened up her Eskasoni, N.S., fabric shop in the basement of her home about a year and a half ago.

Since that time, her small family business, Jayah's Quilting, has created ribbon skirt kits that are helping people connect with their Indigenous culture.

"No two dresses are alike, maybe the prints will be the same but the ribbons are so different and they're so creative," said Denny. 

"It's coming back, people are starting to make their own ribbon skirts, and definitely it's really popular now."

Ribbon skirts date back to North America's colonial past when Indigenous women used ribbons brought from Europe to adorn their clothing, usually around the hemline.

Ribbon skirt kits

Ribbon skirts are typically floor length featuring brightly coloured bands of ribbon. The skirts are often worn at powwows, weddings and other special events. 

Denny said her kits come complete with fabric, threads, elastics, ribbon and adhesive.

Jolene Andrews came up with the idea for ribbon skirt kits at her mother's shop as many sewing classes were cancelled over the past year due to COVID-19.

"It's fairly easy once you know your steps," said Andrews. "The hard part is the measuring and the cutting. And then after that, it's easy, but it's time consuming, so it could take up to five hours to make one."

Ribbon colours have meaning

Andrews said she and her daughter Jayah— the shop's namesake — create skirt kits for people of various sizes. 

In just one month ahead of the summer powwow season, Jayah's Quilting sold more than 500 ribbon skirt kits. The shop carries a variety of fabric and the family credits that for drawing customers from as far away as Halifax. 

Andrews said many people personalize their skirts with colours that mean something to them. 

"I usually put four ribbons, but some people request five or more," Andrews said. "Sometimes they go by their children's birthstones or their clan colours … It's more personal or spiritual."

Ten-year-old Jayah, Denny's granddaughter, helps in the shop named for her by cutting ribbons and writing down orders. She's also started to sewing items like blankets and doll clothes. 

Beginning to sew

"Someday I'll make a ribbon skirt," said Jayah, a Grade 5 student. 

"My favourite fabric is the ones that have the flowers on it. I'll maybe make those kinds of skirts."

Denny said she never really wore a ribbon skirt growing up. But the 66-year-old says she's happy to welcome them back as part of a cultural revival.   

"For the longest time there wasn't many dresses," Denny said. "Now, everybody has their own … and the moms make their daughters' and their grandmothers' [skirts] , and it's special, it's unique."