Traditional Doukhobor Garments and Domestic Textiles from the West Kootenay from 1890 to 1940
Curated by Larry A. Ewashen
The Art of Doukhobor Textiles is an exhibition in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Doukhobor settlement in British Columbia.
The Doukhobor people named their settlement near the present day town of Castlegar Dolina Ootishenia, the Valley of Consolation. About 7,500 Doukhobors left Russia in 1899 and were invited to settle in the Northwest Territories as religious refugees. In 1906 their homestead entries were cancelled and in 1908 roughly 5,000 Doukhobors moved to the West Kootenays, the largest migration within Canada and a move which has been proclaimed as an Event of National Importance by the Canadian government. They were the primary settlers of the Castlegar area and soon extended their holdings to the Boundary area of Grand Forks and traded in the surrounding areas including Nelson. In the context of provincial history, they contributed to the settlement and development of the area, homesteading as pioneers, and changing the face of the landscape through agricultural practices under their motto of Toil and Peaceful Life. Though self-sufficient, the industries they created for their own use benefited the region as a whole, providing goods and services for other residents, such as logging operations, brick factories and jam factories.
Throughout 2008, many celebrations and special events marking the 100th anniversary of Doukhobor settlement in the area and that have drawn attention to contributions the Doukhobor people have made over the past century. The Art of Doukhobor Textiles highlights the achievements of function and beauty in the making of various textiles. The exhibition features objects from the collections of Touchstones Nelson and the Doukhobor Discovery Centre, Castlegar, including historical rugs, linens and fabrics, clothing and household items. A selection of textile tools will also be on display. The exhibition will also include Spinning Demonstrations in the gallery Sunday, November 23 from 1:30 to 3:30 and Sunday, December 7 from 1:30 to 3:30.
