"Women from all over ask Grandma
to sew ribbon skirts for them because
hers are the most colourful.
Grandma says that every ribbon
skirt she makes is as beautiful
and unique as the person she
sews it for."
Raven loves to listen to the rhythm of the drums, and to join with his grandma in the round dance. They sway and shuffle as the drum beats bring joy to their hearts. As they dance, Raven watches the colors of the ribbon skirts that the women are wearing. Many of those skirts have been made by his grandma; they reflect what Nohkum knows about each dancer. Just as people are not the same, neither are the ribbon skirts.
After dancing, Raven has an important question for his grandmother; he wonders if boys can wear ribbon skirts. She has an immediate answer, telling him that she has not seen a boy in a ribbon skirt in her long life. That evening, as her grandson sleeps, Grandma works at her sewing machine. In the morning, she has a surprise for her Nosesim. She has sewn a ribbon skirt for him, filled with the colors of the rainbow and meant only for him.
She explains:
"I’ve lived for a long time, Nosesim,
and I’m lucky to see beautiful things
that I’ve never seen before."
At the next round dance, Raven is thrilled to be able to go round and round in a swirl of color made specially for him by his beloved grandmother.
Acrylic paints on canvas are used to portray the differing designs and colors of the ribbon skirt and the distinctive styles worn for the round dance, a very important cultural tradition of the Indigenous community. Back matter includes notes from author Tasha Spillett who honors her Two Spirit relatives who taught her there is a place for everyone in the circle, and artist Daniel Ramirez who uses his work to tell the stories of his people.
"May we know our place in the circle,
standing side by side, heart by heart."
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