The blanket displayed in the east corridor of the Parliament Buildings is a Salish blanket crafted by Rena Point Bolton, a renowned artist and craftsperson from the Stó:lō Nation.
The blanket is made of hand-spun wool and is richly coloured with natural dyes. Its design consists of a natural white background with an olive-coloured fringe along its short ends. On the central sides of the blanket are a repeating arrow design in a deep brown, with an X-shaped row of yellow diamonds connecting each of the blanket's corners with a yellow hexagon in the middle. There is a large design within that hexagon, which depicts two large arrows meeting. The total size of the blanket is 2.1 x 1.38 metres (84 x 54 inches).
The artist, Rena, was raised on Stó:lō lands along the Fraser Valley, where she was instructed in traditional artisanry, practices, histories, and songs by her mother and grandparents. Rena developed her cultural knowledge during a time of unprecedented colonial intrusion into British Columbia's Indigenous communities. Born in 1927, Rena attended residential school, grew up during the ban on Indigenous art and potlatches, and became a mother, activist, and community leader as a young adult. Since then, she has actively worked to share the rich history and traditions of her culture with new learners. Her work can be found in art collections all around the world, as her skill with basketry and weaving are internationally recognized.
This blanket's presence in the Parliament Buildings serves as a reminder of the immense skill and knowledge that Indigenous peoples throughout the province have cultivated since time immemorial to produce beautiful works that embody their heritage and identity. It is also an acknowledgement that despite the pervasiveness of colonialism throughout British Columbia's past and present, Indigenous artists like Rena have been able to retain and graciously share their culture with the public and a new generation of learners.
Rena is the mother of B.C.'s first Indigenous Lieutenant Governor, Steven Point. He and Chief Tony Hunt carved the canoe Shxwtitostel (pronounced: Schwe-tea-tos-tel). Shxwtitostel is located in centre of the Lower Rotunda of the Parliament Buildings.
Rena's late husband, Clifford Bolton (Soō-Natz), was a skilled Tsimshian artisan from northwestern B.C. He created the jade carving on the mid-section of British Columbia's Black Rod
