ABOUT US
KELLY BACK
Mom, Wife, Survivor, Advocate and Artist
“Tsieriwaiens”
Tsieriwaiens is my Mohawk name given to me by the late clan mother Delia Cook. I was given the name Kariwaiens by a family elder when I was younger. Kariwaiens means “bringing a good message”. Before I got married, Delia helped me get a new name that was properly put through the longhouse. She gave me the name Tsieriwaiens, which means “Bringing a good message, again or more”. I'm internally grateful and love Delia for being another instrumental part of helping me find my traditional path. I truly believe that my name was brought to me for a reason. I feel like its the Creator's way of showing me or reminding me of one of my purposes in life. It is to help tell someone's life story, again.
I like to think that I could possibly be a little bit of medicine for these people. As a way to help someone else heal by reminding them of their beautiful story. Whether it be a story of struggle and success, great accomplishment, love, remembering, or simply a reminder of who they are. It makes me feel like I have done some good not just for others but for myself as well. It brings me good healing. Again, “everything happens for a reason.”
I also like to say, “The Creator doesn’t give you anything you cannot handle”.
“History of Loom Beadwork”
Loom beading is a style in which your beads are woven together. This is the same technique used to make wampum belts. Back then, wampum belts were made out of small cylinder shaped beads cut from quahog shells. Sinew was also made to help woven these beads together to make a belt. Today, materials used to make modern day beaded loomed belts are string, artificial sinew and glass beads. I like to get as much materials as I can from Indigenous sellers such as Randy’s Leather in Tyendinega, beads from Tuscarora Beads (Grant Jonathan), Irocrafts from Six Nations and our local Wolf Pack gift shop. I also get bulk materials from John Beads in Toronto. I have to note, I've created a strong relationship with these sellers over the years, which I'm very grateful for.
"Healing Through Loom Beading"
Through loom beading, my journey has been healing. I’ve mentally and physically struggled but found my medicines through a creative path. Looming became a reflection of my healing. Every piece that I finished felt like a step forward for me. It became a new lighted and positive path. A path not just for me but one where I proudly take my family on as well.
“Evolution of Me”
I want to take you a step back in time and explain where I'm coming from. Growing up, I struggled a lot in school. I had a hard time understanding things, I struggled a lot with math, reading comprehension and taking a lot longer time than others to solve things. I had a learning disability. After discovering that I felt like there was something wrong with me, I got the extra help that I needed but I felt that it separated me from other students. I felt like I wasn't normal like everyone else. I also had ADHD on top of everything. This eventually turned into a mental health struggle. I'm sure anyone else who struggles with a LD can relate. I felt stupid, hopeless and different from everyone else. I had depression. Long nights working extra hard to finish homework, travelling for tutoring, being made fun of for not understanding, crying a lot, always wondering and worrying what my future holds, it was exhausting. I had a lot of lows which were hard to get out of.
So, how did I get through it all? Again, anyone with an LD can relate, people who struggle with LD’s are hands on learners. So, my own natural way of de-stressing from school was to come home and work on a craft. I was also a strong visual learner. I could better understand learning from a step by step picture rather than reading instructions. Even looking at a finished craft, I could somehow figure out a creative way to make it look very similar. I tried every craft there is out there. Sewing, painting, drawing, wire art, yarn work, origami, beading and much more. I even picked up a small metal loom from an art store and made small bracelets. That's how I survived throughout my years in middle school and high school -with my crafts.
"Huichol Style Beadwork"
I Graduated Trent University in 2012. I got right into working with Mohawk Council of Akwesasne for a few years. By then, I really narrowed my crafting down to a particular beadwork style called Huichol Beadwork. Its a mexican style beadwork. Years ago, before University, my mother was gifted a small wooden turtle that was fully beaded Huichol style. I admired the colors and patterns on it so much and thought, I could bead like that. I studied it, and figured it out on my own. I started out with boxes, little animals and after years of practice I moved to picture frames and real turtle shells. I got really good.
This was my craft that helped me get through University! I would use a needle and glue each bead one by one on an item, make beautiful designs out of it. I always thought it was crazy for someone with ADHD, to sit down for hours and bead like this. I look back and still cant believe I did all that. Crazy. I have no idea where that gift of huichol beadwork came from for me. Mexican in my past life? So, after graduating University, my late brother Chris Thompson encouraged me to start a small business. He was in the business, Economic Development field so he was all about the growth of small businesses within the community. He was a very intelligent man. So i agreed and created a business called “Kelly’s Beaded Creations”. I thought of the name last minute when I signed up. So, that's how my own small beaded business started.
"2014"
A lot happened in 2014. My husband and I got engaged in the month of January. We were so excited for this new chapter in our lives. I was also struggling with some health issues. I all of a sudden had days where I was getting a lot of vertigo and nausea. Most days were tolerable but some days my vertigo was so bad, I would have to throw up. I had more migraines and just felt real out of sorts. Like brain fog. One day I had facial drooping and slurred speech. This scared me. After a while of having these symptoms we decided to get it checked. The doctors discovered a benign brain tumor called Acoustic Neuroma. I remember the day we found out, Tyson was with me. In that moment, I felt like my world came to a hard, dark pause. I couldn't believe it. I never thought anything like this would happen to me.
Time went by, got different opinions from doctors. We decided not to do surgery, as we all know surgery can be invasive. So we monitored and maintained symptoms over time. I had to step away from work, because it was getting more and more difficult to drive. My vertigo was so spontaneous that my days became unpredictable. I would be fine one minute then the next the room is spinning and I'm throwing up. I also would silently panic in the middle of meetings when my face would droop. Following sharp pains and slurred speech. I hesitated going out in public. This of course, brought me back down to my lows. All of my old feelings of depression came back.
I'm very grateful for having such a strong support system in my life. My family helped me out tremendously through my new struggles as it was very scary for me. We continued to plan for our traditional wedding to come. It was a positive event to look forward to and it helped keep my mind distracted.
Tyson and I decided to have a traditional wedding. I wanted to make him something to go along with his traditional regalia. So I decided to make him a beaded loomed belt. I figured why not. Should be easy. He showed me a grid design for a loom project that he had made years ago and never started it. I decided to make the design bigger to fit the size of a belt. So I worked on his belt for the next few months before the wedding. I realized how amazing I had felt during the process of making it. When I took breaks from the project, I couldn't wait to get back to it. I would get lost in the moment of beading this belt and when I would stop to take a break I realized hours had passed by. I couldn't believe it, I was meditating through it all it seemed. And it felt good. It was healing to me. Our wedding day was beautiful. We got married in the beautiful October month. It was the best day of my life. I was so happy to have found someone who loves me unconditionally. Flaws and all.
"Niawen"
I’d like to take this moment to thank some special people in my life.
Niawen to my parents Connie and Jerry supporting me my whole life with crafts, lots of hugs and unconditional Love. Especially my mother, who has been my rock since day one.
Niawen to my big brother Chris who's in the sky world. I truly believe he continues to spiritually guide me in the right direction. Niawen to my brother Jordan. He helps me with any creative advice when it comes to my work.
Niawen to my In laws Melerena and Plum for the support and love you've given me throughout the years.
Niawen to Delia Cook whos in the sky world.
Niawen to family and friends for their love and support.
Most importantly, niawen to my husband Tyson. Your love, your being and spirit is the greatest gift and medicine I could ever ask for in life. Kanoronkwa.
And Niawen for everyone here for taking the time to listen to my journey of healing through loom beading.
Skennen