Beading into the future: the next generation carrying the legacy of traditional Red River Métis beadwork

May 19, 2026

Meet the next generation of Red River Métis beadwork artists

_{MMF Spotlight sat down with four Red River Métis beaders who continue to honour traditional beadwork through their innovative practices.}

Since the 19th century, the Red River Métis have been celebrated for our distinctive floral beadwork - a tradition so deeply stitched into our identity that it earned us one of our many names: the flower beadwork people. With history in their veins and passion in their hearts, the next generation of beaders continues to honour this legacy by preserving traditional techniques while exploring bold new practices that expand the art of beading.

MMF Spotlight had the chance to sit down with four Red River Métis artisans who have taken a beautiful approach to traditional beadwork, while adding their own elements unique to their practice.

With each bead, these artists are telling the story of the Red River Métis - paying tribute to those who taught them and those who taught the generation before.

Sydney Coutu

_{Sydney Coutu's journey of healing and connection has led her to share the art of beading with her community.}

Sydney Coutu began her beading journey during her university years, where she participated in the University of Winnipeg's Indigenous Summer Scholars Program. While in the program, she experienced health challenges that kept her in the hospital, and in that time her curiosity for beading grew into passion and connection.

"With all the time in the world, nothing really to do, no one to see, I really invested in learning [beading] because I was feeling very lost in who I was at that time," said Coutu. "It really helped me connect myself to who I am in my community."

As her dedication to her craft grew and she began to heal physically, the Red River Métis beader continued to hone her skills, "picking up bits and pieces from different sources and little tips from other people" within her community - sparking curiosity in the people around her.

"Seeing the interest in my family, like my cousins and aunties, really has given me a nice push on realizing how important it is to keep passing the [tradition of beading] along, because people want it," she said. "And then it's done like wonders for myself mentally, spiritually. So, why not give that gift to more people?"

Coutu honours the artisans who passed on their knowledge by sharing the world of beading with her community - whether it is through her social media presence or the workshops she hosts across the Homeland. She also encourages those interested in beading to learn from other artisans, as the beading community is one that uplifts and supports one another.

"Everybody there wants to teach you how to improve your work, how to price your stuff properly," said the artisan. "I feel like the respectful part of beading and beadwork is respecting the people around you, the people who you're teaching or the people you're learning from."

If beading is something that interests you, Coutu encourages you to "just keep trying... and to be patient with yourself."

"Practice, practice, practice. And if you're not getting it, keep doing it... but once you have it, everything is easy because you know how your hands work," she said. "If one method isn't working for you, try something else, because everyone has different hands with different abilities, different eyes with different abilities. So, you just got to find what works for you."

In celebration of I Love to Bead Month, Coutu sat down with MMF Spotlight to teach Citizens how to bead. Click here to read the article or check out our video tutorial on the MMF YouTube channel. You can also find her beadwork by visiting her Instagram page!

Shayre Cure

_{Shayre Cure effortlessly combines tradition with innovation, merging Red River Métis beadwork with taxidermized animal skulls to create a powerful tribute to her heritage.}

Who would've thought of combining taxidermized skulls with traditional beadwork patterns? Shayre Cure did! As a multidisciplinary visual artist, as well as a professional tattoo artist, Cure has always been an artist at heart. She first felt drawn to beadwork after inheriting her late Red River Métis grandmother's beading materials.

"She entrusted me with her materials before she passed away," Cure said. "At the time, I didn't understand why she had given them to me, but it was for a greater purpose. So, I found my way back to her, reconnecting to her through beadwork. When she passed away, it was a way for me to connect with her."

Cure continued to explore the world of beadwork while upholding the respect she has for traditional teachings, where she then began to integrate Red River Métis floral imagery onto animal skulls family members had previously harvested.

"For me, skulls hold a presence of their own," said the artisan. "They have lived a life, and I feel like when I'm beading onto those skulls, I'm honouring that life and bringing the skull back to life."

The Red River Métis artisan goes into each project not with a plan, but with a vision.

"I really let the beads speak to me and they kind of guide the process, the colours, and the patterns," she said.

Describing art as a way for her to "express my emotions outside of my body," Cure encourages Citizens to connect with art beyond the surface and "let art be their voice and let every bead guide them on their journey."

"I think it's important to continue honouring our traditions through beadwork, and it's not something I'm really doing - it's just more of continuing something that's always been done," said Cure.

If you are interested in seeing more beaded skulls, as well as a wealth of other mediums, you can visit her Instagram page or redthreadline.ca.

Rebecca Hruden

_{Beyond her stunning beadwork, Rebecca Hruden is a versatile artist, bringing her creative talents to a wide range of mediums, including crafting props for theatrical productions!}

Taking inspiration from the flowers of the Homeland, Rebecca Hruden has taken her own spin on traditional beadwork through her three-dimensional flower sculptures.

"There's a lot of very traditional important plants... spending all day in the garden and trying to be connected to the ground, which bleeds into my roots," she said. "So, anytime it's a plant that I find important, I can find a connection back to [my] heritage."

Having recently connected with her Red River Métis roots, Hruden takes a balanced approach with her creations, keeping respect at the forefront of her artistic choices.

"I want to make sure it's not coming off like I'm doing something outside of my wheelhouse while also respecting that it is my wheelhouse," said the artisan.

As a mixed-media artist, Hruden possesses a diverse range of skills including sewing, sculpture, drawing, and digital art. One of the most significant ways she connects with her culture is through her leatherwork, where she incorporates traditional floral designs and feathers into her creations.

"Yeah, it kind of bleeds into everything," said the Citizen. "[I'm] realizing it's bigger than I thought it was - it's a bigger part of my life than I realized it was."

With beadwork being a recently developed skill, the Red River Métis artisan hopes to connect with her community and further develop her understanding before passing on her knowledge.

"While I do feel like I should be sending it out to other generations, I feel like I have more to learn before I feel too comfortable being the teacher," she said. "I want to go to Elders first. They'll teach me before I go to other people and tell them that I know what I'm talking about first."

Regardless of if you were raised with a strong sense of Red River Métis culture and identity, or you have made that connection in recent years, Hruden encourages continued exploration through art as a way of deepening your connection with your roots.

"To connect to your roots... what you're doing is important. It is worth [the] time and effort," she said. "And even if it feels like you're just putting one little bead on something, once you put enough beads on something, it becomes something much bigger."

You can find Hruden's creations at the Red River Métis Marketplace, located at 150 Henry Avenue, or by visiting redrivermetismarketplace.ca!

Shannon Tara Kalić

_{Shannon Tara Kalić has transformed her passion for beadwork into a thriving luxury business, delivering exceptional quality creations and ensuring customer satisfaction.}

Having recently returned from representing the Red River Métis at the Bharat Tribes Fest in New Delhi, India, Shannon Tara Kalić is bringing traditional beading to an international platform.

"It was amazing, I would do it again in a heartbeat. I cannot thank the MMF (Manitoba Métis Federation) enough for nominating me to go to the Bharat Tribes Fest because... it was such an honour," Kalić said. "There's definitely a moment of like, 'why me?' It was explained to me a little bit actually, [people] love my artwork... it makes me feel really great to hear that. It helps me to keep going."

The Red River Métis artisan also expressed community involvement as a contributing factor to her nomination.

"Folks believed that I would be a good representative for the [Red River] Métis and be able to talk about [the] Nation," she said. "I think that comes from the workshops I do and just how passionate I am about dispelling myths and stereotypes and educating folks about who we are as Métis. So, it was such an honour and it was such a whirlwind."

When incorporating Red River Métis beadwork into her creations, not only does she take traditional elements like mouse tracks and floral patterns into consideration, Kalić considers the beaders before her who have helped build this beautiful artistry and the kinship she feels to them.

"I just feel that it can really connect me with my Ancestors and with the Nation when I create very literal Métis florals and mouse tracks," she said. "But then really, I think all of my work incorporates Métis traditions, even though it doesn't look like it, because everything I create is Métis artistry."

A common theme Kalić observes is the significance of respect when it comes to creation - "respecting our Ancestors, respecting fellow artists, acknowledging their work if we get inspired by it" as a guideline for practicing traditional arts.

Kalić hopes to continue to expand on the creative side of beadwork while honouring the traditions that have been passed on to her.

"I think as artists, our job is to push the boundaries and always try to find our own art forms and our own ways of doing things," she said. "I think as long as we're going through life in a respectful way of not copying, acknowledging where we learned our craft, acknowledging where we got our inspiration from - I don't think there's a limit on the art we can do as long as we're being respectful of the people, the land, the waters, and our Nations."

Operating as a full-time business owner, you can check out Kalić's beadwork pieces by visiting her website or checking out her Instagram page!

Le perlage ancré dans l'avenir : la nouvelle génération perpétue l'héritage du perlage traditionnel des Métis de la Rivière Rouge

Une nouvelle génération d'artistes du perlage des Métis de la Rivière Rouge

_{L'équipe de MMF Spotlight s'est entretenue avec quatre perleuses Métisses de la Rivière Rouge qui continuent de rendre hommage à l'art traditionnel du perlage grâce à leurs pratiques innovantes.}

Depuis le XIX^e siècle, les Métis de la Rivière Rouge sont reconnus pour leur perlage floral unique, une tradition si profondément ancrée dans notre identité qu'elle nous a valu l'une de nos nombreuses appellations : le peuple du perlage floral. Portée par l'histoire dans leurs veines et la passion dans leurs cœurs, la nouvelle génération de perleuses continue de rendre hommage à cet héritage en préservant les techniques traditionnelles tout en explorant de nouvelles pratiques audacieuses qui repoussent les frontières de l'art du perlage.

MMF Spotlight a eu la chance de s'entretenir avec quatre artisanes Métisses de la Rivière Rouge qui réinventent magnifiquement l'art traditionnel du perlage, tout en y ajoutant des éléments propres à leur pratique.

À chaque perle, ces artistes racontent l'histoire des Métis de la Rivière Rouge et rendent hommage à celles qui leur ont enseigné cet art et à celles qui l'ont transmis à la génération précédente.