About the Contributor

They were born on and grew up on the stolen lands of the Chowethel People, Ts’qó:ls, which is the Halq’eméylem name for what is known to settlers today as “Hope, BC.” Their medium is traditional Indigenous loom beadwork and the retelling of oral stories and teachings through patterns laid out on beadwork tapestries. They were taught to loom bead at 15 years old by a Stó:lō Elder in their community at Chawathil First Nation. Speplól has developed methods and techniques through experimentation for creating large loom beaded tapestries made from tiny glass seed beads. They currently teach Halq’eméylem for Fraser Cascade School District and are a certified teacher of the BC Teachers Federation.