The Song Blanket - A Storytelling Concert with Rebecca Hass

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About

Presented in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Blankets are more than warmth—they are memory, protection, and legacy. In The Song Blanket, Métis artist Rebecca Hass (Georgian Bay Métis, French, German, English) invites us into a deeply personal and powerful journey through story and song, woven from the threads of her family’s hidden history and the teachings passed down through her granny’s quilts.

This intimate performance honours the matriarchs—those who sewed, wove, and dreamed their love into every stitch. Drawing on traditional knowledge shared with her, Rebecca shares songs written for drum, guitar, and flute, activating what she calls “blood memory”—a connection to ancestors, known and unknown. Audiences are invited not only to witness, but to participate, learning a song that carries the teachings of the quilt home with them.

The Song Blanket is a work in development, ahead of its full premiere at New York’s Symphony Space in 2026. This special Guelph presentation offers a rare opportunity to experience the heart of the piece in an intimate setting, where personal story becomes collective reflection.

Join us as we gather in honour of truth, reconciliation, and the enduring strength of Indigenous matriarchs.

Organizer

City of Guelph Museums and Culture

Museums and Culture at the City of Guelph exists to:

- Collect and protect artifacts, artworks and stories that reflect our community

- Share the collections and stories − locally, nationally, and internationally − through exhibition, interpretation,

and online access

- Provide inclusive, accessible, interactive, and enlightening experiences

- Nurture interest and engagement in history, art and culture

- Cultivate a connection to place, with focus on the tangible and intangible cultural landscape unique to Guelph