Winnipeg Artist Chantel Scott is holding onto hope that a beaded medallion of Indigenous war hero Sergeant Tommy Prince, and her art supplies, will be returned to her.
She said many items were stolen from her home in March during a break-in while her family was away, and while their home was being treated for a bedbug infestation days after moving in.
“I could tell they took my bike, my TV, my beads, my work-in-progress beadwork, like the stuff that I haven’t finished because I was in a different area. A big jar of money was also taken. My power tools that I just bought for my birthday in February.”
Scott didn’t call the police until she found out which was March 21. She was able to come back to the space recently on April 4 and that is when she realized her precious medallion was also taken.
“ I was able to go through my boxes and see what really was also taken and that’s when I found out my beadwork was taken, my Tommy prints, I had my long beaded earrings, like my personal stuff that I wasn’t going to sell.”
Scott began beading a few years ago as a way to connect with her Indigenous culture and she said she wanted to do a piece of Prince as he’s a relation to her family.
“That one is important to me because that was like a personal project. I did it for myself,” she said. “I think pretty much all my family members know who Tommy Prince is and what he’s done.”
Scott said she really wants the piece back as she worked incredibly hard on it and it means a lot to her.
“Beading for me takes a really long time to begin with because I had a daughter and now I’m working full-time,”
She is really hoping the medallion and the supplies that took her years to collect aren’t lost forever and maybe the thief might consider returning them to her.
“I think what they’re going through right now is probably something that they wouldn’t do if they weren’t on drugs or in that lifestyle. I do want my items back. I’m not going to ask any questions of how you got it, where you got it, I just want them back.”
— With files from Global’s Rosanna Hempel