Inuk beader's work featured on Netflix live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series

CBC
·4 min read
Postville's Haley Edmunds-Shiwak created six pieces for the Netflix show Avatar: The Last Airbender. In one of the main scenes, a woman to the far left can be seen wearing one of Edmunds-Shiwak's traditionally beaded scarves. (Netflix - image credit)
Postville's Haley Edmunds-Shiwak created six pieces for the Netflix show Avatar: The Last Airbender. In one of the main scenes, a woman to the far left can be seen wearing one of Edmunds-Shiwak's traditionally beaded scarves. (Netflix - image credit)
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Postville's Haley Edmunds-Shiwak created six pieces for the Netflix show Avatar: The Last Airbender. In one of the main scenes, a woman to the far left can be seen wearing one of Edmunds-Shiwak's traditionally beaded scarves.
Postville's Haley Edmunds-Shiwak created six pieces for the Netflix show Avatar: The Last Airbender. In one of the main scenes, a woman to the far left can be seen wearing one of Edmunds-Shiwak's traditionally beaded scarves.

Postville's Haley Edmunds-Shiwak created six pieces for the Netflix show Avatar: The Last Airbender. In one of the main scenes, a woman to the far left can be seen wearing one of Edmunds-Shiwak's traditionally beaded scarves. (Netflix)

Haley Edmunds-Shiwak watched the premiere of Avatar: The Last Airbender with a close eye. The Netflix show debuted on Feb. 22.

"I could feel my heart racing. I was so anxious to try and find my work, and the second I found it, I had them pause the show and I just sat there staring at it in awe," the Inuk woman said.

"I was shaking, I was tearing up. I was just over the moon," Edmunds-Shiwak said.

Haley Edmunds-Shiwak was given colours and guidelines that she could use to create her design for Avatar: The Last Airbender. She decided to create a scarf with beaded moon medallions.
Haley Edmunds-Shiwak was given colours and guidelines that she could use to create her design for Avatar: The Last Airbender. She decided to create a scarf with beaded moon medallions.

Haley Edmunds-Shiwak was given colours and guidelines that she could use to create her design for Avatar: The Last Airbender. She decided to create a scarf with beaded moon medallions. (Submitted by Haley Edmunds-Shiwak)

Postville's Edmunds-Shiwak was commissioned through her Etsy shop, Juniper and Ink, to make two beaded scarves and four beaded earrings for the show.

The Netflix show is a live-action reimagining of the animated series. It follows Aang, a young Avatar, learning to master the four elements, as he works to restore balance to a world threatened by the Fire Nation.

Avatar: The Last Airbender debuted at the top of the English TV List with 21.2 million views and in a few days, was in the Top 10 TV series in 92 countries.

Haley Edmunds-Shiwak learned how to bead from her mother Kathleen Shiwak. Haley's work is now on a Netflix show.
Haley Edmunds-Shiwak learned how to bead from her mother Kathleen Shiwak. Haley's work is now on a Netflix show.

Haley Edmunds-Shiwak learned how to bead from her mother Kathleen Shiwak. Haley's work is now on a Netflix show. (Submitted by Haley Edmunds-Shiwak )

Edmunds-Shiwak started beading as a child, taught by her mother, who learned from her grandmother. She grew up watching the cartoon version of Avatar: The Last Airbender on Nickelodeon.

"It was a very big inspiration for Indigenous cultures. Seeing my roots on a show that I loved — it means everything to me," she said. "It's so close to my heart."

Beading in Haley Edmunds-Shiwak's family is a tradition, passed down from her grandmother Maryann Edmunds to her mother, then her. Edmunds-Shiwak said she hope to just continue enjoying beading.
Beading in Haley Edmunds-Shiwak's family is a tradition, passed down from her grandmother Maryann Edmunds to her mother, then her. Edmunds-Shiwak said she hope to just continue enjoying beading.

Beading in Haley Edmunds-Shiwak's family is a tradition, passed down from her grandmother Maryann Edmunds to her mother, then her. Edmunds-Shiwak said she hope to just continue enjoying beading. (Submitted by Haley Edmunds-Shiwak)

Two years ago, Edmunds-Shiwak's Etsy store was contacted by a Netflix production team.

"They detailed that they were looking for Indigenous beaders to do some beadwork for a show. And they didn't elaborate much at the time," Edmunds-Shiwak said.

Edmunds-Shiwak was given some general guidelines on colours and themes, but created the design herself.

Haley Edmunds-Shiwak created two beaded scarves and four sets of earrings for the show Avatar: The Last Airbender. She was given guidelines on colours but two of the earrings are in Labrador colours.
Haley Edmunds-Shiwak created two beaded scarves and four sets of earrings for the show Avatar: The Last Airbender. She was given guidelines on colours but two of the earrings are in Labrador colours.

Haley Edmunds-Shiwak created two beaded scarves and four sets of earrings for the show Avatar: The Last Airbender. She was given guidelines on colours but two of the earrings are in Labrador colours. (Submitted by Haley Edmunds-Shiwak)

One piece is a long blue scarf with white beads and two moon medallions. The other is a scarf with beaded fringes. She also created four pairs of earrings.

"It was a lot of fun because I had a lot of creative freedom on the project. They told me I could just make anything as long as it fit the theme and it was with blues and purples and whites," Edmunds-Shiwak said.

After creating her works, she found out it was for Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Haley Edmunds-Shiwak created a traditional beaded scarf for one of the characters in the Water Tribe on Avatar: The Last Airbender. A woman on the far right is wearing her traditionally beaded scarf.
Haley Edmunds-Shiwak created a traditional beaded scarf for one of the characters in the Water Tribe on Avatar: The Last Airbender. A woman on the far right is wearing her traditionally beaded scarf.

Haley Edmunds-Shiwak created a traditional beaded scarf for one of the characters in the Water Tribe on Avatar: The Last Airbender. A woman on the far right is wearing her traditionally beaded scarf. (Netflix)

Edmunds-Shiwak said her family and friends have been ecstatic and her online post about her work is being widely shared. She hopes it may inspire other young Indigenous beaders and crafters.

"If I'm able to have my work on the biggest show on Netflix right now that's being watched internationally, then maybe they can do something too and just kickstart that," Edmunds-Shiwak said.

For her own work, Edmunds-Shiwak just hopes to continue to enjoy her traditional practice that was passed down through generations.

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