In the early 1990s, Somali civil war refugees began arriving in the U.S. Among the vital cultural customs which quickly faded from daily life was the hand weaving of textiles.

Today, Minnesota is home to the world's largest Somali community outside of Africa. Since 1994, with McKnight support, the Confederation of Somali Community of Minnesota has worked to help more than 50,000 Somalis contribute to their new community while preserving their historic culture and heritage.

One such effort is the Women's Textile Cooperative of the East African Women's Center in Minneapolis. Led by mothers and grandmothers — women united to teach old techniques and start new conversations — the cooperative exposes young Somalis growing up in Minnesota to their culture's rich textile traditions.

From Somalia to Minnesota, and across generations, this exhibition provides a rich sampling of their work.

Many of the weavings on view in this exhibition are available for purchase from the Women's Textile Cooperative of the East African Women's Center. More information is available at The McKnight Foundation offices.