As an immigrant child coming into America, and later Canada, I found myself having to learn the customs and histories of the countries I had immigrated to. These aspects mostly involved the positives around colonialism and that settlers turned these countries into what we know today. As I started post-secondary and gained a more critical understanding of the world around us through social justice, I began to realize the true effects of colonialism, imperialism and oppression amongst minorities, specifically African-Americans, Asians and Latinx groups. However, going into this course, I didn’t have much knowledge regarding Indigenous practices and history other than a social justice and art historical context. Coming from an arts background, I took a course in Indigenous art history and I found that merging that knowledge and what I’ve gained thus far in this course has cumulated into this print I had made. I didn’t want to appropriate any styles from Indigenous art, Alex Janvier and the Haida style of the Indigenous artists of the coast of British Columbia come to mind, as I felt I do not have the right to do so and as such I didn’t want to redo this print through that style.

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Through my piece (Like A Dog Inspires A Rabbit), the image represents overall the holistic aspect within the Indigenous philosophy. The notion of constant motion or flux represents a holistic viewpoint, one that is cyclical and can be renewed (Little Bear, 2014, p.78). This is seen through the dog and rabbit moving around the circle in the middle, surrounding it as they go through the endless cycle of life. Unlike a Eurocentric view, the image does not denote a hierarchy although one might think a predator and prey relationship through the notion of a food chain should. There are species, including humans, who eat other species in order to thrive. Yet once we die we return to the earth to nourish it. In this case our bodies feed the plants which in turn feeds herbivore animals like rabbits. The food chain is a cycle and remains true to a holistic sense, rather than being isolated through a chain.

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This can be likened to a concept within Indigenous knowledge, the renewal process, in which they call for us to be sustainable and create ideal conditions of living; how we treat the earth with care as we are connected to the land (Little Bear, 2014, p. 78; Ermine, 1995). As life is seen as a cycle, this is especially important when considering the renewal process in terms of the histories and traumas behind Indigenous people: inflicted upon them through colonial conquest and assimilation. The notion of predator and prey can mirror this harsh reality as colonialists pillaged the land and preyed upon the Indigenous people. The depth to which we are learning about intergenerational trauma from the Residential School system was the most difficult part of this course thus far. The lack of understanding and empathy drove Canadian settlers to impose a Eurocentric culture upon Indigenous peoples, in place of their own traditions, despite that “different ways of interpreting the world are manifest through different cultures” (Little Bear, 2014, p. 77). The Residential School legacy fostered this way of thinking and went against Aboriginal philosophies of education; creating generations of trauma due to the abuse students had to go through physically, emotionally and mentally (Schissel & Wotherspoon, 2003, p. 63). It was an emotional and distressing experience having to discuss, read and watch the wounds that colonialism and residential schools have caused to the Indigenous community. 

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The red threads that tie together the rabbit and the dog remain tangled in the middle of the circle is symbolic. Firstly, that we are all tethered to this world and to one another, referencing the relationality and “spider web” that is the approach to community organization through an Aboriginal perspective: focusing on the wholeness of a group rather than “individual patterns” (Little Bear, 2014, p. 79). The connections that these threads weave are becoming more visible when they once weren’t. As the Indigenous worldviews, philosophies and ways of life weren’t considered or valued in the past, Indigenous people faced the loss of their own language and traditions because these threads weren’t seen. As we continue to deconstruct colonial and imperialist histories, we can see them for what they were in greater clarity as well as beginning to aid Indigenous people in the renewal and revival through healing and reconciliation (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, 2015). As Canadians and Indigenous people begin to take action and move forward with the TRC, we can acknowledge and accept the stories and narratives that once weren’t seen or heard. These threads become more visible as this occurs.

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In terms of my future practices, my learning from this course has taught me to continue to view these threads; to create and weave connections not only with my students but connecting those threads to our histories and the narratives that have been woven. I would want my students to take part in a vision of social change, leading to harmony and reconciliation (Ermine, 1995). This image is my hope for the future as we continue to move forward whilst remembering the legacy that was left behind by colonialism and Residential Schools.

 

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References

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Ermine, Willie. (1995). “Aboriginal epistemology” in J. Barman, J.& M. Battiste, (Eds.), First Nations Education in Canada: The circle unfolds. Vancouver: UBC Press. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/lib/ucalgary-ebooks/reader.action?ppg=122&docID=3412224&tm=1503510739016

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Little Bear, L. (2000). Jagged worldviews colliding. In Battiste, M. (Ed.), Reclaiming Indigenous voice and vision, (pp. 77-85). Vancouver, BC: UBC Press. Retrieved from http://ebookcentral.proquest.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/lib/ucalgary-ebooks/reader.action?ppg=108&docID=3245709&tm=1503510834180

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Schissel, B. & Wotherspoon, T. (2003). Chapter 3:Legacy of Residential Schools. In The Legacy of School for Aboriginal People. Don Mills, ON:Oxford. Retrieved from http://deslibris.ca.eproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/ID/432095

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Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (2015). Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action. Retrieved from http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/File/2015/Findings/Calls_to_Action_English2.pdf

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