Indigenous Digital Artistic Hub: ‘happening’ (Conversation & Activation) with Jenny Blackbird, Karyn Recollet, and special guest Liz Osawamick

We ask, how do we think alongside a strawberry, as a more-than-human relation/as a ready to be worn, or offered-extension of care? What are the concepts and forms, shapes of care, and relationality that does not require a performance of a knowable, consumable packaged Indigenous aesthetic? What are the technologies of emergence that we hold tender and close at this moment in time?  How does being in relation with a berry extend into a conversation of critical care-ing technologies?

We ask you to bead alongside us, with us, together, yet not—in this moment of a collective pause.

We will be activating the following provocations:

• The first bead reflects and imagines self care
• Then expand outwards to imagine future kinds of care and kinship with family and friends
• Then expand outwards to imagine future kinds of care and kinship with ancestors and future ancestors.

We ask that you pre-prepare your tool kit in advance of this activation. Here is what you will need:

• Beading needle size 11
• Thread
• Beads
  • Size 11 beads
  • Any combination (Red/Black/White)
• A circular piece of felt

Liz Osawamick (Giniw Miigwan) is of the Anishinaabe and Odawa Nation and is originally from Wiikwemkong Unceded First Nation located on Manitoulin Island. She is a jingle dress dancer since the early 90’s, inspired by her late sister Lilly Osawamick-Bourgeois. She currently resides with her family in Hastings, Ontario. She is of the beaver clan. She is currently a Native Language teacher with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District school board both Elementary and Secondary level.  She is now currently in her twenty sixth year of teaching at North Shore Public School and thirteenth year of teaching Introduction to Anishinaabemowin at Trent University and Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School.  She also taught the Introduction to Indigenous Music and Dance for four years at Trent.

Liz utilizes Indigenous knowledge and teaching songs and ceremonies as a core component in her teaching methods and community work facilitating various language Immersion programs and cultural teachings within First Nation communities.  She is in her Fifth year as President for Anishnaabemowin-Teg Inc. Originally inspired by Elder Josephine Mandamin, she has been walking for the water in the Mississauga territories of the Kawartha Lakes region for ten years now along with her aunt Shirley Williams and other Anishinaabe-kwewag.

Register for the event and join in a conversation with Tannis Nielson on the pedagogy of place and the Simcoe Mural Project.

Date: June 4th, 2020

Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Indigenous Digital Artistic Hub relations of care for human and more-than-human be-ings

Welcome to the Indigenous Digital Artistic Hub: relations of care for human and more-than-human be-ings, a multiscalar site of Indigenous imaginings, futurisms, and land-ings that call us into radical relationality. The Indigenous Digital Artistic Hub is the first of a three-part series of online research-creation hubs curated by Karyn Recollet, featuring international and national Indigenous knowledge holders entitled: “We prepare a space: Conversations, happenings, and arts-based pedagogy.” The vision for this first iteration is to hold and sustain Indigenous artistic practice in accordance with the creation of radical ethical relationally between ourselves, our more than human kin, and lands. Particularly important are the ways in which we hold space for Ishpaadina as a space of water, land relationship, and celestial relationality. Join us as we transform New College into a hub of ‘happenings’ though conversation, artistic creation, and art-visim . 

In May 2020, New College was excited to host an artistic care hub during the annual Native American Indigenous Studies Association conference (NAISA), co-curated by Karyn Recollet (Assistant Professor, Women and Gender Studies Institute) and Jenny Blackbird (Ciimann/Kahuwe’ya/ Qajaq Indigenous Language initiative program coordinator, Centre for Indigenous Studies).  As well, the D.G. Ivey Library was excited to host Ange Loft’s Talking Treaties in Tkaronto multi-media installation. 

With the unfortunate cancellation of NAISA due to COVID-19,  the Indigenous Digital Artistic Hub, as an offering to our communities, we, alongside exceptional Indigenous artists and art-ivists offer creative ‘happenings’ including a multi-media ‘happening’ featuring Ange Loft’s Talking Treaties in Tkaronto;  a live digital studio visit with Nyle Johnston; a conversation with Tannis Nielson about pedagogy of place and the Simcoe Mural project; an activation of relationality and kinship through bead-work with Naomi Smith; reclaiming our bodies through somatics with Nazbah Tom; and an activation of relations of care through design and applique with Tala Tootoosis.