Respond to Racism: Art of (re)Conciliation Community Workshop

The silence that filled the Grand Theatre auditorium was heavy with concentration and contemplation as workshop participants beaded personal artworks during The Art of (Re)Conciliation workshop in Indian Head. After spending the morning listening and learning about culture, hands worked with care while minds reflected on personal connections and commitments to reconciliation.

Developed and facilitated by Holly Rae Yuzicapi, the workshops were shared with community members across Southern Saskatchewan this spring and summer as part of the Respond to Racism Program. Holly is a Dakota/Lakota cultural educator and artist from the Standing Buffalo Dakota Nation. Her belief that traditional art and cultural experiences can share the history of First Nations people and that art can create a strong sense of identity and confidence for everyone is the foundation of the workshop.

The workshop opened with Holly's Cultural Conversation, where participants reflected on their own culture and were guided through a cultural framework as Holly shared cultural elements and stories from her own Dakota heritage. The activity created a personal reference point for considering the impacts of residential schools on Indigenous culture, communities, and families. This was followed by a discussion and information about the 94 Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. These reflections and learning were then applied to artmaking, and individual artworks were created based on one of the 94 calls to action.

Through the process of image transfer on leather and the beading techniques that Holly shared, a space of personal reflection was offered through the creative process and visual representation. Historic images transferred onto leather were embellished and edited, with layers and lines of beads and paint altering the visual stories through actions of care, reflection, and engagement. Through images, symbolism, and heart - Holly offered participants a unique personal pathway through which to navigate the territories of reconciliation education, understanding, commitment, and action.