CREATING WITH COMMUNITY SUMMER UPDATE

Creating with Community is a Treaty Space Gallery initiative funded by Indigenous Youth Roots. This summer project aimed to increase the wellness, resiliency, and engagement of urban-Indigenous youth through providing access to arts, art-based workshops, cultural knowledge, and traditions through the means of hiring Indigenous artists to instruct workshops. Thank you to everyone who participated, supported, and contributed to the initiative. We loved connecting with you!  

What Took Place This Summer? 

Through the summer of 2024, the Treaty Space Gallery hosted 5 successful workshops in collaboration with various community partners: Moving in Mi'kma'ki, Indigenous Foods, Rawhide Drum-Making, Sealskin and Fox Fur, and Rawhide Drum-Painting (upcoming). 

 

Moving in Mi’kma’ki 

We started off the summer with the Moving in Mi'kma'ki movement workshop with Sali'j Prosper — a Mi’kmaq Multidisciplinary movement artist raised in Eskasoni First Nation. Hosted at the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre, participants learned to deepen their connection to their bodies and Mi’kma’ki through movement. 

 

Indigenous Foods Workshop 

The Indigenous Foods Workshop with Joshua Schwab-Cartas was a great event where we shared cultural foods and stories of our favorite meals. We gathered together at the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre’s kitchen to learn how to prep and cook tamales and fiddleheads. Joshua is a Zapotec scholar whose ongoing research projects focus on language revitalization and community. 

 

Rawhide Drum-Making Workshop 

In June, Trevor Gould of Paqtnkek Mi’kmaq Nation joined us to instruct the Rawhide Drum-Making Workshop at the Treaty Space Gallery. Using drum kits sourced from Tribal Spirit Music, each participant learned how to stretch the deer rawhide over a white ash frame, and weave the lacing to create beautifully-sounding drums.  

 

Sealskin and Fox Fur Workshop 

The Sealskin and Fox Fur Workshop hosted at MSVU Indigenous Student Centre brought together two talented Inuk artists who shared their knowledge of working with sealskin and fox fur. Inuujaq Fredlund from Rankin Inlet and Christine Gautreau from Nunatsiavut got our creativity flowing as we made earrings, pins, bracelets, and more! 

 

Rawhide Drum-Painting Workshop 

Our final upcoming workshop will take place this August. Participants who created a drum at the Rawhide Drum-Making Workshop will reconvene and personalize their drum with a painted design. Follow @annaleonowensgallery, or visit the Events section of our website to stay up to date with details. 

 

Stay tuned! 

Keep an eye on our socials @annaleonowensgallery so you can join in on future Treaty Space Gallery programming. 

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Posted Jul 5, 2024