Written by Martin Halek
An Indigenous educational exhibit is coming to Bracebridge in June.
The Sacred Strength Ribbon Skirt Exhibition runs June 1 to 22 at the Chapel Gallery’s new location in the Muskoka Arts and Crafts building at 63 Manitoba St.
Joyce Crone, founder of Hope Arises, says it features 20 ribbon skirts made by an international group of students at Huron Heights Secondary School in Kitchener. She says the school’s fashion class has been busy learning about and working on the skirts for months.
“They really brought life to fabric, these young girls,” says Crone. “They’re all beautiful, they’re all unique, they’re all different. Some of the ribbons, they chose how they’re displayed on the skirt. Some of them put pockets. Some of them cinched the waist a little bit more, made them different lengths.”
Crone says one skirt is particularly special—a bright floral-printed skirt with four colours of ribbon at the bottom to reflect the four directions of the Indigenous Medicine Wheel.
“That skirt is named after a young girl whose name appeared on one of our orange ribbons,” says Crone. “Emily died April 23, 1923 and attended St. John’s Indian School in Chapleau, Ont. One of the girls, Amber, wrote a poem about her, and it brings people to tears. It has a profound effect—the words that she wrote about Emily and the ribbon skirt she made.”
As for the exhibition itself, Crone says the name represents the strength and sacredness of women in Indigenous culture.
“[With] us being told we were unworthy, it’s just really to help empower women,” says Crone. “All women deserve sacredness and deserve strength, that inner strength that comes with knowing who you are as a person, and being accepted and included.”
Crone says the exhibition’s opening gala runs June 1 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., featuring live music and refreshments.
On June 7, the school’s fashion teacher will do a live skirt-making demonstration at the gallery, alongside education from Hope Arises about the history of ribbon skirts, the role played by women in Indigenous culture, and more.
Admission to the exhibit is free, but Crone says donations are always welcome.
“Come and take a look, ask questions, be curious,” says Crone. “Come and find out, watch a ribbon skirt be made, and come and learn about the history of ribbon skirts and the traditional role that we played as women, how that can change and we can be empowered.”
