The Pembina Fibreshed Speaker series is an ONLINE event that allows us to dig deeper into the topic of settler colonization and its impact on land, indigenous communities and our textile systems.
The Pembina Fibreshed believes that moving forward with sustainable or regenerative textile production must also include a commitment to reconciliation with indigenous people and a commitment to honouring the treaties and land sharing that has long been ignored and forgotten through modern agriculture.
In a world where craft traditions are shared, explored, and used as inspiration, it is essential to recognize the origins of these skills and honour the cultures from which they come.
Cultural appropriation occurs when artistic and craft practices are taken without understanding or respecting their significance, often stripping them of their cultural and historical context.
Instead, we must approach craft with an ethic of respect, reconciliation, and relationship-building. How do we ensure that our creative practices uplift rather than exploit?
Being in relationship with the land and harvesting from it is an integral part of Indigenous life. Jennifer will talk about harvesting, the histories of colonization and how that has affected harvesting practices, and how that relates to current day land based knowledge.
Thank you to Jennifer Smith who generously shared with us and has allowed us to post the video of the event for those that were unable to attend.
About Jennifer Smith
Jennifer Smith is a Red River Métis Curator who has worked in the arts for 18 years. Her love of textiles and the handmade brought to her early positions working at the Costume Museum of Canada and the Manitoba Craft Museum and Library. Her arts 'day job' is part of the Indigenous Media Arts Sector, while continuing to have an independent curatorial practice which focuses on how Indigenous culture is reflected through the handmade and digital artforms. She will be opening an exhibition called I'll share my medicines at Urban Shaman Contemporary Art in April 2025 with artists Holly Aubichon, Claire Johnston, Lynette La Fontaine, Chanelle Lajoie and Val Vint.