Riders On a Storm: INDG 301 Creative Assignment

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The concept of my video is to showcase female speakers, dancers and protestors because, in my opinion they advocate for Mother earth via “sacred femininity,” the tool of communication, which plays a vital role in sustaining Indigenous land, water, sky, people and futures on Turtle Island. Since Idle No More began as a grassroots group of four women who are moms and teachers, (Jessica Gordon and Sheelah McLean are shown speaking) I use footage where women lead the charge. The power of femininity to create a global movement out of this cause is a sign that communication is a global asset. However, by defending their people despite the harm, Indigenous women in this video speak to the value of uniting everyone, feminine and masculine energies, to resist the marginalization and erasure of Indigenous peoples in a society that values dominion and power. “Gemini” by Princess Nokia uses language like “Super fly, fly guy” to describe the courage of women in power. Similarly, “two heads on eye”, or the constellation symbol of the Gemini, is a conceptual way of understanding how sacred femininity in the Idle No More movement has unified people of all walks of life to support land rights and fight for Indigenous people.

The most honest creation I can make is a dance, because it is my way of communicating across barriers. This footage was filmed over the course of a tense and overwhelming year for me, as I forged a new academic path and moved houses during the pandemic. It tested my character, but I chose to continue “finding” and “building up a home” in myself, like Nokia suggests. Indigenous peoples defend their homes constantly, but also their lifestyles—they resist erasure and marginalization by calling out unlawful, greedy behaviour, even if they have to lay their lives down. During the 2013 Elsipogtog protest, SWN’s injunction against Indigenous peoples enabled RCMP to trample a peaceful protest. The land, water, and people were on the line. Though mistaken as adaptable and peaceful, like a feather, the First Nations grounded themselves in their cause and derived strength from their struggle. Yet, their cause is our cause – our society sees weakness in valuing nature, honouring ancestry, accessing spirituality and prioritizing equality, which is a problem. In my video, I move like a feather in the wind to allude to their struggle to be heard and understood amidst forces of power. I also arm-wave primarily to illustrate “riding the storm,” which builds the theme that the protection of water, like land and air, is a sacred responsibility. My body is as connected to Mother Earth as it is everyone who adorns it, and I must always remember to honour it.

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