Redressing history: Sewing clothing for Indian Souvenir dolls: daphne x Native Montreal

In consideration of the theme of Jobena Petonoquot’s solo exhibition My Souvenir Ceremony at daphne, workshop participants will make clothing for Indian Souvenir dolls. The focus will be for participants to consider more appropriate clothing for these dolls to communicate a redressing of history.

Using Kokum scarves, one of the materials utilized in Petonoquot’s exhibition, will help establish a sort of revision of stereotypical representation of Indigenous people. Kokum scarves or more accurately Ukrainian scarves became on of the objects Indigenous folks adopted from the Ukrainian settlers in Manitoba. More recently, these scarves have trickled into powwow culture becoming a cultural symbol for Indigenous people throughout Canada.

Other materials could include, beads another cross-cultural material adopted by Indigenous people; and cotton, lace, satin and other fabrics will be available. As these fine fabrics became a staple for Indigenous women who wished to personalize their woolen dresses during the Victorian period.

This workshop will introduce the fabrication of garments to deconstruct the doll as symbols of colonial representation. Participants will construct clothing using the above-mentioned and a variety of materials and media will be provided. Participants will learn various hand-sewing techniques, such as the rolled-up hem stitch and the backstitch but will also be given space to create their own representations of clothing for the souvenir dolls.

To sign up, follow this link: here

Priority will be given to Indigenous participants

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