The story of Isabella Kulak has inspired people across the country. (Stella Pelly/ Facebook)

By Nigel Maxwell

Culture

FSIN encourages school divisions to adopt ribbon skirt day

Jan 7, 2021 | 5:00 PM

The organization that represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan is calling on all school boards and divisions across the country to participate in a Ribbon Skirt Day challenge, as a means to help bring awareness to the important teachings and meanings behind the First Nations tradition of making and wearing ribbon skirts.

The challenge from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Executive, comes after news a 10-year-old girl in Kamsack was told by school staff member the handmade skirt she was wearing, did not fit in with the formal day standards and that it should have compared with another child’s clothing. The Good Spirit School Division has since apologized, and promised to review the incident.

“We are a proud people full of culture, traditions, prayers and ceremony. We encourage all school staff, teachers and students to participate and use this as a learning opportunity in and out of the classroom,” FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron said in a statement. “Our rich cultural history and traditional teachings are sometimes expressed through our clothing items and regalia and for many in our communities, ribbon skirts and shirts are sacred gifts that are worn with pride as an expression of our identity and to honour those around us.”

A Facebook group created in support of young Bella Kulak, has over 4,000 members and is filled with submissions from all over the province and country. (Kulak Pelly Ribbon Skirt Support/ Facebook)

Missing Persons Liaison Mikayla Worth and Indigenous Resource Officer Erin Parenteau with the Prince Albert Police Victim Services Unit wore ribbon skirts Monday in the spirit of reconciliation and understanding. (Prince Albert Police)

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Response from local school divisions

Robert Bratvold, Director of Education for the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division, told paNOW the idea of a national ribbon skirt day is worth considering, adding the school division does lots of work in relation to truth and reconciliation.

“Even it’s not a designated national day, it’s something we can highlight in the work we do with staff and students,” he said.

When asked to provide examples of “the work” the school division is doing, Bratvold mentioned the round dance and feast at Carlton Comprehensive High School, as well as blanket exercises at numerous schools, and learning on the land.

“I guess my hesitation is if it only becomes one day then that’s the day people think about it and really it’s got to be something that’s part of our regular daily practices,” Bratvold said.

Conseil des écoles fransaskoises has 15 Francophone schools across the province, including Ecole Valois (K-12) in Prince Albert. Director of Education/CEO Ronald Ajavon provided a statement to paNOW.

“Any initiative which fosters greater inclusion of people of aboriginal ancestry and highlights the importance of teachings and meanings behind making and wearing ribbon skirts is worthy of being taken into consideration. Our school division values the celebration of this tradition,” he said.

The Prince Albert Catholic School Division was not available to provide a comment.

Response from a parent and a local ribbon skirt maker

Kaylene Waditaka, 20, lives at Wahpeton First Nation, and has been making ribbon skirts for roughly 10 years. She fondly recalls watching her mother make the dresses.

“We wear the ribbon skirt with pride and for our protection. I think there needs to be more information and teachings in public schools and in the public in general,” she said.

Waditaka said she found the story of the young girl and the showing of support on social media in the days that followed, to be very empowering. She recalled her own experience in high school when she wore a ribbon skirt to school, and received a strange look from a classmate.

“There was this non-Indigenous person kind of looking at me in a way, but I didn’t really do anything about it. I let it go and ever since then I was kind of discouraged to wear a ribbon skirt out in public,” she said.

Waditaka has since gained back her confidence and not only wears her ribbon skirt, but also now runs a successful ribbon skirt business, selling her creations to people across Canada and the United States.

Kaylene Waditaka proudy wears her ribbon skirt when she goes out in public. (Submitted photo)

Prince Albert’s Krysta Alexson is an indigenous-francophone woman from the Kahkewistahaw First Nation, and she too was inspired by the story of the young girl from Kamsack. Alexson, who is currently working on making her first ribbon skirt, said the stitches represent the bond of a community.

“Every failed stitch is just so emotional that every successful stitch is ‘like there it is. You’ve sealed that connection, that strength of the community,'” she said.

Alexson explained it’s important for people to know the reason the skirts are so long has less to do with modesty, but more to do with being closer to mother earth, when picking berries, foraging, getting medicines.

“You always want that connection to the land,” she said.

Alexson’s seven-year-old son now attends Grade 2 at École Valois, and explained she too has experienced racism from classmates because he wears a long braid. She said she was offended when she heard the comment made by the education assistant at the Kamsack school.

“Just that underlying colonial violence is it’s pretty what you are wearing but it’s not appropriate in the day to day,” she said. “It’s genocide when someone says that to you .. it’s really upsetting.”

Alexson said the teachers at her son’s school have done a great job trying to create relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous students, and share the knowledge. She adds however she feels the school division could do a lot more to implement the recommendations of the truth and reconciliation commission.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell