Thursday, December 12th at 6:30pm
In the fall of 2021, a group of Mi’kmaq artists embarked on a remarkable project to recreate a historic Mi’kmaq regalia gifted to Captain Henry Dunn O’Halloran in the early 1840s. This team of artists includes Sgoagani Mye Wecenisqon from Esgenoôpetitj First Nation, Oakley Wysote Gray from Listiguj First Nation, and Ingrid Brooks from Indian Island First Nation—all graduates of the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design.
The original regalia was presented to Captain O’Halloran, a member of the 69th Regiment of Foot, who had gathered census information on Mi’kmaq communities along the Miramichi River under the supervision of New Brunswick Indian Commissioner Moses Perley. As an expression of gratitude, O’Halloran was made an honorary Mi’kmaq chief by Chief Joseph Maly Itkobitch and received the ceremonial regalia, believed to have been created by three Mi’kmaq women artists from the Miramichi region, likely in Esgenoôpetitj First Nation.
We invite you to an evening of storytelling, reflection, and celebration of this important cultural art object and the women whose legacy endures.
This event is free and open to the public.
Ingrid Brooks is a Mi’kmaq from the east coast of Canada, a small First Nation called Indian Island. She completed her Native Studies at the College of Craft and Design and attended private classes at Desjardins Sewing Studio. She comes from a family of garment factory workers. She learned most of her skills from her great-aunts when they returned home. Her pieces are inspired by her love of nature and her Native American heritage. Her quilled jewelry can be found in museums across Canada and the United States.
Oakley Rain Wysote Gray is from Listuguj Mi’gmaq First Nation. She identifies as Trans/ Two-Spirit and use the pronouns she/her. Oakley is a fashion designer who draws inspiration from Mi’gmaq culture and the daily injustices on Indigenous people. As a Mi’gmaq Couturier, Oakley’s work spans between her historical replication of Mi’gmaq artifacts and culturally relevant couture pieces. Her creative vision caters to decolonizing the fashion realm by producing work that draws inspiration through a Mi’gmaq lens.
Sgoagani Mye Wecenisqon, a proud member of the Mi'kmaq First Nation community of Esgenoopetitj in New Brunswick, Canada, is a woman of many talents. As an Indigenous Artist, Powwow Dancer, Model, Actor, and now Indigenous Fashion Designer, she has been invited to showcase her work all over North America and in Europe, in cities such as Vienna, Paris, and the UK. Her global recognition is a source of pride for her community and all who appreciate her work.
Radical Stitch is organized and circulated by the MacKenzie Art Gallery. The MacKenzie receives ongoing support from the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, SaskCulture, City of Regina, University of Regina, and Saskatchewan Arts Board. Tour supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.
Commissaire d'exposition : Sherry Farrell Racette, Michelle LaVallee et Cathy Mattes.
