The other day, I talked about my goal to taking on the ED role for the Filipino arts org that I currently volunteer for. If I do become their ED, one of the projects that I'd like to eventually work on would be to bring Filipino and Indigenous artists together in an inter-cultural workshop or residency where they can work on their artistry together, with a goal of creating something that can be exhibited and/or showcased. We can call it TREATY - Towards Reconciliation through Expression, Arts, and Transformative Young adults. I chose this name because I believe that we, as settlers, have forgotten, and need reminding, that we are treaty peoples, along with Indigenous folks, on this land. It's important for me to create spaces for these artists to collaborate.
The first time that I ever heard of the term treaty people was when it was used in a conversation thread in an online course that I was taking during my undergrad. The term was used by an Indigenous classmate. Upon reading the phrase in my laptop screen, I had a strong reaction to it. I felt a steady and expansive weight suddenly resting on my shoulders. Oh, I thought to myself, I am a treaty person?
Check out this resource from U of T's OISE to learn more about what it means to be a treaty person.
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