TWITTER CANADA EMOJI 2019
Humbled and honoured to design an emoji for Twiitter Canada and National Indigenous History Month. When I was asked to design an emoji, I began thinking about tanning moose hides and moose hide on a stretcher. I knew I didn’t have any graphic design experience and attempted to use a drawing program. I impressed myself but decided to get help in this area. Thank you Rob! Here is my little drawing...see above!
So, a few years prior to this exciting opportunity, I was gifted a moose hide from my cousin. I hauled that hide out to the trap line and began to take the hair off. I educated myself through books, videos and asking other people if they had any experience in this area. In the end, the moose hide began to go green and I had to dispose of it (wolf bait for the trap line). I was not discouraged by this experience, I was motivated and eager to learn and when the time came to me, I would know it was the right time. I was not going to force it.
In the Fall of 2019, I joined a group of Indigenous artists from all over Canada to attend an urban hide tanning program put on by @denenahjo and the Banff Art Centre @banffcentre
Surrounded by amazing mountains and medicine and people and lakes and the land. It was a surreal experience. I was also going through some medical issues and mental health issues (ptsd) and I tried my hardest to stay present. Not a day goes by that I am grateful for this knowledge. This experience in my lifetime, to share with others, to keep learning and to keep my dream alive. From trying to tan moose hide on my own and then learning from master hide tanners from the Northwest Territories n Alberta. I am deep in my dreams of tanning my own hides. The smell. The hard work. The conversations. The friendships. The tough times and the beautiful moments. I am forever grateful.
Hide tanning is nothing like I have experienced before. I am a trapper, I have skinned hides and made jewellery and fashion using textiles from the land but this is like no other. If you get a chance to learn from your grandmother’s or aunties, or friends, or grampa’s or uncles.
Please take the time to watch, listen, touch, feel n experience traditional ways of hide tanning. This is the reason for this emoji. No matter where I’ve travelled to, or other artists I’ve talked to, or communities I’ve visited, there is always a desire for brain tanned hide.
The smell is amazing, the feel, the plush and softness of the hide and most of all, my ancestors and teachers are in the hide. Spending time in Banff learning was an exceptional experience. Each stage is so important and not to be missed. Melaw, Mandee and Tanya are individually unique and dynamic as a group from dene nahjo. The Elder Master hide tanning sisters Judy and Lucy from NWT and Una and Irene from Alberta are gentle, kind, funny and so gracious to share with all of us their knowledge.
Designing the emoji was exciting and daunting at the same time. As an artist, I know that my work whether it is my paintings, jewellery, fashion, beading or fur work may not resonate with all people but I do know that hide tanning has been revived!!!
As I stated in my application for the hide tanning program, I wanted to be someone from my community that knows this knowledge. I will hold this responsibility with the utmost honour and responsibility. I am learning. I have tools being made by my dad, I’ve been gifted tools and I have already taken the hair off a new hide. I am connected to the land and I strive to be this knowledge keeper one day. I didn’t have a say in the generation of the hashtags but I did make a few suggestions for next year. Here are the hashtags for this year: #IndigenousHistoryMonth #IndigenousPeoplesDay #NIPDCanada #MoisHistoireAutochtone #JournéeNationalePeuplesAutochtones #JNPACanada
I hope you love it! Miigwech for coming along this journey with me. Share the heck out of this emoji! #WEARESTILLHERE