A dying art?
Conne River's First Nations reserve concerned indigenous craftsmanship may be lost
CONNE RIVER — Conne River’s First Nations reserve may soon be in danger of losing its indigenous craftsmanship knowledge.
Mardina Joe, manager of the Glenn John Arts and Crafts Centre on the Samiajij Miawpukek First Nations Reserve, said there’s been little interest from the younger generation in learning how to produce indigenous crafts.
Not only are the crafts important for cultural preservation, they also provide a source of income, with profits from sales going directly back into the reserve, Joe said.
Along with five other women at the centre, who range in age from their late 40s to early 80s, Joe produces indigenous crafts that are either used for cultural purposes or sold to tourists. Items include things such as moccasins, Ski-doo mitts, powwow regalia, dreamcatchers and carvings. Moccasins produced at the centre are especially profitable, Joe said.
“A lot of people depend on us. We’re well known across the country. Even though there’s a lot of moccasin makers out there, the significance of ours is just a different type. They’re that unique,” said Joe.
While the craft centre is currently thriving and receives orders from as far away as Alberta and British Columbia, Joe fears this soon might not be the case.
As the craftswomen will eventually retire, Joe is not only concerned the centre is in danger of eventually closing, but that important cultural crafting knowledge will also be lost.
Joe said that at one point, 32 women were producing crafts at the centre, which has now dwindled to five.
“(Most) of the women are in their 60s. I, myself, am 70. The main moccasin makers (have) passed, which has only left one woman to teach it. She’s doing her best to teach it outright.”
The craftswomen currently hold an informal after-school drop-in workshop at St. Anne's High School, where students or interested community members can learn to make any craft they choose, but Joe says turnout is poor.
‘AN ABSOLUTE TRAGEDY'
Patti Doyle-bedwell, a Mi'kmaw Dalhousie University professor who advocates for indigenous rights, said the lack of interest could be due to the younger generation not understanding the value of indigenous crafts.
“The kids aren’t learning the old ways of what we used to do. I feel sad that in Conne River, the elders are putting together these workshops and learning processes for the kids or other people, and people are not taking advantage of it.” Doyle-bedwell said unless the community finds a way to reignite interest in crafting, it might be in danger of losing craft makers altogether in just a few decades.
“If we lose these things, then we’re not going to have vital information and vital artisan ways that we’ve had for thousands of years. That would be a tragedy, an absolute tragedy.”
BENEFITS FOR COMMUNITY
“I think what we really need to do is to work towards building the sense this is something (the community is) going to benefit from,” said Colleen Lambert, Miawpukek’s manager of tourism, recreation and culture.
Lambert said unlike many other crafting businesses, which pay their employees by piecework, the centre pays its crafters a regular wage. Also available to band members is a 14-week work program, where anyone age 20 and above is welcome to work at the centre. The band council will also soon look into other ways to entice community members into learning crafting skills.
As for indigenous tourism, Lambert said supplying high-quality crafts to the roughly 3,500 tourists that visit the reserve each year is going to be the community’s “make or break.”
“We’re not going to survive (if) we just can’t compete with the other Newfoundland communities,” she said.
While attendance isn’t great, Joe is hopeful more people will eventually join the crafting workshop and learn not only how to craft, but about their culture as well.
“If you’re around and just want to pass some time, just come in and sit with us. We’ll teach you how to make moccasins or whatever you want.”