Vol. 48.4 – The Arts

“Yeah, if you’re reading this 20 years from now, just know that I did help in whatever way I could, but also that the early inspiration I got are from artists that were featured in Them Days 40 years ago now. So always, always look to the past and to the elders around you for inspiration and help. But never stop looking towards the future. There are things that can learn from the past, but there are also things that you can teach yourself in preparation for the future.”

jason sikoak

“Don’t be shy. Don’t be don’t think that your art isn’t valuable, or don’t think that you’re not talented because you are. And yeah, you can, you can do anything you put your mind to. If you want a certain project you want to work on, if you have project you want to work on, you can do it. There’s help in the community. There’s many different artists you can look up to, you know, I think. I think that’s my last message.”

veronica flowers

“Growing up, I’ve always enjoyed reading different stories from Them Days magazines, learning about other people’s hunting trips, different adventures that they were on. And you know, I loved hearing these stories, and they inspired me to want to get out onto the land and experience some of these things for myself. Well, I’m hoping that in 20, 30, 40, however many years in the future, people are reading this. When they read this, I’m hoping that they get that same kind of burning desire. I’m hoping that the reader wants…doesn’t even just want, almost feels a need, a burning need, to get out and see some of the things that I was talking about. You know, that inspired me. That’s what I’m hoping, that this sparks in the future this. This is what I’m hoping happens from this.”

Billy Gauthier

“That is an excellent question. You know, you don’t have to be a very young child to sit down and watch your mother or your grandmother or your aunt, to sew. You can be an older adult and and and start. It’s never too late to start trying to…perhaps craft is the word, because there’s so many different things that you that you could make. Every time I create and sew traditional clothing, I think about my grandmother and my mother in law, and my aunt and a few other women in my community, and I think they would be really proud, you know, of what I continue to make or to sew. They used to tell me how proud they were. So in turn, I just think it’s so important, not only for my children, my grandchildren, but for young people, for anyone to learn. You know, if they’re interested in the history of creating traditional clothing, if they’re interested in culture alone, to be able to continue to keep to keep the cultural culture alive. It’s never too late to start. You know, piece by piece. You know, you never do something [perfectly] for the very first time. We always critique our work, especially if it’s for the first time, but if you keep at it, practise, really do make perfect. And I encourage everyone to to just sit down and just try. If you fail, get up, try it again, because it’s just so important to be able to keep that, to keep it alive. If you have any interest at all, visit the museums, take a look around and see what the clothing used to look like because, I mean, I can still see something that was made over 100 years ago. And I mean, we’re talking this is 2025 and to be able to see and touch–or not really touch it, I guess, because in the museum, you can’t touch it. But I mean, if you have that desire, be proud of who you are and keep at it. Tell the story, share your story.”

Heather Angnatok