Mallory Whiteduck, Aboriginal cultural liaison officer for Carleton University’s Equity Services, presents a traditional native drum created by artist Jaime Koebel. Her championing of aboriginal art helped to drum up support for the new subcommittee.
Local aboriginal art work may soon be featured more prominently throughout the city, now that the artists have an official voice within the City of Ottawa.
The arts, heritage and culture advisory committee voted unanimously in favour of the creation of an aboriginal subcommittee at city hall last week.
The decision marks the first time the aboriginal community of Ottawa, which includes upwards of 35,000 residents, will be formally represented within the committee.
“My whole point of joining the AHCAC was to give a voice and an aboriginal perspective on arts, heritage and culture in Ottawa based on my interactions and experience,” says Métis artist Jaime Koebel, who spearheaded the proposal.
“But I realized that it was overwhelming for me to be the only aboriginal person on the committee.”
Other aboriginal artists, elders and prominent members of the community will now join Koebel on the subcommittee.
The group will maintain close ties with the advisory committee, however, since roughly one third of the subcommittee must be comprised of AHCAC members.
If the initial reactions to the proposal are any indication, finding AHCAC members who are willing to be part of the subcommittee will not be a challenge.
Several committee members not only voted in favour, but also voiced words of support for the project.
“I think this is a brilliant idea. I can’t help but think that the richness and the depth and enlightenment that this kind of level of discourse could bring to our decision making is fantastic,” says committee member Catherine O’Grady. “It has my whole hearted support.”
The subcommittee will focus largely on the expansion of both locally produced artwork and the promotion of contemporary art that challenges the traditional boundaries of what most people recognize as “aboriginal,” says Koebel.
“We’re tired of being seen in loin cloths with beads and feathers,” says Koebel.
“That is essentially what a lot of the letters I received from aboriginal artists said.”
Committee chair Brian Barrett says the subcommittee will offer a unique expertise, since even the advisory committee members have a somewhat limited understanding and knowledge of local aboriginal art issues.
“None of us really have a good grasp on the status of local aboriginal arts,” says Barrett.
“Even though, from a national point of view, it has a significant presence in places like the National Gallery and the Museum of Civilization.”
Koebel is looking to Ottawa’s local art galleries as prime locations to expand aboriginal art.
Alexandra Badzak, director of The Ottawa Art Gallery, says the subcommittee will help people better understand Canada’s aboriginal heritage.
“The creation of this subcommittee is really essential to us understanding the importance of aboriginal communities within Ottawa – how they can help us to shape who we are as citizens of this great city, and how they can help shape our identity as the capital city and that is really fundamental to me.”
Koebel says that although the first steps of the subcommittee will be administrative, she is determined to start the real work as soon as possible.
Among her envisioned future projects is an art walk in downtown Ottawa, which would feature aboriginal artists and pay tribute to their talents, as well as the construction of an aboriginal art centre, complete with art studios, dance classes and heritage lessons.