The National Arts Centre (NAC) in Ottawa unveiled its inaugural season of its Indigenous theatre program with a festival of shows which aim to celebrate Indigenous culture through performance and art.
The Mòshkamo Indigenous Arts Festival ran from Sept. 11 to 29, and involved 11 shows, nine of which were led, written, or directed by Indigenous women. The shows were also representative of Indigenous people from the eastern, western, and Arctic regions of Canada, according to The Fulcrum.
Carleton should take a note from the NAC and display more art on campus which reflects the history of the ground on which the school stands.
At the moment, Carleton barely has any installations in prominent spots on campus displaying Indigenous art and culture. Among the only permanent Indigenous art installations on campus is the Wikwemikong First Nations teepee in Nesbitt Park across from Robertson Hall, which was put up in 2013.
MacOdrum Library displayed a multimedia exhibit called “Where Are the Children? Healing the Legacy of Residential Schools” back in January.
But for a university which prides itself on prioritizing reconciliation and formed the Indigenous Strategic Initiatives Committee from 2018-2019, it is a wonder that campus spaces are not better utilized to display art by Indigenous faculty members, students, or other Indigenous Canadian artists.
Carleton can use the library and the art gallery’s spaces to serve this purpose.
File photo.
