Indigenous youth art exhibit focuses on images of resilience
- Fraser Needham | December 09, 2015
For the past year, Aboriginal youth have been going out across Saskatoon and other areas taking pictures of whatever they believe helps them get through their day-to-day struggles.
The art project is officially called Four Seasons of Resilience: A Collaborative Photovoice Exhibit by Saskatoon Indigenous Youth.
Andrew Hatala, a post-doctorate fellow in the University of Saskatchewan’s department of community health and epidemiology, helped organize the project.
“We would give them a camera for two weeks during each season and they would go out, take photos – as many as they want – about anything related to resilience,” he says. “Something that helps them in their lives – strength, positives, what helps them when they’re sad, anything like that. All the photos speak to that and capture that.”
About 32 Indigenous youth, ranging in age from 15-27, took part in Four Seasons of Resilience.
Hatala says although the youth certainly did take a variety of very different photos over the past 12 months, there were nevertheless certain themes that did emerge.
“There’s a lot of older mentors, peers, siblings, people they could talk to and environments that are safe – CNYC, EGADZ, White Buffalo (Youth Lodge) – a lot of youth draw a lot of strength from those spaces. A big theme, which is seen in the photos, is traditional culture being connected with round dances, powwows, smudging – anything spiritual. Cultural aspects, a lot of youth draw strength from that, so that was a big part of what helped in their lives when they’re not doing well is to turn to culture.”
Sisters Shania and Melissa Duquette both took part in the art project.
Shania’s photos include a picture of her baby brother and a single row of a bookshelf.
“That’s what helps me in my life, when things get too tough, or when I’m feeling down or something, I read a book and it helps me get back on my feet, it gets my mind straight,” she says.
Melissa’s photos include a panoramic view of downtown Saskatoon taken from across the river in Riversdale and an overhead picture of shoes she is wearing with Aboriginal artistic designs on them.
Four Seasons of Resilience is on display at the SCYAP Art Gallery in Saskatoon from November 28 to December 18.
Related: EVENT: Four Seasons of Resilience