For this project, I’ve decided to learn how to make traditional ribbon skirts. I am an indigenous woman so I feel this was just the right pick for me both spiritually and mentally. I was torn between this project, learning how to do artistic henna tattoos, and making star blankets. I narrowed it down by determining which of these ideas would be the most beneficial to me in the future. While star blankets are beautiful, I know enough about them to know that they’re incredibly time-consuming. My late grandmother (who was also an elder within Regina Public Schools) used to make them and she would spend so much time making sure they were just right. I also don’t feel like I would ever want to make more than one. Henna would be very cool and interesting, but I feel as though because I have already taken a beginner’s class, it wouldn’t give me the authentic learning experience I want to achieve with this project.
I have tampered a little bit with ribbon skirt-making in the past, my mom, sisters and I decided to get together to make some skirts a couple of years ago when we realized how expensive they are to buy. My mom is also a big crafter so she had everything we needed just kicking around her house. When we started, I chose my fabrics and ribbon colors, I also helped with the initial cutting of the fabric. My mom took over pretty quickly after that and made me a beautiful ribbon skirt! (photo below) I was today years old when I realized that I still had no idea how to make them.
I think being an indigenous woman, I have always been drawn towards learning more traditional teachings from our culture. There was a time growing up when I didn’t feel proud to be Indigenous, I was bullied a lot for it, racially profiled, and felt ashamed. That quickly changed when I realized just how powerful, special, and unique our culture is. Our values and morals are so beautiful and intriguing. Adult me would like to learn everything I possibly can to stay in touch with my Indigenous identity. Ribbon skirts have become very popular over the last few years and I have been talking about learning how to make them since I was a teenager, so… what a perfect time to jump right in!
My plan for this project starts with some social media profiling, this week I plan to track down content creators on many platforms that I can follow for helpful tips, advice, and tutorials. The creators I choose to follow will have :
- lists of required materials & supplies
- Easy-to-follow directions
- beginner-friendly videos
One of the creators I have come across so far is @Indigenousmamabear on TikTok. One of the videos that I came across was very helpful in determining what kind of materials I would need to begin.
After finding the correct content creators on all platforms, I will go to my mom’s house to collect some materials. I assume she will want to do this with me, so I plan to do some progression videos of the process and perhaps an interview with my mom. I plan to learn one step at a time, so once I have a detailed list of all the steps, I will have a more thorough and detailed plan. My first finished skirt is still a while away from now but I am excited to start and share the journey with all of you.