So this week in my learning project, I did a little digging to get a better understanding of the importance and meaning behind Ribbon Skirts. As you can see, what they are physically, is a beautiful work of art. They are usually vibrant patterns with colourful ribbons sewn onto them. They may appear different now than how they started in our culture, but you can also see how they’re similar.
I know what I’ve been taught from my own family and friends, as an Indigenous woman, but I wanted to do a little research to find additional information. There are so many different morals, values, and traditions amongst different groups of Indigenous people.
I am a Saulteaux woman, and in our culture, we believe that ribbon skirts are a symbol of female empowerment. I was always taught that being a Saulteaux woman meant that you are sacred, and we wear our ribbon skirts to all ceremonies to represent that sacredness. More recently, they have become more popular, especially given National Ribbon Skirt Day, which started with a young woman right here in Saskatchewan.
During my research, I came across this absolutely beautiful blog by a young Metis woman named Kaija Heitland. She is leading a Ribbon Skirt Project that connects Metis individuals within her community through the art and process of ribbon skirt making. I really enjoyed looking through her blog and found some great information about what she, as a Metis woman, believes about ribbon skirts.
In her blog, she states that modern day ribbon skirts in her culture are a representation of the story of how Metis people came to be. It was a collaboration of First Nations and Europeans. Two cultures benefitted from each other’s knowledge and resources to create something beautiful. She also expresses that ribbon skirts can be both a simple beautiful piece of clothing and a sacred piece of regalia to be worn for ceremony. I really resonated with this phrase “Ribbon Skirts are a symbol of resilience, survival and identity, but their meaning changes with each person who wears one and each person who shares their history.”
I would definitely recommend reading her blog for more information!
This sounds like a great project and makes me kind of sad that mine is not this interesting haha! I can’t wait to see how beautiful your skirt turns out!
Thank you for highlighting some of the different cultural significances that are attributed to the ribbon skirt. Your post made me realize that I only know some of the basics about them, so I should definitely go and learn more from the blog you mentioned. I hope your project continues to go well!
Hey Christina, love your choice for your project! Being able to do this for school while connecting to your own culture is definitely a great perk of this class. I actually was able to help some grade 7/8 students this past May make some ribbon skirts and shirts with a guest knowledge keeper that had come to the school. From that experience it is easy to see the value the process and final product it has within Indigenous culture with the skills being passed down from elder to younger. Look forward to seeing your finished skirts!
Christine * sorry
This is such a meaningful exploration of ribbon skirts! I love how you’re connecting your personal experiences as a Saulteaux woman with your research. It’s also fascinating to see how these skirts represent empowerment and cultural identity across different Indigenous groups.
Kaija Heitland’s project sounds incredible, and I appreciate you sharing her insights. That quote about resilience and identity really captures the essence of what these skirts represent. I’m looking forward to hearing more about your journey with this topic!
These are so beautiful! This is such a great way to honour your culture and educate us who are following along. Thanks for sharing! Also thank you for linking some sources I will have to check them out!