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https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnowtoronto.com%2Fculture%2Fart-and-design%2Fnadya-kwandibens-concrete-indians-ryerson-mural&psig=AOvVaw00ZMRS5anhE5pVZxftjBxv&ust=1671033800316000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCNDp0Nj89vsCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

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https://www.alansyliboy.ca/petroglyph-humans/T Link / embed code

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Aviliaq: Entwined - Alethea Arnaquq-Baril

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Aviliaq: Entwined - Alethea Arnaquq-Baril

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https://www.reelcanada.ca/films/aviliaq-entwined/

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I chose 4 different pieces of work done by Indigenous peoples for my Mixtape Collage. Each different piece I chose is very unique and special in its own way too many Indigenous peoples around the world. They all tell a story, even if it's a painting or a photograph, they speak a million words. Every single piece shows a fight for justice, security, and peace; something that they've been wanting and striving for for decades on end. These pieces also try and make people see each side of the story, so you are not watching in a biased manner; they want you to see it with your two eyes. I chose artwork done by the Mi'kmaq artist, Alan Sylibol, and I specifically chose his Petroglyph Humans because his artwork is very beautifully done and shows a great story and meaning behind each of his drawings. For music, I chose the band, Crown Lands, a Mi'kmaq/Two-spirit and Jewish band duo that makes amazing and meaningful rock music. Their name also tries to spread an important message against colonization. For photography, I chose Nadya Kwandibens, an Anishinaabe woman from the Animakee Wa Zhing. Her photography shows a powerful image that shows both sides of the cruel world and Indigenous people's struggles. The final piece of work I chose was film making and the person who I chose for this was Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, an Inuk woman who made a very heartfelt, emotional short film which is called AVILIAQ / ENTWINED; this film shows the hardship between two Inuk lesbians who are being forced to marry men because of colonization.

These are all of the topics and artists I chose for my Indigenous Mixtape Collage, each one of them shows a meaningful, deep story that I will go more into depth about in the other paragraphs down below.

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https://youtu.be/pr-sq55Au8s

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Ritchie, Kevin. “Nadya Kwandibens' Mural Brings an Indigenous Perspective to Ryerson.” NOW Magazine, 23 Sept. 2020, https://nowtoronto.com/culture/art-and-design/nadya-kwandibens-concrete-indians-ryerson-mural.

“About.” Red Works, https://www.redworks.ca/info/.

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Toque & Canoe. “Ancient Mi'kmaq Petroglyphs Spring to Life Thanks to Artist Alan Syliboy.” Toque & Canoe, 12 Sept. 2017, https://www.toqueandcanoe.com/2017/02/27/the-whimsical-world-of-alan-syliboy/.

Boyko, John. “Alan Syliboy.” The Canadian Encyclopedia, 28 June 2022, https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/alan-syliboy.

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During a recent trip to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, I had the chance to meet celebrated Mi'kmaw multi-media artist Alan Syliboy.

Syliboy-a passionate man whose primary work is inspired by ancient Mi'kmaq petroglyphs found throughout Nova Scotia-was selling a series of hand-painted elk skin drums.

I fell hard for one drum that featured a fanciful image of a young boy with tree branches sprouting from his head.

"Little Thunder"-pictured above-is the main character in Syliboy's recently published children's book, a coming-of-age story (derived from the Mi'kmaw legend The Stone Canoe) about a boy and the art of thunder-making.

As a young man during the 1970s, Syliboy often visited a series of petroglyphs located in Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site -located about two hours from where he grew up in the Truro, Nova Scotia-based Millbrook First Nations community.

"They're the best examples of Mi'kmaw imagery left. Seeing these petroglyphs energized my art career and affected my whole life," says the ebullient Syliboy-who still visits the approximately 500 engravings in stone found within the park. "Going there is like a pilgrimage for me. As an artist, it's a gold mine."

First contact with Europeans began 400 to 500 years ago and has, over time, he explains, eroded the Mi'kmaw nation's link to their ancestors and culture.

"We lost 90 to 95 per cent of our population. We were down to a few hundred people. We were just about extinct. I want to bring to life these old stories and make people aware of who we are," says Syliboy, whose work also features whimsical, petroglyph-inspired depictions of whales, canoes and caribou.

"Today, we are a population of about 30,000. We live throughout Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. There are lots of us who live in the Boston and Maine area, too."

While Syliboy is determined to raise public awareness about his people and culture, he also enjoys teaching art to the youth within his community. "As an elder," says Syliboy, "I have a responsibility to help preserve our heritage and help the next generation along."

Aside from being one of his community's most notable artists, it turns out Syliboy is a musician, as well. In fact, his band Alan Syliboy and the Thundermakers will be headlining at this summer's Stan Rogers Folk Festival (June 30-July 2).

"Five indigenous bands have been invited to perform," says Syliboy. "We'll be doing a show that includes music, soundscapes, spoken word and visuals."

When asked about the re-occurring theme of thunder in his life, he says:

"The thing about thunder is that it makes an impression wherever it goes. That's what the image of Little Thunder does, too. Wherever he goes, he's noticed."

Truth be told, the same could be said of Alan Syliboy. Yes, his art is captivating. But so, too, is the man himself.

Editor's note: Mi'kmaq is the plural form of the singular word Mi'kmaw. Click here for more information on the usage of Mi'kmaq and Mi'kmaw.

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Ancient Mi'kmaq petroglyphs spring to life thanks to artist Alan Syliboy.

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During a recent trip to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, I had the chance to meet celebrated Mi'kmaw multi-media artist Alan Syliboy. Syliboy-a passionate man whose primary work is inspired by ancient Mi'kmaq petroglyphs found throughout Nova Scotia-was selling a series of hand-painted elk skin drums. I fell hard for one drum that featured a fanciful image of a young boy with tree branches sprouting from his head.

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“Alethea Arnaquq-Baril.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Jan. 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alethea_Arnaquq-Baril#Aviliaq:_Entwined_(2014).

LucyHach, Author. “Decolonizing the Queer Native Body in Alethea Arnaquq-Bari's Film, Aviliaq (Entwined): The Embargo Project @ Reel Reservations.” FNIS 401M, 17 May 2016, https://blogs.ubc.ca/fnis401m/2016/04/14/decolonizing-the-queer-native-body-in-alethea-arnaquq-baris-film-aviliaq-entwined-the-embargo-project-reel-reservations/.

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Krewen, Nick. “Watch: Oshawa's Crown Lands Lends Their Classic-Rock-Influenced Style to Indigenous Issues and Injustices.” Thestar.com, Toronto Star, 14 Apr. 2021, https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2021/04/14/oshawas-crown-lands-lends-their-classic-rock-influenced-style-to-indigenous-issues-and-injustices.html.

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When bands first form and collaborate, "dropping trou" doesn't usually top the list as a catalyst.

But Oshawa's Crown Lands is the exception ... especially since the progressive rock duo made up of drummer and singer Cody Bowles and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Comeau share a singular obsession with the legendary Holy Trinity of Rock: Toronto's Rush.

And to prove the point, Comeau has recreated the naked star man graphic that first appears on the cover of Rush's "2112" via a tattoo on his bottom.

"That was literally how we met," Comeau chuckles during a recent phone interview with the two-time Juno Award nominees, up for Breakthrough Group of the Year and Rock Album of the Year for their self-titled "Crown Lands."

"Five years ago, a buddy was auditioning for a band that Cody played drums in and I crashed the audition because I heard Cody was a big Rush fan. Within five seconds of meeting Cody, I pulled down my pants and mooned them straight up. We never looked back."

Chiming in, Bowles, who identifies as a two-spirit Mi'kmaq and uses the pronouns they and them, confirms the story.

"That was a first impression for sure," they joke.

The physical tribute to Rush's first label - Moon Records - has spawned a carrying of the torch as Crown Lands has done everything but bum around.

In fact, the Rush connection has been even more solidified with the involvement of three of the band's producers - Terry Brown, Nick Raskulinecz (2007's "Snakes and Arrows" and 2012's "Clockwork Angels") and David Bottrill (remixer of 2013's "Vapor Trails") - on the band's biggest two songs to date, " Context: Fearless Pt. 1 " and "Right Way Back," which also happen to be Crown Lands' tribute to you-know-who.

"The way it came about, a friend of ours introduced us to Terry (who produced the Rush catalogue from 1974's 'Rush' through 'Signals') and we started working on the songs," recalls Comeau.

"I guess we had been working on 'Context' for a while, up to that point, but we arranged it on the spot with Terry. It was a really special experience, and then to go and finish it with Nick and then do vocals with Dave, it was almost like a moment out of 'Spinal Tap': I don't think there's an artist that has worked with all of those guys, let alone on just one song. That song has the stamp of many legends on it."

The almost eight-minute "Context: Fearless, Pt. 1" offers plenty of sonic markers that ape the Rush style, from Comeau's Alex Lifeson-like guitar parts and the Geddy Lee-approximating bass line to the Neil Peart drum-rolls executed by Bowles and his similar vocal style.

"You can't really talk about Crown Lands without talking about Rush, because of what they mean to Cody and I, and how we bonded and became really close over that band," said Comeau.

And Bowles says the respect extends beyond their musical proficiency.

"Not only their musicality, but the way they held themselves as a band and conducted themselves," they say. "They were all friends, got along and made this beautiful thing that was so much bigger than themselves. Their attitudes about music were really inspiring to us."

But if you get the impression that Crown Lands is a mere copycat, you'd be sadly mistaken. They've perfected their two-man-band-with-a-five-man-sound approach over a couple of EPs - 2016's "Mantra," 2017's "Rise Over Run" and 2020s pre-LP EP, "Wayward Flyers Vol. 1" - sporting more of a blues-rock sound.

Then came "Crown Lands," produced in Nashville by Grammy winner Dave Cobb.

"Context: Fearless Pt. 1" marks a fork in the road as the duo has decided to stretch things out in more of what they call their comfort zone.

"It felt like we were coming into our own," says Bowles. "That's always been who we are, which is more progressive, experimental. When we started playing, we were into prog and playing prog in another band.

"So when we came to Crown Lands and building Crown Lands up, it was more stripped back and we weren't doing the prog thing, and then after a while we fell back into our habit of being obsessed with odd metering, really complex musicality and all that stuff.

"It slowly leaked into our songwriting and then, after our first album hit, we were like, 'OK, now we can really embrace more of these parts of ourselves' and moving forward, we can include more and more of this."

Comeau says the current direction reflects the regard they hold for artists such as Frank Zappa, King Crimson, Genesis and Yes.

Crown Lands is also passionate about speaking out about issues and injustices, particularly colonization, which they sing about on "Mountain" and "End of the Road," about missing and murdered Indigenous women.

"We decided from the very beginning that we'd talk about issues that are really important to us," Bowles explains. "Indigenous issues - being Mi'kmaq myself - it's something that I feel like it's my duty to use this platform to elevate the voices of my Indigenous brothers and sisters across this planet. I owe it to my ancestors too.

"Together I feel we make really, really good music and we're able to say something important. That's something we take really seriously, having this platform, so if we can talk about issues that matter and start conversations that may be uncomfortable - but are things that people need to know and ought to hear - then we're going to do it. Because that's the mission statement of this band."

Bowles said they noticed Crown Lands was making an impact with their "issue" songs due to audience reaction throughout North America when they were touring pre-pandemic.

"When we were on tour in the States, we played our song 'Mountain' and it would get really quiet," they recall. "Then when we played 'End of the Road,' about the missing and murdered Indigenous women, children and two-spirited people, the whole room fell silent and people were really listening.

"We've had people reach out to us and say, 'Hey, I know someone who went missing on that highway. Thank you so much for making the song. I feel heard and that this was exactly what I needed to hear.' So that's really having an impact and that's incredible to see.

"And we want to talk about all the injustices: the pipelines and the starlight tours (deaths in the early 2000s of Indigenous Canadians being allegedly stranded without clothing by Saskatoon police in sub-zero temperatures) and all those other massive issues that don't make the front page."

Comeau says Crown Lands are committed to making sure "that victims of these injustices feel heard and seen."

"As artists, all we can do is raise questions," they say. "I don't profess to have any answers; all I can do is see what's being done and try and raise awareness, and rally around people and let them feel loved and seen. That's all I can do."

"Hopefully we can inspire change for the better, but you know, if push comes to shove and a revolution happens, we're just going to be the soundtrack to that revolution. That'll be fine; we'll be there regardless," Comeau adds.

While the pandemic has squelched any touring plans at the moment, Crown Lands says they're currently working on new material with Bottrill that should be out in the next few months.

But it won't be an album.

In fact, Bowles and Comeau said they're not sure if they'll ever work on another album again.

"We're working on new songs and we're not thinking so much in terms of records anymore," Comeau says. "Cody came up with a term called 'capsule,' which is the perfect way to describe it.

"It doesn't matter if we're going to go and write one song or 20 songs, if it all fits into a theme we're just going to go record them and release them.

"We noticed that even with two songs, people don't think in terms of albums anymore, they think of songs. And we're embracing that."

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Watch: Oshawa's Crown Lands lends their classic-rock-influenced style to Indigenous issues and injustices

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When bands first form and collaborate, "dropping trou" doesn't usually top the list as a catalyst. But Oshawa's Crown Lands is the exception ... especially since the progressive rock duo made up of drummer and singer Cody Bowles and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Comeau share a singular obsession with the legendary Holy Trinity of Rock: Toronto's Rush.

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Nadya Kwandibens is Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) from the Animakee Wa Zhing #37 First Nation in northwestern Ontario. She is an award-winning portrait and events photographer, and a Canon Ambassador, and has traveled extensively across Canada for over 14 years. In 2008 she founded Red Works Photography. Red Works is a dynamic photography company empowering contemporary Indigenous lifestyles and cultures through photographic essays, features, and portraits. Kwandibens creates images that combat colonial representations while evoking the emotional lives of Indigenous people living in cities today. For example, in the photo shown above, the black-and-white portrait shows Duke, a member of an Anishinaabe dance troupe, standing firm in traditional regalia as ghostly rush-hour commuters whiz by in the long pedestrian tunnel connecting subway lines at Spadina station. The image is from Kwandibens’ portrait series Concrete Indians, which explores the ways urban spaces affect Indigenous identity. It's a suitable shot for a school with a reputation as a commuter campus, particularly given the recent emphasis on a statue of Egerton Ryerson, the school's founder. Ryerson was a key role in the establishment of the residential school system, which intended to deliberately eradicate Indigenous culture in Canada. Police detained three individuals in mid-July after activists splashed the statue in pink paint during a Black Lives Matter-led demonstration asking for its removal. Kwandibens' photograph of Duke now stands in contrast to the monument. Her work is part of a protracted process of Indigenous reclaiming the country's major cultural institutions and popular culture. Nadya creates images that combat colonial representations of Indigenous peoples and their traditions/cultures. The pictures have a very broad and powerful meaning to them and show us how much colonization had a toll on millions of Indigenous people's lives. I liked the photos a lot; the capture, the abstracts, and how everything just looks timed perfectly, it's all very beautiful. I was also impacted a lot and it showed me how much Indigenous people's lives have changed because of the colonization and modern adjustments put on society; ruining their land with moderation. It also reminds me of the story we read called "Two-eyed seeing" where you can see it in 2 ways; the colonizer's world or the Indigenous people's world. Either you see this image as a regular train station, or you see it as a stolen land that got colonized and modernized. I can also relate this to the novel we are reading, The Break by Katherina Vermette because she also portrays strong images of intergenerational trauma in her works and how they can still affect Indigenous peoples to this day. I believe that more people should look into Nadya's work and photography and learn the meaning and impact it has behind the image.

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I chose Petroglyph Humans artwork done by Mi'kmaq artist, Alan Sylibol, to include in my mixtape because these beautiful paintings represent a series of petroglyphs located in Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site and have deep meanings and are important for Indigenous peoples lost and forgotten traditions and cultures. Alan creates vibrantly colored images while exploring the themes of family, searching, spirituality, struggle, and strength. The use of layering symbols and mark-making creates depth and texture in Alan’s work. For example, Alan states how “They’re the best examples of Mi’kmaq imagery left. Seeing these petroglyphs energized my art career and affected my whole life, going there is like a pilgrimage for me. As an artist, it’s a gold mine.” He also mentions how the Mi'kmaq lost 90 to 95 percent of their population due to European settlers and colonizers, causing them to be down to a few hundred people, almost becoming extinct. Alan wants to bring to life these old stories and make people aware of who they are.  Alan draws these and makes these pieces of art to bring out forgotten traditions and cultures of the Mi'kmaq peoples. I realized how important art is for Indigenous culture because it shows forgotten stories and deep meanings about Indigenous history which not many people look into anymore. The colors, the abstracts, and the drawings themselves are all very colorful and pop out at you. He also uses his art as resistance, which is a term where they use creative forms of expression as acts of resistance against colonial legacies. I believe that we should try and rediscover more Indigenous cultures and ceremonies that have been left behind because many different practices, cultures, and languages have been forgotten by many people throughout Indigenous history and they shouldn't feel as if they have no more culture and tradition because of colonization.

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Crown Lands is a Canadian rock music duo from Oshawa, Ontario. Cody Bowles, vocalist, drummer, and guitarist, bassist, and keyboardist Kevin Comeau make up the band. Comeau is Jewish, whereas Bowles is Mi'kmaq and Two-Spirit. The team composes music and lyrics inspired by Indigenous resistance to colonization, with prog-rock elements. They have indicated that their moniker, "Crown Territories," expresses their intention to challenge the notion of Canadian "crown land," or government-held lands plundered from First Nations. I chose The Crownlands band as one of my artifacts because they use their music to spread awareness of Indigenous people's struggles, colonization, cultures, traditions, etc. For example, Crown Lands wrote 2 songs called “Mountain” and “End of the Road,” which are about missing and murdered Indigenous women. These 2 songs reminded me of the book "The Break" by Kathrina Vermette, where in the book it shows a lot of stories and showings on how many Indigenous women go missing, get raped, or end up dead because they are in constant danger out in this society and cannot feel safe no matter what. Bowles also states in an article; “We decided from the very beginning that we’d talk about issues that are really important to us, Indigenous issues — being Mi’kmaq myself — it’s something that I feel like it’s my duty to use this platform to elevate the voices of my Indigenous brothers and sisters across this planet. I owe it to my ancestors too." (line 24) The Crownlands really speak up on Indigenous issues and problems through beautifully written music, which is a huge part of Indigenous culture and portrays these issues in an amazing way. These lyrics are catchy, well-written, and impacted many people in positive ways. Even though I cannot relate to the lyrics, they still had a big impact on me and showed me how much Indigenous peoples go through for just simply being themselves and trying to live a normal life in a colonized world. It showed me how common tragedies are among Indigenous families and groups and how more likely it is for them to go under the radar than it is for a white person experiencing a tragedy. I think that this music should be spread around and heard more by others who are not aware of these real-life issues.

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Arnaquq-Baril is an award-winning Inuk filmmaker whose work has been screened on CBC, APTN, and at festivals like Hot Docs, imagineNATIVE, TIFF, and many others. Her credits include the award-winning doc Angry Inuk, Aviliaq, Inuit High Kick, Tunniit: Retracing the Lines of Inuit Tattoos, and The Embargo Project. She also produced the award-winning film The Grizzlies and co-founded the Inuit production company Red Marrow Media. In 2017, she was given the Canadian Meritorious Service Cross for her efforts as an activist and filmmaker. She is presently working part-time at the Qanak Collective, a social enterprise that promotes Inuit empowerment. For example, the image above shows one of Arnaquq-Baril's short films called "Aviliaq (Entwined) is a short romance film set in the arctic during the 1950s. In the film two Inuit women, Ulluriaq and Viivi, try to stay together as lovers even after Viivi gets married. The two women convince Pitsiulaaq, Viivi’s husband to take Ulluriaq as a second wife so they may stay together as lovers, arguing that before colonization Inuit could have polygamous relationships. Pitsiulaaq agrees so that the women may remain together but he asserts that they must keep it a secret so they will not be arrested. Meanwhile, Ulluriaq’s family has decided to leave their territories and move to town. They arrange a marriage between her and Johnny, an Inuk man who lives in town and has a job. When Johnny sees Ulluriaq with Viivi and Pitsiulaaq he calls the police. At the end of the film, Johnny and the police carry Ulluriaq to town in a boat, and Pitsiulaaq is arrested. They are all forced apart (Arnaquq-Baril, 2014). Heteropatriarchy is maintained in media and movies, particularly in Hollywood blockbusters. Male directors and producers dominate the mainstream film business. However, women make up almost half of the Indigenous film business in Canada (L. Jackson, personal communication, February 25, 2016). So it's no wonder that these Indigenous women filmmakers are paving the way for the decolonization of the queer native body. In order to exert authority over the settler state, colonization relies on gender violence and sexual domination. While the topic of gender violence in colonialism has gained prominence in First Nations and Indigenous academics and communities, sexuality has not. Arnaquq-Baril promotes Inuit empowerment and issues throughout her work because, in this film alone, she brings up serious issues and topics within the Inuit community (colonization, forced hetero marriages, etc.). Arnaquq-Baril's short film showed me how Inuit women always have their lives controlled by white men in power and how they have no control or choice over who they want to be with or what they want to do in their lives; almost as if they are trapped in a prison and only men can do what they want freely. I really enjoyed this short film a lot; the cinematography, the effects, and the portrayals were all so perfect and done very well. I can relate this short film to the novel I am currently reading called "The Break" by Kathrina Vermette because, in her book, she shows how Indigenous women live in constant danger around men and that they will always attempt to control their lives or take even take their lives. I think that these topics should be brought up more in school and be taught more to people entering these types of courses in high school. The film should be shown more to people and can help educate them more on the Decolonizing of the Queer Native body.