Callaloo Parade and the Sexualization of Native American Women

Sexual Violence is a Tool of Conquest

"Sexual assault rates and violence against Native American women did not just drop from the sky. They are a process of history." - Jacqueline Agtuca

So I just got word of another Native-themed Parade from my friend Melissa. She wrote:

I got a call from a woman today who was livid over a Caribana parade that's going to be happening in Toronto in the next month or so where the theme is "Native America." Here's the website http://callaloo.net/

I passed this around work and we're going to try to do something here to bring attention as to why this is wrong and provide some education as to how this image they are putting forth perpetuates violence against Aboriginal women.

So I checked it out, and this is what I found - The costumes for this year include “Native Apache”:

and “Tribal Princesses”:

and "Sacrificial Mayan Virgins":

Why is this bad? Adrienne Keene at Native Appropriations breaks it down:

But the pervasive "sexy squaw" is the most dangerous, especially when you know the basic facts about sexual violence against Native women:

- 1 in 3 Native women will be raped in their lifetime
- 70% of sexual violence against Native women is committed by non-Natives

This Amnesty International study details, at great length, the gruesome truth about sexual violence in Indian Country. Also, recently, Vanguard (a show on current TV) did a special called "Rape on the Reservation". The show is about 45 minutes long, but so powerful, and so heartbreaking. Please watch it if you have time, even the intro is enough to shock you back to reality:



Now can you see why my heart breaks and I feel sick every time I see an image of a naked or scantily clad woman in a headdress? This is not just about cultural appropriation. This is about a serious, scary, and continuing legacy of violence against women in Indian Country. By perpetuating the stereotypes of Native women as sexual objects, they are aiding and continuing the cycle of violence.

What can you do? Contact Callaloo and let them know that the images that they are putting out there about Native women are wrong.

"The fact that Native American and Alaska Native women have been dehumanized throughout US history informs present-day attitudes. It helps fuel the high rates of sexual violence perpetrated against them and the high levels of impunity enjoyed by their attackers." - Amnesty International Report

And, if you're still not convinced that this is a serious issue, here is another excerpt from that Amnesty International Report:

"In July 2006 an Alaska Native woman in Fairbanks reported to the police that she had been raped by a non-Native man. She gave a description of the alleged perpetrator and city police officers told her that they were going to look for him. She waited for the police to return and when they failed to do so, she went to the emergency room for treatment. A support worker told Amnesty International that the woman had bruises all over her body and was so traumatized that she was talking very quickly. She said that, although the woman was not drunk, the Sexual Assault Response Team nevertheless "treated her like a drunk Native woman first and a rape victim second". The support worker described how the woman was given some painkillers and some money to go to a non-Native shelter, which turned her away because they also assumed that she was drunk: "This is why Native women don’t report. It’s creating a breeding ground for sexual predators.""

LaDonna Harris' Dress

Here's a video still of LaDonna Harris rockin’ a dress and scarf emblazoned with the Cherokee alphabet that she wore for an interview on national television about her recent feature in the Times for the "Woman in the News" section (they actually had to change the title from "Man in the News")- how cool is that?!

You can watch the full video (a mini-documentary about Harris) here:

Video | Miss Representation - Women in Media

Writer/Director Jennifer Siebel Newsom brings together some of America's most influential women in politics, news, and entertainment to give us an inside look at the media's message. Miss Representation explores women's under-representation in positions of power by challenging the limited and often disparaging portrayal of women in the media. As one of the most persuasive and pervasive forces in our culture, media is educating yet another generation that women's primary value lies in their youth, beauty and sexuality—not in their capacity as leaders. Through the riveting perspectives of youth and the critical analysis of top scholars, Miss Representation will change the way you see media.

To learn more, visit www.missrepresentation.org.

More Maori | Hand-woven Tawhiao collection features at NZFW

(Te Whiri is Shona Tawhiao’s debut range of military-inspired apparel)


Hand-woven Tawhiao collection features at NZFW
Fri, 17 Sep 2010
By 3News.co.nz staff


The world’s first hand woven haute couture collection will feature at New Zealand Fashion Week.

Te Whiri is Shona Tawhiao’s debut range of military-inspired apparel, under her eponymous label Tawhiao.

"Samurai, Roman, the Masai, and Maori of course. It's totally military warrior woman meets marching girl."

Tawhiao has introduced the plant to haute couture by literally weaving a groundbreaking mix of high fashion that can be nothing but Maori.

Of Ngaiterangi descent from the Bay of Plenty, Tawhiao was among an initial flock of Unitec graduates who helped revitalize the indigenous art form and then turn it into a contemporary practice. Like a true soldier, there are no short cuts to manifesting Tawhiao's concepts.

Harakeke is a Lilly specimen commonly referred to as native flax because of its resourceful fibres.

Before each individual blade of flax fibre is weaved by Tawhiao's hand with military precision, the flax must be grown, harvested and individually prepared.

Tawhiao's decision to merge harakeke with haute couture has fuelled her passion to construct visionary designs that look beyond these shores.

"Everything Japanese is inspirational to me. How an indigenous culture creates a subculture, I think is really cool. Maori don't have that yet."

Tawhiao is one of seven designers to show at NZFW 2010 thanks this year's Miromoda Fashion Design Awards.

Although Te Whiri is Tawhiao's first-ever haute couture collection to be exhibited at an international trade fair, the designer already has an accomplished portfolio of woven work that adorns art galleries, film and television, family homes, schools, meeting houses and hotel lobbies.

She is also a past winner of the Villa Maria Cult-Couture Award and has a garment in the World of Wearable Arts museum.

Tawhiao brings a cultural component to Fashion Week that she says New Zealand has struggled to muster, making the name of her premiere collection – Te Whiri – most fitting.

"Te Whiri is Maori for plait. It's the joining of everything really. I feel very lucky. This is a culmination of all my work that I love so it's pretty exciting."

Tsk Tsk, Rodarte

Ah, Rodarte. The fashion line has committed a fashion faux pas, and Nadra Kareem over at Race in America calls them on it. On many occasions, designers - like artists - are keenly aware of social issues. Other times, unfortunately, they seem to be in la-la land. Check it out:


M.A.C.'s New Makeup Line Makes Light of Women Living in Deadly Juarez
by Nadra Kareem

M.A.C. Cosmetics and a designer duo known as Rodarte have apologized for collaborating on a new makeup line inspired by female factory workers in the deadly border town of Juarez, Mexico. And rightfully so.

The line features blush, eye shadow, nail polish and gloss in shades such as “Ghost Town,” “Sleepless,” “Factory” and “Quinceanera.” But this ode to maquila chic has outraged socially-conscious stylistas. That’s because since 1993, the bodies of about 800 women and girls, many of them young, indigenous factory workers, have surfaced in the Chihuahuan desert. Few arrests have been made in these killings, thanks to how those responsible are reportedly able to silence Juarez's corruption-plagued authorities.

Given the murders, what made Rodarte decide that it would be in good taste to launch a cosmetics line — not to mention a fashion collection — about the workers? Evidently, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the sisters behind Rodarte, took a road trip last year to Marfa, Texas from El Paso, Texas, which borders Juarez.

“The ethereal nature of this landscape influenced the creative development and desert palette of the collection,” the sisters explained. “We are truly saddened about injustice in Juarez.”

I don’t doubt that the Mulleavy Sisters feel sorry for the factory workers in Juarez, but that didn’t prevent the duo from exoticizing — and marginalizing — the women in their cosmetics and fashion lines. In the runway show for Rodarte’s newest collection, models in pale foundation and heavy eye makeup donned layered pieces featuring goat hair, chiffon, shearling and lace. Think Olsen twins meet Mexican peasant.

If only Juarez was made up of peasant women. In fact, it is a city of 1.5 million people. The women there don’t herd sheep or look like extras from the set of a trite Mexican period piece. They wear jeans and T-shirts and heels and sneakers like women do in any big city.

Having lived in El Paso for two years, I’ve made more trips to Juarez than I remember, so I had ample opportunity to take in the local fashions. Viewing the Rodarte collection, however, I seriously question if the Mulleavy Sisters ever stepped foot there.

I understand that an undercurrent of fantasy always runs through fashion, but the Rodarte collection has practically no basis in reality, as far as the Juarez maquiladora workers are concerned. Seriously, why would factory workers cloak themselves in shawls and layered patchwork pieces that could easily get caught on machinery? I raise this point to suggest that the Mulleavy Sisters weren’t inspired by actual Mexican factory workers, but by their stereotypes of them. In short, in attempting to pay tribute to these women, they othered them, kind of like sports teams who claim to honor the Native American warriors they turn into mascots.

So were the Mulleavy Sisters wrong to launch a fashion collection “inspired” by the maquiladora workers? If fashion is art and art can effect social change, not necessarily. But the sisters erred by duping themselves and their audience into thinking they were representing reality. Those who viewed the show described it as playful and beautiful — a vision far removed from its so-called inspiration.

What if the show hadn’t stirred up such warm feelings but made viewers uncomfortable and appalled, as anyone who learns of the Juarez murders should be? What if before the show, the sisters hadn’t simply described taking a road trip to a place with a dreamy landscape, but prepared some words about the ongoing rape, mutilation and murder of Juarez's female factory workers? Perhaps the audience would’ve left motivated to learn more about the issue and take action.

In light of the controversy about the cosmetics line, M.A.C. recently announced that it will give a portion of the proceeds from the M.A.C. Rodarte collection to support those in Juarez. That’s a praiseworthy step. But it took serious public outcry to motivate the company to take it. If M.A.C. and Rodarte genuinely care about what’s happening along the border, they should have planned to raise funds and awareness for Juarez from the outset.

For more about this topic, read Oh Industry's article, Maquiladoras are In for Fall, or Thread Bared's article where you will find not only a video of Rodarte's fashion show, but also a video clip of the documentary on Maquiladoras.

[Images of Rodarte's Fall 2010 line from Coutorture.com]

Exhibit | Native / American Apparel

(Photo uploaded to Facebook event by Nancy THich)

Native/American Apparel, January 19 - April 4, 2010
A new exhibit at the Costume Museum of Canada, in partnership with Urban Shaman: Contemporary Aboriginal Art

Featuring artwork by KC Adams and Lita Fontaine
Curated by Jenny Western, Urban Shaman Curator-in-Residence


About Native/American Apparel:
Bringing together artwork by contemporary Aboriginal artists, Lita Fontaine and KC Adams, alongside pieces from the Costume Museum of Canada’s permanent collection, Native/American Apparel looks at the relationship of fashion, clothing, and textiles to the representation of Indigenous identities. By juxtaposing historical artifacts with current artworks, this show encourages viewers to consider the role of the collection and exhibition of objects made by and about First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people in galleries and museums - particularly those objects made by women.

About KC Adams:
Since graduating from Concordia University with a BFA, Winnipeg-based artist KC Adams has taken as her focus the investigation of the relationship between nature (the living) and technology (progress). She works in a variety of media, including sculpture, installation, drawing, painting, photography, ceramics, printmaking and kinetic art. She maintains her own website at http://www.kcadams.net showcasing her work and flash art projects. Adams has had several solo exhibitions, most recently Cyborg Hybrids at the Odd Gallery in Dawson City, YK and Modern Fuel in Kingston, ON. She has also been featured in numerous group exhibitions, Cyborg Living Space II, The Language of Intercession at the OBORO Gallery in Montreal, Cyborg Hybrids at the PHOTOQUAI: Biennale des images du monde in Paris, France. She has participated in residencies at the Banff Centre, the Confederation Art Centre in Charlottetown and the Annex Gallery in Winnipeg. Adams has received several grants and awards from Winnipeg Arts Council, Manitoba Arts Council and Canada Council for the Arts. Twenty pieces from the Cyborg Hybrid series is in the permanent collection of the National Art Gallery in Ottawa.


About Lita Fontaine:
Lita Fontaine (Dakota/ Anishinaabe /French) holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree (Intermedia) from the University of Regina (2001) and a Diploma in Fine Arts from the School of Art, University of Manitoba (1997). Fontaine’s mediums include photo-base art, photography, mixed media and installation. She is an Arts Educator and is currently employed as the Artist in Residence with the Seven Oaks School Division in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Fontaine has participated in solo and group exhibitions. Her most recent exhibition: The Sacred Feminine was held at the Urban Shaman Gallery, March 2006. One of Fontaine’s major exhibitions titled: Lita Fontaine: Without Reservation opened at the Winnipeg Art Gallery in January 2002. A publication of this exhibition was cataloged, curatorial essay written by Catherine Mattes. Lita Fontaine collected works can be seen within the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba Legislature and several private collections. She has received several awards from the Manitoba Arts Council; The Canada Council for the Arts and the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation.


January 19 – April 4, 2010
At the Costume Museum of Canada
109 Pacific Ave.
Winnipeg, MB R3B 0M1
204 989 0072
info@costumemuseum.com
http://www.costumemuseum.com