The Land Speaks in Ceremonies

 

I am currently engaged in a 4-year series of personal land reparation ceremonies with accompanying relational art and traditional crafting.  To find out more about my artistic process, please see the sister blog .  

The following is a brief description of the current project year.  

2022-2023 Title: The Land Dreams in Ceremonies: Reparation

Traditional Ukrainian handcrafts created for land reparation ceremonies (performed monthly September 2022 to September 2023), culminating in a travelling exhibit with accompanying presentation and workshops.

Project Description/ Intent for Presentation

The guiding theme and inquiry of this work: How do Ukrainian Canadians (any settlers) root ancestral medicine and practices respectfully in a land where they are (invited/ uninvited) guests? As partial response, I sought permission from two Quw'utsun' elders to undertake land-reparation ceremonies, performed each dark moon.

During the first year, I crafted a Motanka (traditional talismanic doll), and Pysanka (traditionally written talismanic egg) each lunar cycle, and gifted (buried) them, as per Ukrainian folk tradition, in different locations I have close connection with on Vancouver Island.

During the second year, the ceremonies and relational craftwork evolved by incorporating more precise ancestral knowledge and additional elements to the monthly creating.  The art also more directly reflects the lands and the influence they have on me as a human, artist, and community member.

Each lunar cycle of year 2, I create natural dyes from materials found on the land or associated with my ancestors, and use these dyes for fabric and eggs.  The fabric is crafted into 3 Motanky per lunar cycle (one for the land, one for elders, and one for the exhibit).  Additionally, 3 Pysanky and 2 Rushnyky (sacred embroidered cloths) are created each cycle along with written ancestor bones.  This process consumes A LOT of time!!!!

Exhibits, based on the ceremonies, are intended to engage people directly with the material.  The first confirmed exhibit (for Year 2 of ceremonies) will take place at the Cowichan Performing Arts Gallery, January-February 2024.

Interactive and Experiential Components

As transdisciplinary art, the proposed exhibit and accompanying presentation and workshops support teaching and learning across several disciplines.  The exhibit itself is designed to stimulate self-inquiry and community dialogue for audience members.  

The presentation and workshops provide material that is useful to engage with more deeply as on-going personal and/or in-classroom or organizational exploration.  Workshops provide hands-on experiential learning combined with dialogue.  There are two workshop options, each drawing on Ukrainian land-based folk knowledge and healing:

Hand-Crafting Roots and Relations: Explore what it means to situate yourself in your roots and meet each other in a “good way”, all while learning (hands on!!) seasonal and healing traditions of Motanky.  Participants will leave with a Motanka of their own crafting.

The Medicine of Fibre and Dye: The healing value of relating to the spirit of land, plants, and each other is explored through natural dyes, fibres, textiles, handcrafting and folk healing.  Participants will craft a personal talismanic soil/ herb bundle (Ladanka).