Land Acknowledgment is a process of decolonization

Before you read any further on understand the content is triggering not only for you but imagine for myself. The lesson each time I’m triggered by my own content for me is to debrief in a safe & supportive environment. I know this process, yet the anxiety of it makes me forget. I realize I must debrief. Life is too short not to debrief about such emotional constructs. Understanding that this process is a form of self-love, self-compassion for oneself, 

What is land acknowledgement?

·      We shared the land with all our relatives as we were part of this ecosystem in Alberta, and we were not colonizers, yet.  As in human history, all humans who were once conquered like the Romans who conquered England who in turn, England became the greatest colonizers in this century. We as indigenous peoples of the Treaty Seven Territories did not feel the sting of systematic racism until two hundred years after our eastern indigenous brothers and sisters in Ontario and Quebec. This is why in western Canada; we as indigenous peoples call on our ancestors as a form of educating others as to what it means to be stewards of the land called southern Alberta. We continue to practice our oral history using our indigenous land acknowledgement as a form of story telling to educate those who came into our territories to make this land their home.

·      We as indigenous people grew up from our biological mother the earth. As she provides everything that we need to share with our relatives. We were raised to believe that everything has a spirit and everything around us has a purpose and a spirit to guide us forward until we are called to take our journey home into the Great Mystery Creator created for us all.

·      We as indigenous people feel accepted, we feel a connection with our people. An example of these connections, I use what happened to me yesterday a artist friend died in Toronto after a short illness. His mother told me sixteen days ago her son was dying. Yesterday she asked me to inform as many people as possible he knew in Calgary of his passing. I felt accepted, humbled, and honored to fulfill this wish from his mother and his community. When we honor our ancestor’s, as my friend transitioned from that of having a human experience into becoming one of our ancestors, we do this knowing these ceremonies and ritual for him will take on a life of its own.

·      We honor our ancestors by acknowledging treaty 7 territories by continuing our oral history through these land acknowledgements.

·      Treaty #7 was signed in 1877 between the crown and the Blackfoot Confederacy (Si ha sa pa), Stoney Nakota (Ho he) and the Tsuutina First Nation. Treaty Seven included the Blood Tribe Kainai (Guy-neye), Piikani (Bee-gun-nee) and Siksika (Sig-sig-ga) First Nation. The Blackfoot language is a member of the Algonquian language family. The Stoney Nakota Tribes (E-a-hay) includes the Wesley, Bearspaw and Chiniki (Chin-i-kee) First Nations. Nakota is a member of the Siouan language family. Tsuutina (Soot-tin-a) is a member of the dene language family.

·      I also acknowledge the Metis Nation of Alberta. I also recognize those who live, work, and play in Treaty Seven as we are all Treaty Seven People.

My name is Marina Ann Crane, Hapan Kinyewakan, Winona Kinyewakan, PowwowKazawee, the way my parents and grandparents named first five as follows: Caske, my older brother who was first born boy, Hapan, is me, second born,  a third child, Hapstin, is my sister, a fourth child, Catan is my brother, and finally Wihake, my sister a fifth born. After the fifth child parents name their children the way they wish as the sixth was born in the Spring, the seventh was born in the fall, and the last was born on New Years Day named after a dead relative. My late mother’s maiden name, Kinyewakan, meaning “Flying Holy” & my dad’s mom’s name Dowan, meaning “To sing.” My pronoun is a Hapan raised with responsible of my birth order. My matriarchal lineage takes me from the land of Oceti Sakowin, camps of the seven council fires: Dakota, Nakota, Lakota.  Seven of my eight great grandparents come from one of these lineages apart from the eighth coming from the Cree of northern Alberta.

1.    Sisithunwan, (Dakota) Dwellers among the old fish bones,

2.    Ihankthunwan, (Dakota) Dwellers at the end of the camp circle,

3.    Wahpethunwan, (Dakota) Dwellers among the leaves,

4.    Mdewakantonwan, (Dakota) Dwellers at Spirit Lake,

5.    Wahpekhute, (Dakota) those who shoot among the leaves,

6.    Ihankthunwan, (Nakota) Younger Dwellers at the end of the camp circle, Bear’s paw, Chinkiki, Wesley tribes belong to the group,

7.     Titonwan, (Lakota)Dwellers on the prairie; Oglala, mnikhowozu, oohenunpa, Sichangu, sihasapa, hunkpapa,

I was born on the Oak River Indian Reserve now called Sioux Valley Dakota First Nation during a minus forty below winter storm. I was home birthed by two of my Dakota grandmother. My grandfather’s mother, Emma Campbell, an English colonial name was from Mankato, Minnesota. All her siblings, under the age of five fledge into Canada when her and her family of five escaped from the largest mass execution in USA history. My mother’s mom’s family name was Wasicuna, meaning “Whiteman.” My lineage comes from the Sioux tribes that escaped and were exiled into Canada. My ethnicity is 93% indigenous to North America, (4% Germanic, 2% Norway, 1% France, 1% Northwestern Europe) My Status Card claims me as being enrolled as a voting Nation member of the Tsuu Tina First Nation’s community of Treaty Seven. The colonial construct policies meant to divide indigenous peoples did their job well. Having spoke fluent Dakota Sioux until I went to Day School, I lost my ability to speak Dakota; I was raised listening to various languages of the Treaty Seven area.

As a child, growing up in Tsuutina (Sarcee), I grew up around horses, snaring rabbits and eating off the land. I rode bareback on horses, sometimes with a saddle when my step-grandfather, the late David Crowchild, allowed me to ride his quarter horse. It didn’t really occur to me just how much riding experience I had until, after talking to my Dakota relative during the Calgary Stampede, telling stories around rodeos. I just assumed every Dakota rode horses. I grew up around cowboys as my late father and uncles all rodeoed. Apparently, I was wrong. I grew up seeing most of my friends compete in barrel racing and I drove my friends to rodeos with a horse trailer in tow. It is a part of my life that seems so long ago. I fluently played basketball into my thirties. I loved bicycle riding and would ride a hundred miles a week. It seems like another lifetime ago. Imagine this lifestyle is so far removed from where I am today.

Paradoxically, as I started to heal from intergenerational trauma, white supremacy based colonial governments deemed inherent rights, two spirited, 2SLGBTQ+, murdered and missing indigenous girls, indigenous women as invisible (non-human beings rather animalistic). We are at the bottom of the Canadian socioeconomic ladder. Historical gendered based violence, land theft, mass incarceration, racial injustice with the health system and in the police forces. The crisis of mental health for indigenous peoples is triggering to an already vulnerable population.  Indigenous, black, and racialized peoples continue to advocate for an attempt to work within these systems. We as indigenous people of the Treaty Seven Territories are babies compared to experiences of our eastern brothers and sisters, as well as black and racialized peoples.

Systemic racism meant to harm me and my community before my birth.  The gender violence towards indigenous girls and indigenous women was declared in Ottawa as a National Crisis, in 2023. My blog, started in 2011, “Buyer be aware, the world is smaller now” is a documentation of this violence towards indigenous girls and women, as taught to me through my own family experiences and my own lived experience. I thank you, who hold space for myself and my ancestors’ stories. In open public forums, such as this, I acknowledge that the roles of my parents, grandparents and all my ancestors. Encouraging reconciliation for all sides as its vital in peace keeping.

As violence disrupted our way of life throughout our history, so it continues, as an imposed reconciliation takes place without a safe and supportive environment. If we do not fight and heal from white supremacy more innocent people will die, not from riots but from mental health related issues. Such as we as indigenous people in the Treaty 7 territories are experiencing this summer with an epidemic of our youth dying from drug overdoses. So where do we start and how does its finish is based on educating ourselves about anti-racism and equity and indigenous history of Canada. Understanding the new terminology of our indigenous youth is important for they are the ones for are our most vulnerable. As there is a serge too or call it a renaissance of young indigenous artists from all indigenous tribes emerging all over the world who have found tools to heal. We must hear these voices if we as the race of human beings are to survive this climate change. 

·      Wopida Mitakuye Oyasin (Thank you! We are all related)

Troy Emery Twigg (August 30, 2023)

“ Oki Marina, sorry to inform you of some bad news, my son Troy just passed away early hour of the morning, please let friends know. I don't have a phone number for Tomas I would like to get a hold of him thanks.”

Farewell TROY on your journey into THE GREAT MYSTERY

These three YouTube videos do not do Troy Twigg justice to the work he did. I’ve heard people say about people who’ve died that they were loved; however, I’ve never felt so much love from all those who loved him & those he loved. 

Thank you Creator for my memories of celebrating life and celebrating love with Troy Emery Twigg. 

Troy Emery Twigg

Troy is from the Kainai Nation in Southern Alberta. He has worked as an actor, dancer, choreographer, director, dramaturg and instructor but is primarily an artist in movement, choreography and staging, mostly creating his own works which have been presented nationally and internationally including Iitahpoyii; They Shoot Buffalo, Don’t They?; Dancing the Universe in Flux; Pulse; and Static. Troy was one of the original visionaries and founding artists of the ground breaking Making Treaty 7 theatrical event. He is co-director for the young people’s theatre version of Making Treaty 7 titled We Are All Treaty People which has been nominated for a Dora Award in the Best Production, Theatre for Young Audience Division. Recently he has worked with Decidedly Jazz Danceworks; The Prairie Dance Exchange, and the Groundbreaking Iinisikimm puppet project with the Canadian Academy of Mask and Puppety. He has co-curated an exhibition called By Invitation Only: Dance, Confederation and Reconciliation for Dance Collection Danse. He has recently acted in Omari Newton’s Sal Capone: The Lamentable Tragedy of, at the National Arts Centre and in Lemon Tree Creations, Why Not Theatre and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre’s production of Lilies. He has directed and dramaturged Omaagomaan by Waawaate Fobister which premiered in Winnipeg at the Gas Station Arts Centre in the fall of 2019 and will be presented by Theatre Passe Muraille and Native Earth Performing Arts in April 2020. He is currently working on Closet Freaks with Stage Left Productions, which will premiere its work at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in the Fall of 2020. Troy has taught movement for actor training and various dance and movement workshops and lectures at several institutions and festivals nationally and internationally including the Centre for Indigenous Theatre; York University,; Quest Theatre; University of British Columbia Okanagan; Centre National de le Danse; The Talking Stick Festival; Canada Dance Festival; Dance In Vancouver; Dance Victoria; The Banff Centre for the Arts and Theatre Alberta (Rocky Mountain Lecture Series). His research has been presented at the American Library Association, American Theatre Association, Congress on Research of Dance, The Society of Dance History Scholars and has been featured in several publications.

https://www.adhocassembly.ca/affinity-artists-blog/troy-emery-twigg

Troy Emery Twigg (September 27, 2022)

Forging a career in dance through choreography

 CHERIE MCMASTER AND SABLE SWEETGRASS

A dancer and choreographer, Troy Emery Twigg is also known as a performer, teacher and mentor whose love of the art of dance began at an early age. Speaking to Calgary Arts Development’s Sable Sweetgrass outdoors at Writing-on-Stone/Áísínai’pi Provincial Park, surrounded by hoodoos and the sounds of nature, Twigg reflects on his interest in dance.

“I’ve always known I wanted to do (dance). I don’t know why I was so fascinated with movement in the body, and how expressive that was. I was raised in Old Agency, which is a section of the reserve, on the north section of the Blood Reserve. We only had two stations — one of them was CBC, so I used to get excited when the Royal Winnipeg Ballet would come on to do the Nutcracker. I was really excited to see it and I geared up for it… I just really liked the expressive body.”

For Twigg, entering the world of dance proved challenging when faced with his own expression. Meeting One Yellow Rabbit members Denise Clarke and Michael Green and seeing how they adapted and interpreted performances helped steer him towards his creative path. “I couldn’t make it as a dancer — not the way I wanted to do it — so I came at it from another angle, which was theatre. So I studied… clowning and movement and contemporary dancing, was taking workshops (at Keyano College School of Visual and Performing Arts). When I moved to Calgary… I knew I was wanting to get into contemporary dance and theatre, that I can actually construct something and still be in the dance world, I can start telling my own stories in this form that I create. So I really was exposed to independent dance artists that were making their own dances. (Calgary Arts Develooment)