July 20, 2023

West Grey Library offers program on Indigenous culture

For the past year, West Grey Library has offered programming on different components of Indigenous cultures. This month, Oji-Cree Metis Elder and Drum Keeper Diane Owen will offer a session on The Ribbon Skirt.

Ribbon skirts have traditionally acted as symbols of identity and grounding for Indigenous women, honouring their heritage and experience. Ribbons are sewn onto skirts, and every colour has a special significance to the wearer.

Diane’s cultural and traditional education comes from First Nations communities, Elders, ceremonies and Mother Earth's University. As she says, “…I am re-connecting with much that was lost to us. It is a slow process. I do not speak for any nation, but for myself and my understanding.” Diane’s formal education through McMaster and Waterloo Universities led to her professional career assisting people in crisis, including residential school survivors and communities working through suicides. In addition to serving as the Library’s Elder-in-Residence, she provides workshops and educational experiences in an effort to plant seeds of understanding. Diane selects all the topics for the Library’s quarterly Biindigin (“Come in” or “Welcome”) series, now in its second year.

There is a $15 materials fee for this workshop. Pre-registration is required.

For more information or to register for any program, contact the West Grey Public Library at 519-369-2107 or email adultprograms@westgreylibrary.com

 

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