Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre workshop supports recovery and cultural connection

By Rick Garrick

THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre (TBIFC) held a Ribbon Skirt and Shirt Making Workshop in support of recovery on August 19 at the TBIFC building in Thunder Bay.

“Our goal was to have folks come together to make themselves skirts or shirts in support of recovery because it is [International] Overdose Awareness [Day] this month and often folks don’t always have shirts or skirts for them to wear to events or ceremonies,” says Janet McQuaid, Treatment and Aftercare Coordinator at TBIFC.

She noted that participants could choose between a kit with fabric and ribbons, or a variety of fabrics and a bin of ribbons in different colours and widths for making ribbon skirts. Readymade shirts and a bin of ribbons were also available for making the ribbon shirts.

“We have some folks who have never used a sewing machine before and some folks who have, so we just want to make it as accessible as possible. People are picking it up pretty quickly — sewing machines are definitely a lot easier to use than they were 10 years ago.”

McQuaid says a big part of holding the workshop is about providing accessibility for people in the community to be able to make a ribbon skirt or shirt.

“To purchase [ribbon] skirts, it can be very expensive,” McQuaid says. “[Ribbon] shirts also are very expensive, whereas being able to make your own, you learn the skills that you can then use moving forward. Also, you can put your own spirit colours, incorporate your spirit animals or your clans, and it can be customizable to you and something you can carry on.”

McQuaid says the TBIFC was happy to be able to offer the workshop to the community.

“Ribbon skirt making is always very popular,” McQuaid says. “And having the ribbon shirt making also I find has been very welcomed by community — we don’t see a lot of workshops for men to come make [ribbon] shirts.”

Natasha Hamilton Vincent, one of the workshop participants, says this was the first ribbon skirt she made.

“I’ve learned some sewing before — right now we’re just doing the straight stitch with our hems and then we’ve got to pick out some ribbon,” Vincent says. “I’m excited that I get to learn about my culture. I’ve sewn in sewing class in high school, but I’m just kind of excited that the Friendship Centre does these kind of things.”

Vincent says she has seen some of the other participants in the TBIFC’s Anishinaabemowin classes.

“I really like how the Friendship Centre does stuff like this,” Vincent says. “I’ve been able to learn my language, learn about medicines, and now I’m learning [about] a ribbon skirt.”

Bryson Biloski, one of the workshop participants and the Enhanced Youth Outreach Worker at TBIFC, says they had the opportunity to choose the colour of ribbons they wanted to use for the ribbon shirts.

“A lot of people, for example, might do the medicine wheel colours, but in terms of mine, I just based it off of how I was feeling that day and just keeping it shaded with a pop of colour,” Biloski says. “I’ve had some [ribbon shirts] in the past but in terms of making my own and creating it, I wanted to learn those teachings as well. It’s been really good, it’s nice to kind of learn together, [it’s] one thing I’ve really liked, and just figuring out the individuality behind what inspires people to choose their colours, to choose their designs and everything, that’s been really neat to see.”

Information about the TBIFC is posted online at https://tbifc.ca/.