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Point-Counterpoint: Telling Anishinaabe Women's Art On 7 November 1995 Alice OlsenWilliams, an Anishinaabe artist and quiltmaker from Curve Lake First Nation, delivered the annual Margaret Laurence lecture at Trent University. What follows is an adapted, revised and edited version of Alice's talk, one that we hope captures the wit and wisdom ofher oral delivery. "Piecing Together" makes no claims to completeness or seamlessness , although it does represent a wholistic approach to the transmission of knowledge and wisdom, one that blends personal and collective memory with traditional teachings, and both with first-hand insights about women's art and artistic practice. Another view of the land is given voice by Michael J. Paul-Martin in "Ho-hoos Land," which Alice has requested that we append to her lecture. Paul-Martin is a Cree poet whose first book SHE SAID SOMETIMES I HEAR THINGS was published by Seventh Generation Books in 1996. Piecing Together: No Stranger in the House M.L. I want to thank you for the honour of having the opportunity to be able to speak tonight. In our language when we greet people (or even to take leave of somebody's company) we say "Boozhoo." Contrary to the popular belief that it's from the French word "Bonjour," it is not. The first human being to be created was named "Nanabozhoo." When "Boozhoo" is used as a greeting or departure, it connotes that we recognize each other as corning from the Creator, that we are all related and all have equal value. So "Boozhoo" is one of 144 our words. Itis a sign of respect for the creation , for ourselves, for each other and for our place in the creation, as Life is a circle and we are all a part of that Circle ofLife. So I begin my talk by saying "Boozhoo" to you all. The highest sign of respect that we show to you acknowledges that we all have a precious space in the Circle ofLife, that we truly are sisters and brothers and we are all equally valuable. I am a little bit nervous. I once heard a Haudenoshauneeelder say, before she gave her speech to a huge crowd, that she was nervous. And then she comfortingly added, "But that's O.K." I really thought about that - how honest she was. It makes sense to be nervous, and it does help to acknowledge that. It helps the speaker, and it helps the audience (funny, they're not called "listeners "). When a speaker hesitates, the audience starts to get a little nervous. I believe it's because we're actually listening from a wrong point of view. But that's how we're taught: we're taught to find fault, to be critical . Technicalities. And when something "wrong" does land on our ears, we start to feel antsy. If we like the speaker, we feel badly for him/her, wondering whether this person knows what they're going to say next, or whether they will make a fool of themselves (especially if the speaker is a woman). We become embarrassed and humiliated for the speaker or, if we dislike them, we feel triumphant in the face oftheir nervousness. And when the Haudenoshaunee elder said "But that's okay," I let thatsinkinto myBeing."Certainlyit'sokay. That's only Human and I am Human." We have to accept our human-ness. The only reason it is not okay is because of dominating culture values. The patriarchal capitalist value system teaches that we have to be perfect; if we're not perfect, then we are "less-than." This has terrible repercussions on people because it gouges away at one's self-esteem, one's own self-image and how good one feels about oneself. It especiaJly has terrible repercussions on those people that a patriarchal culture does not value, or gives less value to. One group of people that are negatively affected (to put it mildly) are that 52 per cent of the population who are women. Contrary to Revue d'etudes canadiennes Vol. 31, No. 4(Hiver1996-97 Winter) Anishinaabe world view, dominant culture, instead, teaches women to be perfect - a perfect wife, a perfect...

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