STAHS students enjoy making ribbon skirts

STAHS students enjoy making ribbon skirts
Posted on 12/10/2021
This is the image for the news article titled STAHS students enjoy making ribbon skirtsJaylin Starr glues down her ribbons to her skirt at St. Thomas Aquinas High School

There’s a flurry of activity in the library on Thursdays at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, as almost a dozen students cut, iron, glue and sew their way towards crafting their very own ribbon skirts.

Community members Danielle Kakeway, Amy Skead and Mel Skead are leading the workshop for the students.

“I think it’s exciting that the school is offering this. When [Elder] Terry [Skead] asked me if I would be interested I said, ‘Really the school is offering that? That’s amazing!’” said Kakeway.

The ribbon skirt is about women being empowered and is a symbol of history, culture and resilience. While the materials of a ribbon skirt have changed over the decades the most modern skirt includes fabric worn in an A-line style with multiple ribbons of different colours sewn onto the skirt in rows.

Mel Skead helps a student use the sewing machine as she sews her ribbons on her skirt“The response has been great! We’ve had more students show up than originally registered, and by the second workshop friends of participants started showing up expressing interest,” said First Nation Liaison, Morgan Ann Smolak. “I think everyone is really enjoying it. Holding it once a week and during the winter months, gives them something to do during their lunch breaks when it’s cold outside.”

Students chose their fabric and ribbons on day one. After that they measured themselves, cut the fabric accordingly and then sewed the pieces together to create the A-line skirt. The last few sessions have been focused on attaching the ribbons to the bottom half of the skirts.

“They’re showing us how to make them, cut them and put them together, it’s pretty cool. I have a ribbon skirt at home but I did not make it, it was actually Danielle who made it so I thought it would be cool to learn how to make a ribbon skirt from the person who actually made my ribbon skirt,” said Grade 12 student Jaylin Starr.

Ribbon skirts have seen a resurgence in recent years as they become a symbol of bravery and resilience when facing critical issues affecting FNMI peoples such as the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Orange Shirt Day.

The program was a collaboration between Smolak, Elder Terry Skead, and Jordan’s Principle Lead, Alecia Cox.

Amy Skead helps Alecia Cox design her ribbon skirt.“We want our First Nation, Métis and Inuit students to feel welcome and included. By offering cultural opportunities, it helps them feel more at home and accepted,” said Cox. “Having their community members come in to teach them just helps add to their comfort level. We are hoping to offer the ribbon skirt workshop to younger grades as well.”

Kakeway said she would love to see students of all ages get involved.

“Eventually I think it would be nice to have the older girls in Grade 12 help teach the younger girls. I think it’s important for our young ladies and men to start sewing young and learn this. Then they don’t have to rely on buying a ribbon skirt or regalia. It gives them some pride in making something they can wear,” she said.

Cox added that they are planning on holding more workshops in the future including one on beading.

Danielle Kakeway helps a student iron their skirt. A student cuts her ribbons before glueing them to her skirt.
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