Indigenous people have been here for centuries, years before Europeans made contact and colonized Canadian soil. Over the past few decades, new relationships have developed between Indigenous artists and Canadians in the industry, increasing representation and creating visibility for Indigenous artists, giving them a voice to educate, affirm their feelings and express themselves . Traditional clothing was seen as something that needed to be replaced by a more enlightened and unified look of Western styles. The elimination of traditional Aboriginal clothing by Europeans was an important way for colonizers to strip Aboriginal people of their culture and identity and impose new ones in their place. Indigenous artists fought to be seen and heard in Western culture and were finally recognized. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayIn recent years, indigenous fashion has increasingly appeared in Western culture. Facing broad issues such as the use of different indigenous designs to mass produce products with those designs, cultural appropriation surrounding mass production, and injustice towards indigenous culture. Over the past few decades, Western civilization has made luxury designers and mainstream fashion increasingly popular. As our culture shows, there has been an expansion and development of interest in traditional, ethnic and folk things, into which native people fit. The surge in appeal for these designs has led fashion designers to take inspiration from various cultures around the world and incorporate elements, such as design features and patterns, into their own clothing. There is a common contemporary experience among Indigenous peoples in Canada. , where they face a sense of uncertainty, loss or shame regarding their identity and that of their community. A large number of designers reject the idea of ​​cultural appropriation, calling their work a form of cultural appreciation, claiming to draw inspiration from multiple cultural influences. Although this is what makes fashion evolve, without recognizing where your textiles and designs come from, it is safe to say that it is not appreciated at all. The tradition and culture behind the use of beads, designs and other elements have historical ties to each nation and cultural appropriation is a misrepresentation of the meaning of traditional cultural expression and a loss of control over its meaning. Examples include the incorporation of an indigenous feathered headdress; a traditional element with spiritual significance in a fashion design can strip it of its sacredness, as well as deprive it of its symbolic meaning. The designers show a display of power between the appropriator and the appropriated, essentially demonstrating how little we care about promoting decolonization and helping Indigenous people reclaim space. An exhibition titled “Wearing Our Identity – The First Peoples Collection” at the McCord Museum in Montreal shows just how significant Indigenous clothing is. David McCord, the creator of the exhibit, explains how important clothing is to indigenous people: “clothing connects a person to the natural world, and clothing made from animal skins or using plant resources shows the bridge betweenhuman and non-human spheres. Clothing often combines the aesthetic and spiritual with the practical, and ornamental objects such as beaded moccasins and cradles are used in everyday life… Clothing represents both a mode of resistance and a means of recognizing the indigenous history. Documenting the evolution of particular garments can illustrate cross-cultural exchange and also helps evaluate the evolution of a previously autonomous culture as it is forced to integrate and adapt. The cultural meaning behind Aboriginal clothing has more meaning than an aesthetic function and extends beyond the visual level, it displays and celebrates their distinctiveness. It is because of colonization and commodification around indigenous culture that their culture has been devalued. Systematic oppression against indigenous people has been significantly reinforced with the rise of social media. When people imagine indigenous fashion it is often based on tropes and stereotypes, Western civilization's ignorance to misappropriate designs without credit, prior knowledge or permission only adds to the ongoing colonization of indigenous. Completely disarming the stories behind the artwork they steal, which only encourages the fact that indigenous people have no voice. Sage Paul is a fashion designer and founder of Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto. She says she interprets any type of fashion as a way to tell a story; fashion is like a language. Paul explains that through fashion, Aboriginal people are able to identify different nations through clothing; it gives other indigenous artists a platform to exhibit and reveal their art. The first annual Toronto Indigenous Fashion Week took place from May 31 to June 3, 2018 and spanned four days of workshops, curated exhibitions, artist talks, runway showcases, panels . , conferences, practical workshops and a commercial and consumer market. Sage Paul has created a space that elevates, legitimizes and honors artists from across North America. For many Indigenous people attending Indigenous Fashion Week, Toronto was a new and revolutionary experience, welcomed in an industry that exploited and eliminated the idea of ​​Indigenous communities. “Indigenous fashion can redefine traditional fashion and art: our fashion illustrates our stories, our traditions, our sovereignty and our resilience,” Paul said in a press release issued Thursday. “The IFWTO's goal is to provide space for indigenous fashion, crafts and textiles. » Bringing stories of elders is very important in indigenous culture. They transmit tradition, knowledge, culture, values ​​and lessons using model traditional practices. Toronto Indigenous Fashion Week brings a sense of place to Harbourfront, encouraging those who bring people to reclaim not only their Indigenous identity, but also pride in their heritage. “Years ago, Mi’kmaq and Indigenous people were ashamed. And not many people would come out and say who they really were,” Gillam said. Zack Gillam, a Mi'kmaq teenager from Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, who started his own clothing line; its main purpose is to show indigenous pride. “In my parents’ time, they never saw Indigenous people in the spotlight,” she said. “Both have struggled a lot with racism because they are visibly Indigenous. This is another important reason why this fashion week exists: it is to fight against this kind ofthings. » There has been clear suppression and neglect of indigenous people throughout Western society, as seen in the stories of Paul and Gilliams. Another event called “The Red Dress Event” in Vancouver, British Columbia, is a fashion show that highlights the tragedy surrounding missing and murdered indigenous people. women. Models wearing pieces from Indigenous designers such as Yolanda Skelton, Debra Sparrow, Pam Baker, Morgan Asoyuf, Evan Ducharme and Nipii Designs. Skelton says: “What connects us through this color red is: red is the color of the blood of our life, it connects all human beings, cross-culturally.” Linked to the “REDress Project” launched by Jaime Black, it attempts to continually remind Canadians of violent crimes against Indigenous women. “The Red Dress event is a way to advocate for the safety, respect and dignity of all Indigenous women and girls through fashion. “Everyone knows someone who has gone missing in our community,” she said. “It's terrible and I know it's a difficult thing to talk about, but we still have to talk about it while we can. » Multiple factors lead us back to the neglect of Indigenous peoples by the federal government. “Thousands of missing and murdered women, high rates of suicide among our youth, the incarceration of Indigenous men, poverty, lack of clean water and educational needs plague our communities – not to mention the constant struggle to jurisdiction over traditional lands. There is still a lot of work to be done. » The RCMP estimates that a total of 1,181 Indigenous women went missing or were murdered between 1980 and 2012; but only recently, in 2019, said they would take “careful consideration” of missing and murdered Indigenous women. In Toronto in June 1960, Style newspaper reported on "Inuvik, Near the Arctic Ocean, First Fashion Show," with statements about how young natives wore "slim jims, cotton shirts gay, puffy skirts” on the catwalk. There was an observation of Western style being used by Indigenous youth, which was questioned by Torontonians; overlooking the fact that contemporary Indigenous artists have been treated differently over time and have learned to adapt to what is popular in Canadian society. “Eskimo children like 'southern' clothes and their idea of ​​a good time is to dress in cowboy clothes. On very cold days - it sometimes drops to 50 - they wear typical Eskimo clothing to school... but generally, they wear dresses, or jeans, and tartan shirts” (Gentile, P., & Nicholas, J. 2013). Our outward appearance, the way we dress and take care of ourselves speaks to everyone we meet, reveals how we construct our social identity and how their cultural identity is shown to them. For Indigenous people, clothing conveys messages and individualizes while encouraging the resilience of everyone within the community. Beadwork is an example that is and has been important in representing resilience and showcasing the distinct cultural value of Indigenous peoples. Another type of weaving is weaving, which is used as a bonding experience between family and community. Many types of weaving, such as Ravenstail weaving, are considered one of the most difficult techniques in the world. This increases interest in weaving but can also discourage many people from wanting to participate. in this tradition, as it can take up to a year to finish a rug or blanket. There is experience..