The Relations Project

sources for real world events can be found here: https://the-relations-project.tumblr.com/sources

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“Devoured by Consumerism”, by Beau Dick.

Beau Dick was a Northwest Coast Native carver of Kwakwaka'wakw descent, who lived in Alert Bay. He recently passed away on March 27, 2017.  

You can find more of his work here:  http://www.fazakasgallery.com/artists/beau-dick-kwakwakawakw/

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A page from Garry Thomas Morse’s book of poetry, Discovery Passages.

This is a video of Morse reading the poem that accompanies this image out loud. If you would like the transcript of the poem, please speak to me. 

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“Toxic Art”, by John Sabraw

Sabraw is an English artist and environmental activist, who works with toxic waste to produce art. See more about the process here: http://www.johnsabraw.com/video/

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“Etuaptmumk: Two-Eyed Seeing” by Rebecca Thomas

Rebecca Thomas is Halifax’s poet laureate. Her Facebook is here: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccaleathomas/

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The Ex River

by Alex Leslie

Because our thirst can never be satisfied, a city runs through it. The ex river has been traditionally widened for your use. Riverbed, gutterpath, sidewalk. 

Old currents, a long muscle on the surface visible from the bridge. Riptide, sidewalk. The ex river runs a route dug out by belly not shovel. Gutterpath, Marine Drive. At the mouth of the ex river, where it empties into the ocean, there is a gate installed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, guarded by your first lover, dressed in her moleskin shirt from that period, tied at her waist with a length of your hair, she opens her white mouth and says “---------------------------------------.” Memoryflow, riverbed. The ex river slips through fingers. Among flesh. Remembrance of path. Do not try to take care of the river, take care of what is around the river and the river will take care of itself, stopper, overthroat. An engineer has been here and you can tell from the straight lines. You can walk its bank now, a building or large dog lumbering past, nearby breathing, the heat of new things. You are one of the species that came from the ex river. Logic crawls too, green fins, casual steps and can breathe under pavement. You are as good a candidate as any for drowning. 

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“Beaver Rosary” by Kent Monkman

Kent Monkman is a Canadian artist of Cree ancestry who works in many different visual mediums. More of his work here: http://kentmonkman.com

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We Are Just

by Rosanna Deerchild

we are just: Indian woman

faded black & white

whispers of a long gone past

like horses and fur trading

we are just: your disney porn

girl who wears feathers

dances barefoot across

your screens before inviting

you into our tipis

we are just: a decoration

a symbol of his story

that rides into sunset

slips between sheets

of your status quo

we are just: land

conquered cut into

squares labelled and sold off

as economic development

oh way ya hey ya way ha

I know another story

A re-definition

of your declaration

that we are not here

in this place

you keep trying to take

over but our roots go deeper

her story is earth

where you stand

she is water

your beginning

she is our heart

beat

a re-creation

story that begins

with

a whisper

calling all her names

back

a song

rising drum thrum

thrumming heart beat

a rising

that begins

with

one

voice

rising

my voice

rising

with my

sisters

rising

with my

mother

for my daughters

rising

a rising

arising

my name is

sacred

my name is

iskwew

my name is

not missing

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“Oral Traditions”, by Will Giles and Travis T

Will Giles and Travis T are two indigenous Polynesian slam poets

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How I Feel, by A Tribe Called Red

A Tribe Called Red are an all First Nation DJ crew from Ottawa. 

This track was unfortunately not available on YouTube; you can find it on Spotify or Apple Music. If you don’t have either one of these services, and cannot find it elsewhere, please speak to me. 

Lyrics: https://genius.com/A-tribe-called-red-how-i-feel-lyrics

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The Powwow at the End of the World

By Sherman Alexie

I am told by many of you that I must forgive and so I shall   after an Indian woman puts her shoulder to the Grand Coulee Dam   and topples it...    

...I am told by many of you that I must forgive and so I shall after the floodwaters burst each successive dam   downriver from the Grand Coulee. I am told by many of you   that I must forgive and so I shall after the floodwaters find   their way to the mouth of the Columbia River as it enters the Pacific   and causes all of it to rise. I am told by many of you that I must forgive   and so I shall after the first drop of floodwater is swallowed by that salmon   waiting in the Pacific. I am told by many of you that I must forgive and so I shall  after that salmon swims upstream, through the mouth of the Columbia   and then past the flooded cities, broken dams and abandoned reactors   of Hanford. I am told by many of you that I must forgive and so I shall   after that salmon swims through the mouth of the Spokane River   as it meets the Columbia, then upstream, until it arrives   in the shallows of a secret bay on the reservation where I wait alone.   I am told by many of you that I must forgive and so I shall after   that salmon leaps into the night air above the water, throws   a lightning bolt at the brush near my feet, and starts the fire   which will lead all of the lost Indians home. I am told   by many of you that I must forgive and so I shall   after we Indians have gathered around the fire with that salmon   who has three stories it must tell before sunrise: one story will teach us   how to pray; another story will make us laugh for hours;   the third story will give us reason to dance. I am told by many   of you that I must forgive and so I shall when I am dancing   with my tribe during the powwow at the end of the world.

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Memories We Shouldn’t Speak Of, by Caroline Monnet

Caroline Monnet is an Indigenous visual artist and filmmaker. You can find more of her work at her website: http://carolinemonnet.ca/

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“Headwaters”, by Owen Perry 

Owen Perry is a Canadian photographer, who has worked on multiple projects dedicated to the environmental conservation. This photo is from his “headwaters” collection, which you can find here: https://www.circa1983.ca/headwaters/