On this episode of VIEW to the U, Professor Kristen Bos from UTM’s Department of Historical Studies talks about her research on Indigenous feminisms, with among other things, considers the past, present, and future of seed beads.
These little beads that have been used by Indigenous communities for thousands of years, vary in size but usually measure no more than 5 mm – or for a sense of scale, a bit smaller than a sesame seed – they tell stories, govern lands, and they have even been used as currencies, and on this edition of the podcast, Kristen covers all of this in fine detail, including how seed bead creations can be likened to a virus, how they help frame history, and how seed beads are “a visual reference to colonization,” but also to Indigenous futures.
You can access the interview here.
November 1-5, Indigenous Education Week 2021 will host several events online, focusing on the theme of Treaties: Reclaiming, Relationships & Responsibilities.