Photo of: (Left to right) Aiyana Musqua, Brittany Johns, Denise Stonechild, Ember Mantee showing their Barbie ribbon skirts they designed. / Photo by: Danielle Dufour
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BY: Danielle Dufour
On June 2nd the Kitchener Community school in Regina will be having a ribbon skirt fashion show for community members and student families to see the student’s creations.
“The Barbies are going to be walking down the red carpet,” said Brittany Johns.
Brittany Johns, from Pasqua First Nations, is the Grade 5-6 teacher who oversaw the Barbie ribbon skirt project.
“We wanted to incorporate First Nations culture, Metis culture, we wanted to incorporate representation in the classroom, and we wanted to teach them life skills,” said Johns.
The school has a significant number of Indigenous students.
“There’s two parts in my role, both engagement and attendance,” said Alison Kimbley the Indigenous Advocate at Kitchener school in Regina. “I firmly believe that for attendance to happen, students need to be meaningfully engaged.”
To kick off the project, the school knowledge keeper kohkum Diane came and spoke to the students.
“She talked about how traditionally women wore long skirts and the virtues of modesty and the importance of holding yourself in a way that signified (respect),” said Kimbley.
Many of the students were first time sewers and they learned how to hand sew and the basics of a sewing machine.
“I noticed that the culture within the classroom had changed,” said Johns. “My students were really excited to participate in the designing of their ribbon skirts, to pick the colours and the patterns.”
One student, Aiyana Musqua said, “I picked buffalos because I really like buffalos and I like blue.”
Musqua said the importance of using all the different kinds of Barbies was, “To represent the kids in our classroom,” so they look like them.
They were able to do this project with donations of materials, Barbie dolls, and a grant they received from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls community at the beginning of the year to buy five sewing machines.
“I think the reconciliation part of it goes within the classroom environment making sure that our students are feeling safe and heard,” said Johns. “It goes far beyond the cultural symbolism that our skirts can represent.”
Rebecca Big Eagle came into the classroom and shared her expertise of creating life-size ribbon skirts by sharing her cultural connections with the students.
“A lot of my Indigenous students are feeling very proud of their accomplishments,” said Johns. “They are proud to share and show their work.”
The class made 25 Barbie ribbon skirts that are on display at the school.
The Barbies have been to the legislative building and on display at local artisans within Regina.
Now the Grade 8 students are working on their ribbon skirts and ribbon shirts to wear to their farewell event.