By Meghan Power
And to help build an inclusive and safe, creative community and culture — specifically for Indigenous skateboarders. For Sikapinakii, giving back to an organization rooted and invested in the Indigenous communities of Treaty 7 was important.
“I grew up skateboarding and have been volunteering with Cousins Skateboard Community for about four years. I had this idea that I wanted to create some drawings that they could sell on decks to help fundraise. But also, to create a zine with them that would be a tribute to the Indigenous skateboarding culture,” explains Sikapinakii. “I began researching illustrations done of Blackfoot people, in archives. Many of these illustrations have been used in textbooks, I remember seeing them when I was in school. These were illustrations made by frontiersmen and settlers — what they saw Blackfoot people doing as part of their nomadic day-to-day life 100 years ago. And I had this idea of creating images of what modern day Blackfoot people are doing now, like skateboarding, but drawing them in traditional Blackfoot regalia.”
“It’s important for me to depict skateboarding culture in this project. A lot of skateboarders that I’ve talked with, over the years, come from precarious spaces and there is this important safety in the community that is being built by Cousins and I wanted to honour their work — they have teams doing outreach with Tsuutʼina, Siksika, and Stoney Nations and even with remote communities like the Kainai and Piikani Nations, helping to break down stereotypes around skateboarding.”
Receiving funding for this project from Calgary Arts Development’s (CADA) Original Peoples Investment program and their other granting programs is essential for Sikapinakii to be able to work as an artist and take the time needed to do archival research and to fully develop an idea into a work of art. “I’m fortunate to have learned a lot at AUArts (formerly ACAD) and in grad school and that has allowed me to become a professional artist. Having grants, like what CADA offers, has also made it possible for me to live on my reserve and to give back to my community.”
As an artist with ADHD, Sikapinakii appreciates the flexibility of working with grants and the ability to create their own schedule and project timelines. “Being an artist — a Blackfoot artist is important, and being able to show and tell as many people as I can about my people and our stories is most important to me.
“I appreciate CADA for making the grant process accessible to Indigenous people. There are so many talented artists in our communities, but for many, granting applications and processes are inaccessible to them. I’m happy to see more funding opportunities being made for Indigenous people and that CADA has made space and funding specifically for Indigenous people more accessible.