Oakley Rain Wysote Gray

Nmis (Sister)

New Brunswick Winner
New Brunswick College of Craft & Design
3D textile design
67 x 19 x 14 in

 

Nmis (Sister) is a response to the ongoing issue regarding missing and murdered Indigenous women. Inspiration came from ceremonial Mi’gmaq peak caps and the O’halloran Chief’s Coat. The peaked hood symbolizes the wisdom the women in our communities carry, and the dress signifies the strength and power I see in my mother, grandmother, and aunties. Black denotes the ink used to write the Indian Act, which was used as a weapon to contain Indigenous people and minimize the connection with our ancestors. And red represents the bloodshed my ancestors faced with the rise of this country. Despite all, we are still here because our will is stronger than ink.