On December 15, 2022, Bill S-219 came into force, designating January 4 as “National Ribbon Skirt Day.” It is hoped that this legislation will allow Canadians to further their understanding and education of Indigenous culture and heritage, specifically the ribbon skirt, which is a symbolic piece of clothing for Aboriginal women.
In December 2020, Isabella Kulak, an 11-year-old girl from Cote First Nation in Saskatchewan, suffered derogatory comments from an educational assistant after she wore a traditional ribbon skirt to a school formal event.
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Thanks to Isabella and many others’ activism, Cree Senator Mary Jane McCallum introduced the bill to declare January 4 as National Ribbon Skirt Day in honour of Aboriginal women and girls.
The bill describes the ribbon skirt as “a spiritual symbol of womanhood, identity, adaptation and survival, and […] a way for women to honour themselves and their culture,” but it is also a symbol of women’s resistance against ongoing violence and colonialism. For Senator McCallum, the message conveyed by this legislation is strong. “It shows that we collectively support youth through the healthy transitions into adulthood. We need to offer them support to resist stereotypes and to replace this with strong and affirming messages and images of themselves. This includes naming and challenging negative cultural messages and abuse of power in society.” |