This article is submitted by the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board.
********************
The traditions of her Ojibwe culture mean everything to Patience Commanda, a Grade 9 student at Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School in Orillia. She is also very passionate about remembering and honouring the missing and murdered Indigenous women of our country.
As an assignment for her virtual Media Arts class, Patience shared an incredible photo. This is the story behind it.
Last summer Commanda participated in a virtual “Red Dress” special competition, something that she’s been actively involved in for most of her life and a tradition that is an important part of her Ojibwe background.
The red jingle dress regalia is a powerful symbol and Patience wears this with strength. Chief Lady Bird’s painted rendition of Patience wearing the dress is a beautiful piece that has amplified the message nationally. Chimiigwech Anishinaabekwewug.
— Ted Williams (@TedWill44) March 25, 2021
This year her red jingle dress was new, and although the jingles are usually added one at a time, each day, for an entire year, Commanda's new dress was completed more quickly and in time for the competition.
“The dress is heavy, adorned with 365 jingles,” revealed Commanda. This year she added to her regalia, with a distinctive red handprint, painted on her beautiful face, across her mouth.
“The handprint took the red jingle dress to the next level. It was a strong symbol, to represent women being silenced, and not able to tell their stories," she explained.
When Commanda's image appeared on her family’s social media, it quickly caught the attention of Chief Lady Bird, a Chippewa and Potawatomi artist, illustrator, educator, and community activist from Rama First Nation and Moose Deer Point First Nation.
Chief Lady Bird’s art focuses on foregrounding the experiences of Indigenous women. It’s obvious why the two women are forever friends, as they are united by their hope for a future that learns from the past.
Chief Lady Bird agreed to re-create the striking image of Commanda in an almost life-size painting. The painting is one of Commanda's most valuable possessions and a gift that she will always treasure.
Through the power of social media, the painting was noticed and celebrated by the National Arts Centre. It appeared on their website and social media accounts, in a story that was published on Feb. 12, 2021.
“February 14 is a day to honour the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA (Two-spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex and Asexual people, and acknowledge the grassroots initiatives that continue to raise awareness and engage a variety of voices in the discussions that will drive reconciliation in Canada.” (National Arts Centre website)
