Screening and discussion with the artist Raven Davis and Denise Pictou Maloney
"It's not your fault"
"It's Not Your Fault" is Raven Davis's response to the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada. In the performance the artist's ceremonial regalia holds prayers and notes that visitors tie onto each jingle dress cone before the performance. These prayers are written for the families of missing and murdered Indigenous women and for Indigenous women who are still in abusive and violent relationships or situations. The performance is accompanied by three projections: One projection caries a live feed Raven's feet while dancing, a second projection screens a video highlighting the protocols that protect the National flag; and a third video carries the video "It’s not your fault."
The video "It’s Not Your Fault" addresses the rash of hate speech about Indigenous people specifically, Indigenous women, children and 2-Spirit people and how they are portrayed in the comment sections of major media outlets. The performance is in response to the media piece, and an artistic protest of the protection of the Canadian Flag, and the strict protocols the Canadian Government has placed on protecting its national symbolism, while drawing attention to the opposing neglect, and lack of protection of Indigenous lives.
Raven Davis is a multimedia Indigenous artist, curator, activist, and community organizer of the Anishinaabe (Ojibway) Nation in Manitoba. Davis currently lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia and works between Halifax and Toronto, Ontario. Davis is also a traditional dancer, singer, and drummer. Their work centers themes of culture, colonization, sexuality, and gender and racial justice.