Academia prioritizes Western knowledge. We need to prioritize Indigenous knowledge too.
PROFESSOR LOGAN MACDONALD
Academia prioritizes Western knowledge. We need to prioritize Indigenous knowledge too.
PROFESSOR LOGAN MACDONALD
RECONCILIATION THROUGH ART
Across Waterloo Region, the archeological record shows traces of longhouses built by the Attawandaron (Neutral), Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples. These longhouses were not only shelters but centres for learning, creativity and community.
The Longhouse Labs at the University of Waterloo will honour that rich history by celebrating the work of contemporary Indigenous artists. The project will provide makers and curators with access to the leadership opportunities and resources to support their creative scholarship. Waterloo students of all backgrounds and disciplines will have the opportunity to benefit from Indigenous leadership in the arts.
Logan MacDonald is a professor in Waterloo’s Department of Fine Arts and a Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Indigenous Art. A visual artist of mixed European and Mi’kmaq ancestry, he belongs to the Elmastukwek people of Ktaqmkuk territory (Bay of Islands, Newfoundland). The Longhouse Labs is his CRC project.
“Academia prioritizes Western knowledge. We need to prioritize Indigenous knowledge too,” Logan says. “When we look at Indigenous material culture, the infrastructure around how things are made speaks to so many elements of Indigenous life, both historical and the contemporary. The Longhouse Labs is a chance for Indigenous artists, craft practitioners and knowledge keepers to say, ‘What we make is important.’”
The core of the project is the Longhouse Fellowship. Starting in fall 2023, the Longhouse Labs will welcome three Indigenous artists from regional and international communities with immersive eight-month artist residency placements. The Fellows will create art, mentor students and share their knowledge from a new home base that includes studios, gallery space and a museum-quality archive where they can access material culture from collections.
During their placements, the Fellows will mentor future Indigenous artists. Students and faculty will connect with the Fellows through visits to the Labs and collaboration across academic programs. Through these interactions, the artists will expand their professional networks, while students learn more inclusive ways of thinking about art, culture and creativity.
Thanks to the support of donors, including Wawanesa Mutual Insurance, Good Foundation Inc. and the Musagetes Fund at the Waterloo Region Community Foundation, this project will create an environment where both Indigenous artists and Waterloo students can thrive. And in doing so, the Longhouse Labs will chart a new path toward reconciliation and a richer, more inclusive arts sector in Waterloo Region and beyond.
Artwork by Alanah Jewell
