A collection of Barbies equipped with ribbon skirts were displayed at the Sask. Legislature Building, thanks to a culturally themed school assignment. On April 16, students from Kitchener School made the journey to the legislature with 25 Indigenous themed Barbie dolls. Each dress was designed and created by students from the Grade 5/6 classroom. The assignment was to mix practical life skills while also exploring Indigenous culture. Brittany Johns is the Grade 5/6 teacher at Kitchener School. She said the students enjoyed learning to hand sew and using the sewing machine. “They took pride in making sure that all the barbies in the ribbon skirts were ready to be shown,” she said. While visiting the legislature, they were introduced on the assembly floor by Meara Conway, the MLA of Regina Elphinstone Centre, the district where Kitchener School is located. “I think it was wonderful to see this project that gave Indigenous and non-Indigenous students an opportunity to delve into this piece of culture,” Conway said. Much thought and preparation went into the project and its possible outcomes. A month before sewing began, an elder visited the class to talk about values and self-esteem. A designer also visited and spoke on Indigenous representation. Students then created their own designs based on their ideas and backgrounds. “I decided to use this fabric because it reminds me of my mom’s old ribbon skirt,” said Benjamin Blair, a Grade 5 student From Kitchener School. The students responded positively to the project and have asked for more culturally relevant assignments. “Teaching Indigenous could be a scary thing,” Johns said. “With the acts of reconciliation in our classroom, we need to make sure that sometimes we are uncomfortable, so our students are more comfortable, heard and seen,” she concluded. Kitchener School said representation, belonging, and cultural safety were the focus of this project.
