A short YouTube video by Sandi L Boucher (Red Thunderbolt, Seine River First Nation) describing her deliberate choice not to wear a ribbon skirt for a keynote to a large non‑Indigenous corporate audience. She explains that while ribbon skirts are a public expression of Indigenous pride and resilience, wearing one to an audience unfamiliar with Indigenous culture would reduce its significance and distract from her goal of building bridges; she instead dressed in business attire to 'meet them where they are.' The video closes with an invitation for viewer feedback and further posts.
Chapters
So ribbon shirts and ribbon skirts are a thing. If you don't know what those are, maybe Google that. A lot of Indigenous men, women, youth have been wearing them of late. I see it very much as just demonstrating our cultural pride in a country that for many years we were forced to keep our identity, our true identity, hidden. But recently I chose not to wear my ribbon skirt. And I'm wondering what you think of my decision, especially if you're Indigenous. Let's talk about it. Hi, everybody. My name is Sandy Boucher. I'm Red Thunderbolt, woman of the Loon clan, a proud member of Seine River first nation in Treaty 3 territory in Northern Ontario. And thanks to my amazing career, I have the opportunity and the responsibility and the privilege of being able to travel across Canada working in the realm of Indigenous engagement, recruitment, retention, anything to do with Canadian reconciliation, really focusing on building bridges between first nations people and non Indigenous Canadians. Now, for years, training really has been focused on Indigenous people getting us ready for working with mainstream. But there was no corresponding training for non Indigenous Canadians. How to work with us, how to understand the cultural differences and the challenges that may come up. And I love that. That is a large part of my career now, working with non Indigenous audiences. Which brings me to the point of the ribbon skirt. Thanks to a friend and colleague who, who is amazingly talented. I own quite a few ribbon skirts. And for the last year I have worn them at all my events. Whether it's a keynote, a workshop, a seminar. I am wearing one of my many beautiful ribbon skirts again, my way of showing my cultural pride, reminding people of the strength and resilience. And when I go into the communities, I just think that is so, so, so important. But recently I had a chance to do a keynote in front of a large team, a large corporation located in southern Ontario. And I debated whether to wear my skirt. And when something comes up as a should I do this in my mind, then I know that's something I need to think through and really think on. And I realized that to this audience that has never had the opportunity or exposure to Indigenous teachings, Indigenous knowledge, Indigenous culture, that my amazing ribbon skirt would just be a nice skirt, that the significance, the relevance of that item would be eliminated. They wouldn't know, so how could they appreciate it? For that reason, I chose not to wear it because, for one, I didn't want to be part of downgrading any more Indigenous significance, but more I wanted to present to them in a way they did, understood, understand. So I put on a business suit, I put on a vest and dress pants and I showed up as a person of power and influence and it worked. So rather than intimidating them or highlighting how much they didn't know, I met them where they are and I chose that. In the future, unless there's a huge cultural indigenous cultural significance to the event, if it's non indigenous, then my skirts are going to stay at home. I'll bring those out for the people that really need to see them. The Indigenous, not the tourists and not the Canadians that have yet to understand. Brene Brown speaks of sharing your story with those who have earned the right and the privilege to hear them. Canada is still working on earning that right. So what you think? Does that make sense? I'm not going to render my own ribbon skirts to just something performative and I think by choosing not to wear it, I saved its significance. Would love to know your thoughts. Comment below. Do not forget to subscribe and feel free to share this video. Let's get some knowledge out there. We all benefit from more knowledge, so do your part. Help me out. Until tomorrow. I have so many amazing blog posts for you this week. Some really good knowledge for you to share. Until tomorrow. I love you. Take care. Bye bye.
