and Elwood Jimmy - Speaking My Truth

Seeds of Lubestrok and Stolen Strength are two works from a substantial body ofwork that Sandra and James used to trace and deepen the dialogue between theindigenous and the non-indigenous in Canada. James and Sandra recognized that theirintercultural marriage was, in day-to-day life, an opportunity to make political, social,and psychological structures created by histories of colonialism, occupation of the land,and racism visible to themselves and others through their art practices. The late JamesNicholas was Rock Cree from Nelson House, Manitoba. His great-grandfather wasmedicine man Pierre Moose. His parents, Lionel and Sarah, used traditional medicinesto help their community. James grew up traditionally on the trapline. At the age of eighthe was sent to residential school. In the 1970 s he studied in British Columbia workingwith Bob Manuel, son of native strategist George Manuel, while continuing his dialogueswith political activists Rodney Spence and Phil Fontaine from Manitoba. He providedleadership to his community in education, economic development, and government-togovernmentliaison. In the 1990 s James relocated to Vancouver where he engaged thearts of acting, writing, and art. He made many collaborative works with his wife, SandraSemchuk, and these challenge the known history of relations between First Nationsand settler cultures. James was killed in 2007 when he fell from a cliff at a fishing campon the Fraser River. Sandra is Ukrainian Canadian, a photographer and videographer.Sandra grew up in a grocery store in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. Martin Semchuk wasa socialist who helped bring in medicare to Saskatchewan. Her mother ran the grocerystore. Sandra’s photographic collaborations and video works use autobiography anddialogue as the basis for recognition and identity. She collaborated with her fatherthrough four near-death experiences. As a partner in Treaties (where there are Treatiesin Canada), member of the settler culture and widow of James Nicholas, Sandra triesto disrupt myths that historically have shaped settler relations to First Nations, usingpersonal experience as a basis for storytelling. A number of collaborations with Jamesare still in production after his death. Sandra teaches at Emily Carr University of Artand Design in Vancouver and has recently completed a residency in Prince Albert,Saskatchewan, sponsored by the Indigenous Peoples Artists Collective and CommonWeal Community Arts. Her collaborations are exhibited nationally and internationally.Elwood Jimmy is originally from the Thunderchild First Nation in west centralSaskatchewan. Currently based in the city of Regina, he is the director of SâkêwêwakArtists’ Collective, southeastern Saskatchewan’s centre for contemporary Aboriginalart production, presentation, and education. Apart from his work with Sâkêwêwak,Elwood works independently as an artist, curator, and writer. His work has beenpresented across Canada in several communities from British Columbia to Quebecand the Northwest Territories.