Whenever Natasha Stirrett, Artsci’12, MA’16, PhD’21, is at a powwow or festival or any Indigenous event, really, she always makes a point to buy something handmade.
“Like this,” she says smiling and proudly holding up the small pendant of her necklace. “It’s a stone that was hand-carved into an owl.”
No doubt she’ll be out looking for more hand-crafted treasures this National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21), she says. And she recommends non-Indigenous people do something similar.
“Buying these local goods, attending these cultural celebrations is a great way for anyone to get out there, connect, and support Indigenous folks and learn about us and our culture,” she says. “Don’t be shy.”
Supporting Indigenous communities in these small ways and much bigger ones has been a cornerstone of Stirrett’s work since her days as a sociology undergrad at Queen’s – and well before. She is Plains Cree and a member of Ermineskin Cree Nation. She grew up outside her community in the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee in the Cornwall/Akwesasne area.
Last summer, Stirrett was recruited to be the Queen’s National Scholar in Indigenous Knowledges and Perspectives and now she’s also an assistant professor in the Department of Literatures, Languages, and Cultures.
Much of her research sits at the intersection of Indigenous studies, critical criminology, and gender studies. It particularly focuses on the Sixties Scoop, residential schools, and how Indigenous communities respond to the resulting largescale social issues such as poverty and violence.
Right now, Stirrett is in the writing stage of a research project all about the connections between the Sixties Scoop and criminalization. Partnering with the , she visited four cities across Canada to hold sharing circles and conduct interviews with about 55 people to explore the role of criminalization and punishment in the experiences of Survivors.
The Sixties Scoop is generally known as the period between 1951 and 1984 when an estimated 20,000 Indigenous children were taken from their families and communities, often without consent or warning, and adopted into predominantly non-Indigenous households across North America.
“I remember during my undergrad that very few people knew what the Sixties Scoop was, and there was very little research or work or anyone even looking very closely at it,” says Stirrett. “Thankfully, that’s changing.”
It’s a topic that hits close to home for Stirrett. Her mother was Sixties a Scoop Survivor. Her grandmother attended residential schools and was a missing and murdered Indigenous woman.
“These are issues that have obviously impacted my life and my family’s, so I became really interested in learning more,” says Stirrett. “But I also wanted to learn about the ways in which people and communities that have experienced the fallouts contend. What are their existing strengths and resiliencies?”
National Indigenous Peoples Day is another opportunity for learning, she says. Especially for those who haven’t had many or any connections with Indigenous Peoples.
“I understand the critiques around this day of it just being a symbolic gesture where people are embracing the nice cultural aspects rather than addressing systemic inequalities,” says Stirrett. “But at the same time, I think it’s a great opportunity for folks to learn about Indigenous people who might not otherwise have a chance to do so. It can be a good starting point for a lot of people.”
Her advice for those wanting to learn on National Indigenous Peoples Day: Don’t overthink it.
“Just get out there and attend the powwow or the cultural celebration. Get an Indian taco. Talk to an Elder. Indigenous people are very hospitable and welcoming and appreciative of people who want to learn about them and their culture. So just enjoy your time.”
Want to support Stirrett’s work and her colleagues’ in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures? Stay tuned to the department’s news page for workshops and talks open to the public. You can also make a gift to the department to encourage even more groundbreaking learning and research.
