Creative Calgary Congress — Exploring ways that the arts and artists can play a leadership role in making Calgary a more curious, compassionate and creative place for all citizens.
The Artists — Cowboy Smithx and Rio Mitchell
Storytelling and story-listening in a new way, across different worldviews.
The Truth About Stories is, That’s All We Are — Thomas King
There’s storytelling and story listening. Through storytelling circles, we believe that we can start to disrupt the old narratives and create the new ones that are our futures. Because we’re all just made of stories, old and new.
Rio Mitchell is the co-founder and Creative Producer of the Iiniistsi Treaty Arts Society, exploring iiniistsi (treaties) between and among Indigenous and settler cultures and individuals; treaties past, present, and possible. She is the Creative Producer of REDx Talks.
Cowboy Smithx is an award-winning filmmaker of Blackfoot Ancestry from the Piikani and Kainai tribes of Southern Alberta. He is the curator of the highly acclaimed International Indigenous speaker series REDx Talks, and creative director for the Iiniistsi Treaty Arts Society.
Intro
Iiniistsi is the Blackfoot word for Treaty, for harmony and for relationships of renewal. Through art and education and cultural programming we try to explore treaties—iiniistsis—of the past that have contextualized our present and iiniistsis that we might make in the future, whether they’re on a global scale or a micro scale between two people. We’ll be talking about stories, large scale storytelling circles that we use a lot as ways to activate rooms and create new work.
I come from Treaty 7. At Iiniistsi Treaty Arts Society, we run a series called REDx Talks where we talk about things like resilience, empowerment and discourse. In the conversation around Truth and Reconciliation, we seek to understand what reconciliation means to organizations, artists, government and entrepreneurs. We are trying to build bridges and create new iiniistsis.
One of the things we’ve been really fortunate to bring to this circle is a program called Artsdance. It’s a confluence of different thinkers, non-government organizations, social innovation organizations, artists — it’s much akin to our sacred sundance ceremonies that we have every year. Artsdance is an opportunity to activate conversations like the ones we are having today.
What we’re going to be talking about today is tied into all the work that we do. It’s rooted in story, it’s rooted in renewal, it’s rooted in the frequencies of the land — this territory. Everything we have, all our privileges are predicated on that first relationship with that treaty, that iiniistsi. Our responsibility is to remind everybody of that work.
There’s storytelling and story-listening. Through storytelling circles, we believe that we can start to disrupt the old narratives and create the new ones that are our futures. Because we’re all just made of stories, old and new.
Open Session #1
This session was all about story-listening versus storytelling. When Treaty 7 was signed back in 1877, it wasn’t a good example of story-listening because there were different intentions, two different world paradigms (I own the land vs the land owns you because it sustains you). There was no translation, and the lack of listening and more one-sided colonization has led to dysfunction ever since. This session is about tapping into the flux — the symbiotic relationship between listening and telling.
The Flux
Rio recounted a story about when she met the Elder at The Banff Centre and as he was telling a story she kept piping up and asking questions to show interest and “active listening.” He asked her to stop asking so many questions and to just listen. She was trying to harvest what she wanted from it and to contextualize his story within her own worldview, rather than just listening to it and experience something new that was outside of herself. It’s also very common that we don’t listen well to others because we are too busy thinking about what we want to say and planning it in our our heads. If you listen well to others, when it comes time to share your own story, your contribution will resonate more with others and be more powerful because it will relate so much more to those who are now taking their turn to listen. We all know our own stories, but we can tell more powerful stories when we listen to a common narrative we’re all telling. The flux.
Rio and Cowboy facilitated an exercise where four people sat in a circle and were posed the question, “Where are you from?” They each had to tell a story to answer this question, divided into a beginning, a middle, and an end. They went around the circle and all told their beginning one after the other, then their middles and then their ends. They were challenged to listen carefully to the others, not think or anticipate exactly what they were going to say, and allow themselves to be affected by the other tellers. This is a great exercise with a group you see often, because you get better and better at listening to one another. It’s a great way to talk about your day with your family, because you get better and better at listening. You can start with any question that you like. The relationship between listening and telling—the flux—is all about reciprocal relationships and renewal.
The Story-Listening Circle
Cowboy welcomed us all to the territory.
We introduced ourselves around the circle.
“Do you remember the name of the person to your right?” Rio asks, because rather than listening to the person to our right, we’re more likely to be thinking about how we’re going to introduce ourselves. That’s what this session is about — story-listening vs storytelling. We already know our own stories, and we can create more powerful stories when we listen to a common narrative we’re all telling.
When was Treaty 7 signed? September 22, 1877. Something we should all know off the top of our heads. Iiniistsi is the Blackfoot understanding of the treaty. The treaty was written in Victorian English, and wasn’t translated. The spirit and intent of the original treaty was understanding and peace, commitment to the treaty. The treaty was not only made with the Crown, but also with the earth, the moon, the animals, and so forth. It’s a sacred responsibility. We renew our commitment every year. It’s all about renewal and understanding.
Treaty 7 is the basis of how we live today. The treaty signing wasn’t a good example of story-listening because there were different intentions, two different world paradigms (I own the land vs the land owns you). There was no translation, so it’s led to dysfunction ever since.
Now think again about where you’re from, and try to tell a story about it with a beginning, a middle and an end. Four people will share their stories, one after the other, but broken into those three parts — so everyone says their beginning, then everyone says their middle, and then everyone says their end. And while the others are saying their stories, you must listen, you can’t think about what you’re going to say next. Then, let’s see how the stories change and start to resemble one another.
Beginning 1 — I consider myself an Albertan, Edmonton and Calgary. I’m from a family of watchmakers, which is a part of me.
Beginning 2 — I come from my name — MacIntyre. There was a time when we linked that name to our occupation/our craft. Originated in Scotland and Ireland, and I felt I belonged there when I stood by the graves of my grandparents.
Beginning 3 — I come from a culture all about asking questions. Aleph is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Learning happens in pairs, and you ask questions to one another and between both of you, you get more questions.
Beginning 4 — I thinks it’s coincidental that I’m supposed to tell an anecdote because there’s one on my mind, involving a Japanese work camp.
Middle 1 — I never knew the watchmakers in my family, but creativity and making has always been something I’ve gravitated towards be it toys, lego, or even telling stories. I once told my father that I wanted to be an accountant like him, but he said no, you’re not an accountant, you’re a storyteller.
Middle 2 — When my grandparents left Scotland and Ireland they came to Canada. I came from farmers and craftspeople who had a purpose. My parents were full of shame as immigrants and poor (Irish immigrants in Montreal were looked upon very poorly), and full of fear.
Middle 3 — Every July 1st I’m so happy to be here in Canada. As an immigrant my immigration story is a successful one. I come from a country where scarcity is in it mindset, but here we live in a culture of abundance. When I ask how did I grow up, why did I move? It connects me with the story of the Jewish diaspora and how they try to build bridges of understanding.
Middle 4 — Culmination of strength and courage in this anecdote. Japan in Dutch means “yes, pan.” In this Japanese work camp, there was a woman who made a play and she was cooking with a pan pretending it was very hot, and through plays on words she made fun that she was cooking Japan in the pan.
End 1 — I haven’t travelled much outside of Canada because I’m more interested in my home country. I like my roots here, and want to raise my kids here and tell them stories. I’ll encourage them to be whatever they are.
End 2 — My Dad used to call Alberta God’s Country, but I always wanted to leave here to find where I came from. When I finally got to the grave sites of my ancestors, I felt that I belonged but also that I needed to come home. I felt a sense of abundance and connection to place when I came back to the Rockies. This is the place that I come from, and where I choose to be from.
End 3 — I also choose to engage and connect with people here and community here and invite you all to share your culture with those around you. Make diversity an interesting conversation.
End 4 — I find it interesting that word play doesn’t always translate, but there are different ways to listen to it. You need to be very strong in this life.
Observations:
- We’re all connected, despite coming from somewhere else.
- The place we are now was the end of most of the stories, despite starting in very different places.
- Despite being from different backgrounds, identity from here is what comes together.
- Storytellers have connections to where they came from, but also want to move forward into the future.
- Tellers had a whole story in their head to start, but it did change as they were part of the circle and by the bigger story as a group.
- The stories were all journeys — they all started with a childhood theme, then ended here.
- One person actually didn’t see connection at all, but rather segmentation and suggested we need to practice deep listening more.
- If we choose to listen more, how we should connect will be revealed.
- All the tellers are from very different backgrounds, and then when the listening takes place you start to connect with the other backgrounds and build empathy.
- One listener equates storytelling with teaching, so he immediately looks for lessons to be learned from the story—this felt more like broken telephone.
- Everyone’s ending is someone else’s beginning.
- This is a great exercise with a group you see often, because you get better and better at listening to one another.
- The feeling behind Artsdance is this idea of story-listening—a massive, city-wide collaboration where we bring our stories and our resources together to increase the possibilities for collaboration and celebration.
- Artsdance creates a space where everyone in the four quadrants of the city can be activated to create connections between each other and with folks from the indigenous communities—make friends with them, share their wisdom.
Open Session #2
We talk a lot about signing the treaty and the ten days that led up to it as a terrible example of story-listening. The treaty has been broken again and again ever since it was signed, and now we find ourselves in a very interesting time of reconciliation. Iiniistsi speaks more about “conciliation,” because we don’t really have something to reconcile.
Now think again about where you’re from, and try to tell a story about it with a beginning, a middle and an end. Four people will share their stories, one after the other, but broken into those three parts (40 seconds each) — so everyone says their beginning, then everyone says their middle, and then everyone says their end. And while the others are saying their stories, you must listen, you can’t think about what you’re going to say next. Then, let’s see how the stories change to resemble one another.
We’re trying to tap into the flux, the symbiotic relationship between listening and telling.
Beginning 1 — There was a 16-year-old girl who got into a bit of trouble, didn’t know what to do, let fate take over.
Beginning 2 — I’d given up on everything I believed in when suddenly I go the most random email of my life.
Beginning 3 — I used to play bass in this Latin band and we were doing a show on Canada Day and I saw this guy in a wheelchair dancing to our music.
Beginning 4 — When I was seven I saw a play about the Hiroshima bombing that made me cry.
Middle 1 — To try and make sense of the trouble and choose the right path, she looked towards a system that stretched across the entire country.
Middle 2 — I was chosen to testify in front of the UN on behalf of the entire autistic community. I used to dream about it, but now I didn’t want to do it anymore.
Middle 3—When I saw this guy dancing, something happened to me.
Middle 4 — I wrote to the Prime Minister to ask him to stop the bombing.
End 1 — This system didn’t fit, so she turned to the ocean.
End 2 — I’d never been told that I was interesting or impressive, that my thoughts were important or that there was room for a change.
End 3 — Something inside of me happened and I felt for the first time really proud of my background.
End 4 — When wars happened in the future, I thought it’s time to get off the couch.
Observations:
- Everyone has a unique worldview which pulls together what we see and hear around us in different ways.
- A very diverse group of tellers but all had somewhat similar things to say.
- Let distractions go, as they can often be a road block. We rarely go into situations ready to really listen or where listening is easy (e.g., noisy bars and restaurants).
- Sitting in a circle with our backs to one another eliminates other visual cues, so you had to really listen to know when the previous teller was finished.
- This is a great exercise with a group you see often, because you get better and better at listening to one another. You can start with any question that you want. Reciprocal relationships of renewal.
- Difference between active listening and deep listening. Deep listening is really allowing whatever comes, rather than trying to get something more specific out of an experience and trying to draw it out.
- Artsdance — bringing people and resources together for four days on the land and finding new possibilities and collaborations for the coming year. Building new treaties and connections between people that would never otherwise be made but that now take place under the auspices of the land. It’s about renewal of our understanding of our treaty responsibilities and knowledge bundles for generations to come. Let go of your world (email, etc.) for four days. Our generation is doing the work that’s been passed to us, and it’s an honour. There’s a lot of work to do before we celebrate the sesquicentennial.
Cowboy and Rio’s Comments at the End of the Day
Cowboy: A lot of the work that Rio and I do is about the frequencies of the land. It’s about renewal, coming back to what we know and what we think we know and creating a new relationship or a new iiniistsi (treaty) with that particular piece of knowledge. Otherwise the next generation is never going to get that knowledge. So a lot of the work we do with our organization is about that place of renewal, those frequencies.
One of the most important frequencies as an Indigenous person here that I’ve witnessed in my lifetime is the creation of sacred spaces and safe spaces for people to be themselves, to activate their imagination, to hear stories, to be vulnerable, to be strong, and to explore their spirit and creativity.
It was really cool to see all of these frequencies activated through the sacred spaces we created in our circles today. We identified that we’re actually more similar — we’re more along the lines of our connections to home, what we feel defines our own identity. We saw a lot of similarities in our very diverse group of storytellers and story listeners. It was an honour to be here today and activate this space with everybody. It was a nice iiniistsi we created this afternoon and I hope you can take this exercise and use it in your own work. You never know what it’s going to do for you to have that type of listening and allowing the other people in the room to influence what your are about to say and how you design the dimensions of your narrative space.
Rio: A lot of kinship between stories came up as we went. A lot of the stories ended up having a similar theme or, in the second one, all of the stories ended up having a similar way of speaking, or beat, and it became this sort of beautiful poem. But one way or another, it makes each individual story really sing because each becomes connected, through the deep listening, to the common narrative. That’s a really cool thing to see.
Cowboy Smithx
Cowboy Smithx is an award-winning filmmaker of Blackfoot Ancestry from the Piikani and Kainai tribes of Southern Alberta.
Cowboy is the founder and curator of the highly acclaimed International Indigenous speaker series REDx Talks, and creative director for the Iiniistsi Treaty Arts Society.
He writes, directs and produces film works in documentary, narrative, music video and experimental.
He was the youngest person to ever receive a Blackfoot Arts Award for his decades of work in the performing arts.
Cowboy is currently working in Indigenous education, Cultural consultation and Youth work across the globe. Cowboy hosts the critically acclaimed podcast The Silent X.
Rio Mitchell
Rio Mitchell is the co-founder and Creative Producer of the Iiniistsi Treaty Arts Society, exploring iiniistsi (treaties) between and among Indigenous and settler cultures and individuals; treaties past, present, and possible.
She is a theatre and filmmaker of second-generation Settler descent living in mohkknstis (Calgary), and is foremost a facilitator of diverse ensemble and collaborative processes — from producing REDx Talks — the Indigenized speaker series, with programming expanding across Canada and the globe; to facilitating Indigenous curriculum development with Mount Royal University and treaty 7 elders and community; to working with the late Michael Green as associate producer and production manager in the development and creation of the ground-breaking Making Treaty 7 project.
Through the facilitation of iiniistsi-based art, community and educational programming, Rio continues advocating for honest, healthy and transformative conversation and collaboration between Indigenous and Non-Aboriginal peoples of Canada and the world.
About the Creative Calgary Congress
Calgary Arts Development produced the first Arts Champions Congress in 2011 as a meeting place for people who make Calgary’s arts sector a vibrant and exciting place to work and our city a great place to live.
Renamed the Creative Calgary Congress in 2014, it returned on November 22, 2016 as a place to share ideas and explore ways that the arts and artists can play a leadership role in making Calgary a more curious, compassionate and creative place for all citizens.
