*** Event postponed due to unforeseen circumstances, our apologies *** Join us on Tuesday, Nov 26th, 2024 from 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (PST), for “Through the Lens: Portraits of Who We Are and Where We Come From.” In this Indigenous Speakers Series session, we will have a conversation with Melody Charlie, a Nuu-Chah-Nulth photographer and guest curator of the Matriarchs Seen and Unseen exhibition at the Bill Reid Gallery. In this discussion, you will hear from an unapologetic photographer and First Nations health advocate as she shares her thoughts on the processes of truth, reconciliation, and redress.
Join us virtually on Tuesday, Nov 26th, 2024 from 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (PST), for “Through the Lens: Portraits of Who We Are and Where We Come From.” This virtual event is presented by the Indigenous Speakers Series.
Speaker Bio
Melody Charlie,
Photographer,
Guest Curator | Matriarchs Seen and Unseen, Exhibition, Bill Reid Gallery, March – June 2023
Melody Charlie is a mother first, a professional photographer second, and a passionate health advocate third. Having spent her entire adult life healing personally and working in the health field professionally, she is committed to the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples.
As an artist, Melody uses photography to expose unapologetic truths about this so-called country that claims freedom. With years of experience in healing & the health field, she has heard countless stories and secrets of this country and its Christianity, which somehow seeks to forgive all sins committed on stolen land. Like many others from her generation, she is not nearly as forgiving as her grandparents, and thankfully so.
She proudly calls Ahousat home and is learning to keep a better balance between the never-ending fires and fights, while remembering to tend to the waters with unity.
Moderator
Derek K Thompson – Čaabať Bookwilla | Suhiltun, Director, Indigenous Engagement
Description
When I asked Melody to be a speaker for this year’s series, she said, “I’m not sure if I am a fit because I got s#@t to say and it ain’t pretty.” I replied, “Awesome. We want to hear what you have to say.”
I am fascinated with the photography of Melody Charlie, and I am equally captivated by Melody Charlie as an unapologetic co-conspirator who speaks up for all of those people in our communities who are challenged by some disadvantage because of a neo-colonial force. She is a force of advocacy and determination to strengthen both individual and collective resolve for our people to heal, to be good to each other, to be kind to those less fortunate and caught up in some kind of addiction, and to embrace adversity in our communities with love and compassion.
John Webber was an artist on the expeditions of Captain James Cook in the mid-1700s, and he created a body of work capturing historical images of first contact with Nuu-chah-nulth people along the west coast of Vancouver Island. From those pictures, you can be confident that our people weren’t merely surviving but were, in fact, thriving. From those very same images, you can also see what’s missing—what we do not see in any of those historical contexts is our people managing Type 2 diabetes, our young people taking their own lives due to some form of social pressure or opioid addiction, or our girls and women marked with the bruises of domestic violence, rape, or murder. I often think about what kinds of images would be taken today inside our communities and what stories they would tell in relation to our health and the connection to our identity, culture, language, and sense of belonging.
Melody has worked tirelessly in the arenas of photography and First Nations health, and we’re fortunate to have her as a speaker to share her unique perspectives and experiences. Her own sense of vulnerability, purpose, and determination are captured in the photos she’s taken inside our communities, and we’ll take an intimate look at what she thinks about the processes of truth, reconciliation, and redress.
Topic: Through the Lens: Portraits of Who We Are and Where We Come From
Date: Tuesday, Nov 26th, 2024
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 PM (PST)
What Will I Learn?
You will learn about a unique perspective on the processes of truth and reconciliation.
Continue Learning
“The time to make things happen is now. The time to seek out our individual and shared power is now.”
Learn more about REDI’s Indigenous Initiatives here
Discover more about REDI’s Indigenous Initiatives Speakers Series here
Find REDI’s Indigenous-Specific Resources here