JACOBSON NATIVE ART GALLERY

JACOBSON NATIVE ART GALLERY
The home and creator of “Woodland A.I.” A new form of indigenous art. 4 Chiefs of the future by Mark Anthony Jacobson 2024
Showing posts with label decolonization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decolonization. Show all posts

Sunday, November 26, 2023

The reality is: The mantle of The woodland school of art sits right here with my son and I @ Jacobson native art

Good evening and once again welcome to where the heartbeat of truth and reconciliation is regarding my experience and understanding of the process so far. As someone who has made myself whole and one, I see things from both my white side and the Indian in me. I’m much more powerful than most. Because I see with 2 sides of my heart. This is why it’s super difficult and challenging to lie to me. To manipulate me. To deceive me. I am spirit. I am connected to Creator in such a way that I’m able to pierce through the lies and deceptions because my soul is aligned. 

And so it is when one is able to see things as Creator does. Honest, in its pure situation and reality. I feel this way as a true guardian of the entire woodland school of art and the current 5 generations of artists. There is no one at my level in the entire knowing of hundreds of artists throughout the woodland school. I am truly the only one who knows and has worked with hundreds from  the first generation of artists to the current new ones beginning to blossom in our 5th generation. There are no academics or historical researchers who even come close. That’s my strength and power through direct experiences. Not even anything or anyone Morrisseau can claim that. I’m the key who sees them all. And that is direct from Creator spirit. It’s the knowledge and the experience. It’s unfuckable. 

My sovereignty as Anishanabe supersedes anything colonial including anything Canadian. It’s our law, Creators law. I am one with that law. It’s been here for 10’s of thousands of years. Fuckin old school. That’s how I choose to roll. I speak truth. I am truth. I am an instrument of truth. Miigwetch and all my relations....MAJ 

READ THIS: 

Learning truth: 🌈🦅🌈


Crown Title:  A Colonial Lie


"Most Canadians assume that somehow Canada acquired formal title to this land 150 years ago in the British North America Act, the country’s founding document. That this is not the case is clearly reflected in the fact that Canada is still desperately negotiating with hundreds of First Nations to have them surrender, once and for all, their title to the lands given to us by the Creator.

So, it is clear even today that Canada and the provinces that were created by an Act of the British Parliament in 1867 do not have any inherent authority in our territories. In the creation of the state, the lie of underlying title was passed along without much thought to the implications. Or, if the British House of Commons or Lords thought of the implications, there was a decision made at some point to try to simply disinherit the rights of our nations.

We see the continuation of these same legal lies today in the so-called British Columbia treaty process, which is clearly a sham process. It is not a treaty process. It is not dealing with the real issues of underlying title. The land claims policy of Canada works from the assumption that the title vests in the Crown and that the Indians are making a “claim” for our own lands and territories.

The British used the Doctrine of Discovery to assert authority and jurisdiction over our territories throughout Turtle Island. It was to prevent other colonizers from asserting their jurisdiction. The British Crown sent representatives across the oceans to the shore of our island. What they saw, they wanted. There was only one problem. The lands and resources were being used by our nations. In order to gain access to our territories, the British Crown enacted the Royal Proclamation of 1763 to govern the subjects. This Proclamation was for the subjects of the Crown to follow when trying to access our territories. There are three important aspects of the Royal Proclamation: 1) In order to access the lands and territories of “Indian Nations or Tribes,” there needed to be an agreement or a treaty. 2) If the Crown’s subjects were within the territories of the Indian Nations or Tribes, the Crown was obligated to remove them (they would be considered squatters). 3) Agreements or treaties would be made only if the Indians “so desired.” This makes treaties a prerequisite to the Crown’s subjects legitimately moving into the territories of Indigenous Nations.

There was a start to the treaty-making process that moved from the east going west and north; when the colonizers reached the Rocky Mountains, they stopped making treaties with our nations. Except for the treaties made on Vancouver Island and a small section of the northeastern part of what is now called British Columbia, the rest of the present province remains without the treaties that were demanded by the directives of the British Crown.

In 1972, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – which some people refer to as the World Court – issued an advisory opinion in relation to the rights of Indigenous peoples in the Western Sahara case. The Court struck down the concepts of discovery, conquest and terra nullius -lands without any people. Our nations were never discovered; we were not lost. We were not conquered. Our territories were not terra nullius – the ICJ directed that there needed to be a treaty prior to entering into their territory. British Columbia and large areas of Canada did not have treaties with the colonizers. Instead, Canada tries to manipulate the treaty process. The policies leave our nations in debt as our small underfunded communities need to borrow money to have the resources to negotiate with Canada. The irony of the whole process is not lost on our old people – “Why are we borrowing money to talk about our lands?” Then, there are the non-ending unilateral decisions by Canada while it changes the non-ending policies and directives. Canada makes no attempt to have a true treaty relationship based on trust and good faith. It is one-sided. It is also contrary to the United Nations’ directives.

This was clear in Canada’s creation of the federal Comprehensive Land Claims Policy in 1986. This is a policy. It is not a law. It is not based on the elements of the Royal Proclamation of 1763. Canada continues to seek certainty largely through a de facto extinguishment of Aboriginal title. Most of the recent settlements contain a clause: “This Agreement constitutes the full and final settlement in respect of the aboriginal rights, including aboriginal title, in Canada of X First Nation.” If our nations did not have title, why does the state spend so much money and time to get the nations to sign off on the extinguishment clauses of a claims settlement?

There is no attempt by Canada to seek co-existence as set out in the Royal Proclamation, which recognized our nations and tribes as having ownership to our lands and the need for a treaty to access them. What is so hard to understand? Ownership would eliminate poverty. It would raise up our nations to their rightful place in the family of nations. Clearly, the state of Canada has a vested interest in maintaining the lie."

Sharon Venne

Enjoy this track by Blanka Barbara featuring Amber Long titled: Epiphany 

Monday, October 24, 2022

Honouring true apprenticeship in the heart of the woodland school @ Jacobson native art

Good afternoon to each and everyone and thank you for all the positive energy and love these days as we transition into another season heading into the wonders of the great snowfall. Sitting up here deep in the Kootenay mountains I recently had the honour of one of my apprentices of 3 years now come up from Vancouver to pay a visit.

We got to hang out and paint, paint and paint. We shared life stories, teachings and the spiritual connection and powers inherent in the woodland school of art. That there is an order of actions and protocols that one should learn in practicing the art form. For those that do not know this or in whom do not practice the spirituality of the art? You are completely missing the point. You are lost at sea...most likely lost in the abyss of colonialism. 

It is important to have understanding of the spirits of these animal clan totems in which we are blessed to work with. A working knowledge of feasting the spirits and ancestors as there is spirit memory attached to these energies involving the clarity of the art form and its spirit. We must be humble in this regard because one can hurt themselves as in the case of Morrisseau himself. Guys like Roy Thomas, Gelineau Fisher, Moses Amik Beaver, Blake Debassige, Saul Williams, my uncle Jimi Oskineegish along with a few others understood this. 

The ability to practice a good sense of living your life in a good way. I would say that sobriety from alcohol is also key as the temple of the artist should be well balanced with that as well. Things like peyote, mushrooms or even pot should be regarded as medicine. For it grows from our earth mother to help us in these regards. I’m a peyote boy and have been involved with sponsoring meetings etc for 20 years now. That medicine is very very powerful for us here on turtle island. The only real way to use it is in ceremony and to pray with it, throughout the night with a fire by your side. 

These things I have found to benefit my spiritual health and practice. I pray every day and do something ceremonially each day as well. My life is a living spiritual experience. This is the light that can be found in our art. This is the love found in who we are. The great Anishanabe. An honour to carry this life force into my very being, a greater honour to pass on this awareness and knowledge. From one brother to another....

All my relations...MAJ 

Enjoy this Peyote prayer song titled: A new dawn by Louie Gonnie. A respected brother...

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Celebrating the successful end of season @ Jacobson native art 2022 edition

 
Good evening to each and everyone. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve last posted but indeed it is because of a very successful season. I am absolutely delighted to have been able to touch thousands of souls this summer. What an incredible and life changing experience. The spiritual energy and power that was being exchanged throughout the summer of 2022 will last a lifetime. 

I’m super happy to know that there is a needed spiritual force taking shape across the cultural fabric of our lands as First Nations and both Canadians and travellers from around the world got to share in the healing. Most important though this year is the growth and development of my boy, Sagein. He loved it at the gallery and open art studio this year. He’s only 4 years old but wow did he ever touch a lot of lives.


A real big and significant experience for him was meeting all kinds of new people from around the world. You could tell how impacted he was by everyone and he grew a liking to each and everyone who were inclined by his energy and presence.He was my sidekick at the gallery, helping dadda close a few sales and having a bunch of fun in the process. 

I must admit it was a lot of hard work showing up and giving er everyday for weeks on end. Quite a shift after the pandemic and being withdrawn from human activity like the rest of the world was from 2020 to this summer of 2022. All in all it was fantastic and I’m looking forward to next season with new plans and actions that are manifesting. Until then my friends I say chi-meegwetch to all of you and wishing you all beautiful energy and love...all my relations, MAJ 

Enjoy this track by George Fitzgerald - Setting sun. In honour of my boy, Sagein Wisdom


I love you son.  Forever...