How this Yellowknife artist is using beading as an act of non-violent protest
Yellowknife-based artist Nigit'stil Norbert turned to the tradition of beading in order to question violence, stereotyping and the way we treat the Earth.
"Wearing this headpiece, I feel like I am creating a warrior"
Nigit'stil Norbert is an Indigenous artist and an activist. She's made her presence known in politics as well as the arts, running for the Northwest Territories' Legislative Assembly in 2015. So it's fitting that her artwork is similarly multidisciplinary — spanning performance, photography and textiles.
In this video made by filmmaker Mary Caroline Cox, Norbert explains how the tradition of beading has become a tool for her own acts of non-violent protest. Creating a headpiece through beading helps her gain strength and take charge of her own identity. "Wearing this headpiece, I feel like I am creating a warrior," she says.
Watch Exhibitionists Sunday at 4:30pm (5pm NT) on CBC TV.