High school student uses art to express her Indigenous identity
A 17-year-old high school student from Edmonton is creating vibrant artwork to express her Indigenous identity – incorporating animals specific to Indigenous culture such as eagles, bears and wolves.
Jewel Auger, a Grade 12 student at Louis St. Laurent Catholic High School, began using art as a way to express her Indigenous identity. Combining drawing tips from online sources and using her own creative mind, Auger began drawing to “represent an underrepresented group.”
The young artist, who describes herself as shy, said she felt cautious at first to open up about her identity since she was one of few Indigenous students in her school.
“There are barely any Aboriginal kids in my school – like, very little,” she said.
The artwork was originally created for her close family members, but she soon received plenty of support and excitement from teachers and classmates.
“It felt really nice to know students and other teachers saw it. It lets me know I’m doing something right,” she said.
Auger told CTV News Edmonton that her mother taught her about residential schools and the intergenerational trauma involved. Auger’s mother and grandmother attended residential schools, which she says affected their entire lives.
After the remains of 215 children were found on the grounds of the residential school in Kamloops, B.C.,Auger said it created a conversation amongst younger students.
“I think it’s good that it is in the news and even on social media. Almost every day I go on Instagram and I see people in my school posting little posts about what happened in B.C.,” said Auger. “It’s fairly shocking because we don’t really get recognition – especially teenagers. They don’t really post about that stuff.”
Shannon Loutitt, a grad coach, says art for Indigenous people plays a very important role in representing culture, spirituality and language.
“People like Jewel highlight that people like us also carry intergenerational strength given to us by our ancestors,” said Loutitt.
Michelle Zapisocky, an art teacher, said she had the privilege of watching Auger grow from a quiet junior high student to a young woman.
“It’s fantastic to have other students and teachers see this side of Jewel because she is a quieter student. I feel her voice has become louder and louder through her artwork,” said Zapisocky.
Zapisocky said she was patiently awaiting Auger’s decision to express her Indigenous identity through artwork.
“It made me really proud when all of a sudden she came to school and had this really beautiful eagle piece and her explanation of how the eagle travels through darkness and trials and tribulations. He moves into becoming this beautiful multi-coloured being in the end,” she said.
Loutitt says Auger acts as a positive role model for other Indigenous youth. Describing the younger generation as “carrying the torch” for revitalized ways of knowing and being.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.