Thoughts on Project Atigi 2.0 by Canada Goose
Last winter Canada Goose announced a partnership with fourteen Indigenous women, who would each hand bead Canada Goose parkas to be sold as limited edition items. The proceeds of these parkas went back to the indigenous communities from where these fourteen women originated. This entire collaboration was called Project Atigi. When I read about this partnership I had numerous questions and was hoping I would get answers from some Indigenous Toronto designers. Despite my numerous emails, no one responded and I dropped my blog idea... until Friday. On Friday, Project Atigi 2.0 was announced and I am still looking for answers to my questions, so I will ask the general population and hope to be answered.
To reiterate: Fourteen women from different Indigenous backgrounds hand made a select number of parkas (with Canada Goose materials and added beading), being sold from $5,000 to $7,500. The proceeds went directly to Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, an advocacy organisation for Canada's Inuit. This year eighteen women are being commissioned with the same task at hand.
Photo: Canada Goose
My questions come from a place of confusion. While I think the basis of Project Atigi comes from a good place, I do have some criticisms of what this project fundamentally represents and who it is marketted for. Now, I do not have the statistics to see who specifically purchased these parkas but at 5K a jacket, I can only imagine wealthy people were so inclined. I am going to assume that the wealthy people purchasing these parkas are not Indigenous and are of another cultural descent (do you see where I'm headed?). Is purchasing one of these jackets, while well intentionned, cultural appropriation? It may seem obvious, considering it is a collaboration with these seamstresses, that it is not cultural appropriation but I am not sure it is so clear. If I were to purchase one of these beautiful coats, I would have no idea of the cultural significance of the beading or any grasp on why it is important. I would be purchasing the coat to support ITK and because it's pretty, not because I understand the actual ramifications or significance behind the the creation of these parkas. If I saw someone wearing this coat, and complimented them, they would most likely launch into how the coat supports Indigenous designers but would they really be able to tell me anything more, or would they just be bragging that they donated to a cause?
This train of thought launches me to wonder, why as a society we need to have tangible evidence that we are good people? Now, I am by no means saying do not buy this coat or judging those who have - they are beautiful and they are supporting ITK. To those who purchase these coats I ask, how else are you supporting the Indigenous? Before Project Atigi, I admit I had no idea what ITK was or any foundations that supported Inuit Canadians (though I had never researched it before). What I wonder is, if the people who can afford to buy these lavish coats and support ITK are doing anything to further support the Inuit. Purchasing something in which the proceeds go to a cause, while good intentioned, is still superficial. Why do we need to be given buttons or stickers to say we donated, to say we voted, to show we care? Now this question is big and rhetorical, but fundamentally as people we are more likely to support a cause if we receive something in return as opposed to just donating directly to the source.
At the end of the day, the Inuit and Indigenous peoples still need our funding and support. Many reservations do not have clean water. We are still trying to reconcile with the people who lived in Canada before it even WAS Canada and yet collaborations like Project Atigi are still needed to create awareness and generate funding. I want to be a part of a society that willingly donates money without needing the jacket as proof, without needing the stickers and buttons to show we are good people. I don't want to wonder if I am culturally appropriating by supporting someone's work. I don't want to feel a group of people needs to sell out just to generate awareness for their own causes.
Again, what Project Atigi is doing is good: giving Inuit designers a platform to showcase their talent, donating money to ITK, supporting local artists. Ideally we would be able to support these people without needing Canada Goose's publicity. I hope that anyone who purchases these jackets understands the significance of what they are wearing. In fairness, I don't know I would truly understand the craftsmanship and work that goes into one parka alone. I also hope that more people donate directly to ITK and support Inuit and Indigenous artists. This blog is by no means meant to shame people who purchase the coats, or to discourage people from purchasing them. While I do not fully support Canada Goose, I am not against Project Atigi at all. I simply hope more awareness can be generated around ITK and the issues Indigenous people face daily and that as a society we are able to reflect and support them as much as possible with our without materialistic rewards.
To reiterate: Fourteen women from different Indigenous backgrounds hand made a select number of parkas (with Canada Goose materials and added beading), being sold from $5,000 to $7,500. The proceeds went directly to Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, an advocacy organisation for Canada's Inuit. This year eighteen women are being commissioned with the same task at hand.
My questions come from a place of confusion. While I think the basis of Project Atigi comes from a good place, I do have some criticisms of what this project fundamentally represents and who it is marketted for. Now, I do not have the statistics to see who specifically purchased these parkas but at 5K a jacket, I can only imagine wealthy people were so inclined. I am going to assume that the wealthy people purchasing these parkas are not Indigenous and are of another cultural descent (do you see where I'm headed?). Is purchasing one of these jackets, while well intentionned, cultural appropriation? It may seem obvious, considering it is a collaboration with these seamstresses, that it is not cultural appropriation but I am not sure it is so clear. If I were to purchase one of these beautiful coats, I would have no idea of the cultural significance of the beading or any grasp on why it is important. I would be purchasing the coat to support ITK and because it's pretty, not because I understand the actual ramifications or significance behind the the creation of these parkas. If I saw someone wearing this coat, and complimented them, they would most likely launch into how the coat supports Indigenous designers but would they really be able to tell me anything more, or would they just be bragging that they donated to a cause?
This train of thought launches me to wonder, why as a society we need to have tangible evidence that we are good people? Now, I am by no means saying do not buy this coat or judging those who have - they are beautiful and they are supporting ITK. To those who purchase these coats I ask, how else are you supporting the Indigenous? Before Project Atigi, I admit I had no idea what ITK was or any foundations that supported Inuit Canadians (though I had never researched it before). What I wonder is, if the people who can afford to buy these lavish coats and support ITK are doing anything to further support the Inuit. Purchasing something in which the proceeds go to a cause, while good intentioned, is still superficial. Why do we need to be given buttons or stickers to say we donated, to say we voted, to show we care? Now this question is big and rhetorical, but fundamentally as people we are more likely to support a cause if we receive something in return as opposed to just donating directly to the source.
At the end of the day, the Inuit and Indigenous peoples still need our funding and support. Many reservations do not have clean water. We are still trying to reconcile with the people who lived in Canada before it even WAS Canada and yet collaborations like Project Atigi are still needed to create awareness and generate funding. I want to be a part of a society that willingly donates money without needing the jacket as proof, without needing the stickers and buttons to show we are good people. I don't want to wonder if I am culturally appropriating by supporting someone's work. I don't want to feel a group of people needs to sell out just to generate awareness for their own causes.
Again, what Project Atigi is doing is good: giving Inuit designers a platform to showcase their talent, donating money to ITK, supporting local artists. Ideally we would be able to support these people without needing Canada Goose's publicity. I hope that anyone who purchases these jackets understands the significance of what they are wearing. In fairness, I don't know I would truly understand the craftsmanship and work that goes into one parka alone. I also hope that more people donate directly to ITK and support Inuit and Indigenous artists. This blog is by no means meant to shame people who purchase the coats, or to discourage people from purchasing them. While I do not fully support Canada Goose, I am not against Project Atigi at all. I simply hope more awareness can be generated around ITK and the issues Indigenous people face daily and that as a society we are able to reflect and support them as much as possible with our without materialistic rewards.
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