Responding to Change

By Floyd Black Horse

May 4, 2022

I've been asked to contribute a response to a recent d.talks conversation called "Horizon" between Indigenous architects Wanda Dalla Costa and Douglas Cardinal. In the process of restoring my mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health, I look forward to a brighter, exceptional future where all beings are respected and hierarchy does not dictate how we feel or where we should be in life.

Canadian figures such as Cardinal and Dalla Costa are speaking from their experience in the architectural field as minorities who have made achievements in our communities in the hopes more doors can open for their people in education and we can succeed further in numbers.

By achieving their goals, our native lands can be sustained without exclusion or penalties for our future generations and we can lead healthier, vibrant lives separate from just trying to survive everyday.

Among Treaty 7 communities in southern Alberta, connecting with mother Earth and the land is a part of our daily prayers. 

We ask for unity in times of crisis and blessings of good health for the continuity of our generations. 

Daily prayer is not an easy task.  

Ceremony is not an easy event to attend.

Most often, our families gather together in memorial rather than celebration. 

Losses within our communities affect our entire nation. Our spirituality comes at great cost and sacrifice.

We are a suffering people.

At the core of Indigenous livelihood is the need to constantly heal.

We are healing from traffic, noise, low air quality, poor service, unconscious bias and exclusion from sports every night of the week.

To be part of the modern day world is to lose our ancestral knowledge and have it returned to us only after we have endured all the rules and laws of the government.

So when a building goes up, our names are not often attached. Our Elders may be invited to commemorate an opening. But there is no recognition that they are safe or welcome there. The prominent names on the door are the donors. Names of the community members that have contributed to the building are not visible. 

Our involvement in city-projects generally holds no power in politics, economy or media. They are extremely limited to say the least.

For far too long, we as Indigenous people have hit the glass ceiling when it comes to building our own buildings. Our fall from grace is ignored. Recognition for our contribution is limited to being spiritual, a blessing. Douglas Cardinal and Wanda Dalla Costa are shattering that ceiling, making permanent structures that recognize their intelligence and contribution to a building.

Our leaders in designing for our futures said ceremony and mother Earth are two ways we can learn from one another.

By seeking permission from Elders for each project before beginning a design, Douglas Cardinal is leading a way forward in thinking about relationships. Non-Indigenous people are encouraged more and more to join Indigenous ceremonies and understand the native ways of harmony with Mother nature.

Indeed, territorial ceremonies need to be organized with those donors before making changes to our shared landscape and effectively, changing the course of our lived experiences.

For many Indigenous people, the exchange is mutual: we have assimilated, now assimilation back to our ways and natural laws must be practiced at every organizational level. 

This means a war against different views must end. We need better relationships.

There is bloodshed happening across our lands.

Floyd Black Horse is one of many Canadian Blackfoot artists and writers. Most recently, he has provided Instructional services at Old Sun Community College on the Siksika Nation. Floyd developed this response piece to offer insight into the discussion between Wanda Dalla Costa and Douglas Cardinal on April 19, 2022. Writing a personal response while navigating the burden of speaking for a larger community, we are grateful to Floyd for his contribution to this discussion. View more about the event here.