My family is originally from the Métis community of St. Laurent Manitoba. From an early age, I learned about the struggle of the Métis and the aboriginal people in the formation of Canada. My mother and father told me to be proud of my heritage and history. My grandfather Louis George Clawfoot became a war veteran because of his involvement in World War 2 in the Dieppe raid. These two facts fuelled later my curiosity in history and art.
Unfortunately, my whole family was plagued with alcoholism especially my father. The abuses that concurred forced my mom to separate my father and move our family to Winnipeg for a better future. The big city had challenges of their own but my mom instilled in us the importance of education and hard work.
After the divorce of my father and mother, it was challenging to focus in school and so I failed to grade six and eight but I never gave up. Exposed to the so-called multi cultural society of Canada in the school system I did not fully understand the blind racism of that system and the drop out rate of my Aboriginal brothers and sisters. The only course throughout my junior high and high school experience that gave me any encouragement was the Art program. I learned to love to challenge myself to paint and other art mediums. Learning about art history in the grade twelve, I learned how Aboriginal Art did not have the same level of respect compared to the Western Fine Art by it being termed folk art. Although I excelled in Art, I did not apply myself with confidence in my other courses. In 1995, I graduated with a C average but I had no clear goal to where I was going and no confidence in myself to achieve any post secondary education. I needed to be experience the real world of work.
I ended up working at odd jobs such as a gas attendant at Domo, a weight shifter at Monarch Industries and a clerk at the Taxation Center. During these experiences, I felt like a spoke on a wheel forced to work for crumbs and made to feel like I had to be happy about it. These experiences taught me that I needed post secondary education to achieve a fulfilling career, but I believed I needed to upgrade my grade twelve.
Through 1999 to 2000, I attended an Aboriginal school called the Urban Circle Training Center in their Pre-Access Program. I took not only regular type Grade 12 courses such as Math, English, and Computers but also Aboriginal traditional teachings. I learned about the sharing circle, smudging and the sweat lodge. Through this experience, it gave me the confidence and the courage to pursue my dream of getting a post secondary education at the University of Manitoba in the Access Program.
In 2001 upon my acceptance to the university, I had a definite goal to achieve first a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Major in History than secondly a Bachelor of Education. Although this year would have been my last year in a three-year program this year, I chose to transfer over to the faculty of Fine Arts. The experience I had the previous year as part of the requirement for my minor in art history I took one studio course and I felt that I belonged in fine arts. I would rather teach art than history and do art on the side. Currently my work is about several subjects such cultural genocide, identity, and personal experiences.
The Business Council of Manitoba through their bursary program for Aboriginal program has supported me throughout my four-year academic history. In addition, I have received financial help the last two years from the Access bursary program. Although these financial bursaries have helped tremendously towards the achievement of my degree the Fine Arts program require far more monies than a regular Arts program because the supplies required need to be often replenished.
I am at present part of the Access Student Group council and I am the treasurer. Our group is currently raising funds to acquire new computers and a new network printer for our Access Student body. I have also been involved with the annual Elders Gathering held at the University of Manitoba where the elders teach traditional knowledge to students and to whoever wants to learn more about traditional wisdom.
Unfortunately, my whole family was plagued with alcoholism especially my father. The abuses that concurred forced my mom to separate my father and move our family to Winnipeg for a better future. The big city had challenges of their own but my mom instilled in us the importance of education and hard work.
After the divorce of my father and mother, it was challenging to focus in school and so I failed to grade six and eight but I never gave up. Exposed to the so-called multi cultural society of Canada in the school system I did not fully understand the blind racism of that system and the drop out rate of my Aboriginal brothers and sisters. The only course throughout my junior high and high school experience that gave me any encouragement was the Art program. I learned to love to challenge myself to paint and other art mediums. Learning about art history in the grade twelve, I learned how Aboriginal Art did not have the same level of respect compared to the Western Fine Art by it being termed folk art. Although I excelled in Art, I did not apply myself with confidence in my other courses. In 1995, I graduated with a C average but I had no clear goal to where I was going and no confidence in myself to achieve any post secondary education. I needed to be experience the real world of work.
I ended up working at odd jobs such as a gas attendant at Domo, a weight shifter at Monarch Industries and a clerk at the Taxation Center. During these experiences, I felt like a spoke on a wheel forced to work for crumbs and made to feel like I had to be happy about it. These experiences taught me that I needed post secondary education to achieve a fulfilling career, but I believed I needed to upgrade my grade twelve.
Through 1999 to 2000, I attended an Aboriginal school called the Urban Circle Training Center in their Pre-Access Program. I took not only regular type Grade 12 courses such as Math, English, and Computers but also Aboriginal traditional teachings. I learned about the sharing circle, smudging and the sweat lodge. Through this experience, it gave me the confidence and the courage to pursue my dream of getting a post secondary education at the University of Manitoba in the Access Program.
In 2001 upon my acceptance to the university, I had a definite goal to achieve first a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Major in History than secondly a Bachelor of Education. Although this year would have been my last year in a three-year program this year, I chose to transfer over to the faculty of Fine Arts. The experience I had the previous year as part of the requirement for my minor in art history I took one studio course and I felt that I belonged in fine arts. I would rather teach art than history and do art on the side. Currently my work is about several subjects such cultural genocide, identity, and personal experiences.
The Business Council of Manitoba through their bursary program for Aboriginal program has supported me throughout my four-year academic history. In addition, I have received financial help the last two years from the Access bursary program. Although these financial bursaries have helped tremendously towards the achievement of my degree the Fine Arts program require far more monies than a regular Arts program because the supplies required need to be often replenished.
I am at present part of the Access Student Group council and I am the treasurer. Our group is currently raising funds to acquire new computers and a new network printer for our Access Student body. I have also been involved with the annual Elders Gathering held at the University of Manitoba where the elders teach traditional knowledge to students and to whoever wants to learn more about traditional wisdom.
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