DOJINAC

DOJINAC

Polychrome Wood 2004

164.5 x 61.0 x 61.0 cm

(643/4” x 24.0” x 24.0”)

Collection: Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

DOJINAC is a building “game” that incorporates many of the historic events, issues, advancements of the aboriginal peoples in Canada. The inspiration for DOJINAC comes from a number of different sources. It is reminiscent of the cribbing that was set in place to stabilize the outriggers of cranes; the piling of hardwoods to air dry; and the game JANGA.

DOJINAC is, in a sense, a game that represents the political stability of aboriginal peoples. Pieces are set four per layer with the next layers set at 90 degrees alternately. The object of the “game” is to remove pieces from anywhere in structure and place them in the top layers and have the structure grow upward, as far as you dare, without it toppling. Ultimately, you do not want to be the person responsible for that collapse.

Each layer consists of four pieces that represent the four sacred colours of the medicine wheel. Some consider the four colours to represent four different races while others believe they represent the four directions. Each of the pieces is titled will an issue or event from our history and a list of the pieces will follow.

The manner in which they some of the lettering has been applied is significant. The red pieces are lettered in white finger prints and the very “unsubtle” message is: white finger prints all over our “red” history. The white pieces are lettered in red finger prints, symbolic of our blood and toil as we work to regain the benefits of inherent, aboriginal and treaty rights.

The following is a list of titles for each piece. Please note that the yellow pieces, the brightest pieces, have been titled with all that aboriginal peoples hold sacred and as sources of hope. The black pieces have been titled with the darkest events and issues that aboriginal peoples have endured. The colour lists are by no means exhaustive but represent a starting point from which refinements and alterations can be made. The colour lists are as follows.

RED

WHITE PAPER

LAND CLAIMS

C-7 FNGA

SEC. 91.24

INDIAN AGENT

INDIAN ACT

GENOCIDE

RESERVATIONS

TREATIES

COLONIALISM

TAXATION

ASSIMILATION

WHITE

RCAP

DELGAMUUKW

INHERENT RIGHTS

MARSHALL

TREATY RIGHTS

ABORIGINAL RIGHTS

PENNER

OKA

GUERIN

SPARROW

CALDER

SEC. 35

YELLOW

ABORIGINAL YOUTH

SAGE

SWEETGRASS

CEDAR

MOTHER EARTH

CREATOR

DRUM

SONGS

STORIES

ELDERS

TEACHINGS

TOBACCO

BLACK

RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS

EXTINGUISHMENT

BILL C-7 FIRST NATIONS GOVERNANCE ACT

BILL C-6

NON ASSERTION/ FALL BACK RELEASE TECHNIQUE

1995 INHERENT RIGHTS POLICY

NON – NON DEROGATION AMENDMENT

D.O.J. / I.N.A.C.

BILL C-19 FIRST NATIONS FISCAL INSTITUTIONS ACT

ABROGATION

COURTS, COURTS, COURTS

DEROGATION