While I am not posting here as much these days as I would like to, I am compelled to share with you a blog about a conceptual gem that I found on Twitter today as it has to do with the #Law of #Treaties, #contracts and #Art. Just this past week I was watching a lot of videos on YouTube about #Wampum belts and learnt more about how they were to be worn, how they were interpreted and how they were used. Needless to say, I am very inspired by them. Here is a link to one of the best videos I watched about Wampum Belts.
When #Kwakwakawakw artist #Carey #Newman received an offer to buy his art work from the #MuseumHumanRights, he thought back to Treaty, and no doubt, he must have pondered on the physical artifacts of wampum belts and the #oral #tradition that surrounds them for he arrived at a new type of legal contract with respect to his art work. Instead of selling it outright and surrendering the rights to the piece, he wrote an agreement that gave his work #SPIRIT and created a #fluid relationship for its existence.
"A fluid, permanent relationship between the two parties — or three, counting the Witness Blanket — one that involves revisiting the terms every few years and talking about how to move forward together."
WOW. Mind blowing. Imagine, if only we Settlers had pressured our Government to honour the Treaties according to First Peoples Law, imagine how wonderful our world would be! It is my dream that this #cultural commons will evolve to where we collectively revisit the terms of our commons, once we establish them in our governance model, every few years.
The terms of this commons, which remain to be decided by the members of the commons, will be based on input from First Peoples & Settlers alike and reflect on our shared history of Treaties & Genocide and knowledge of First Peoples Law, Customs and Ways.
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