“Honouring Our Future” at the NONAM
After Canada and Great Britain, the exhibition of regalia worn by young Indigenous graduates from the Yukon opens this weekend at NONAM. An opportunity to discover, through this symbolic garment, a little-known aspect of the culture of these communities in north-western Canada, between tradition and haute couture.
Cedar bark, hare leather, elk, shell buttons and glass beads. These materials, carefully chosen for their cultural or spiritual significance, adorn a special kind of clothing collection: graduation outfits worn at high school graduation ceremonies in the Yukon. Far more than mere festive garments, these outfits are powerful symbols of the cultural identity of the Indigenous communities in this Canadian territory.
Gathered in the exhibition “Honouring Our Future”, these outfits can be admired and discovered this weekend at the North American Native Museum (NONAM) in Zurich. A first for Switzerland and for German-speaking visitors. “The exhibition has been designed by Indigenous curator Lisa Dewhurst and the Yukon Arts Centre”, says Florian Gredig, collection and exhibition curator of NONAM. “They approached us to bring it to Switzerland, and we are happy to present it in the German-speaking world for the first time.”
Created in 2021, “Honouring Our Future” was presented several times in the Yukon before being featured last summer at Canada House in London. Its creator, Lisa Dewhurst , originally from the Nlaka’pamux First Nation in southern British Columbia, was working in the cultural field when the idea of an exhibition around Indigenous Graduation Regalia was born.
But what exactly is a Graduation Regalia? Well-known in academic and school circles, these outfits, often consisting of a toga and square headdress, are worn by school and university freshly graduates during a ceremony. While the event is important everywhere, it has a special significance for the Yukon’s Indigenous communities.
The Yukon First Nations Graduation Ceremony has been held since 1975, in addition to official high school graduation ceremonies. It honors the achievements of Indigenous students, as well as their cultural heritage, their community and the resilience of the First Nations.
Thought out months in advance, the outfits for the ceremony are designed by the whole community. Families and friends get together to make the Regalia worn by the youngsters, either on the kitchen table or in the community houses. Sewing circles are formed and beads and motifs are exchanged, creating unique pieces that blend fashion and tradition.
These tailor-made garments from all regions of the Yukon will be shown to German-speaking visitors for the first time. “Fashion in the form of traditional regalia combined with individual contemporary design elements shows how Yukon First Nations celebrate their High School graduates today”, adds Florian Gredig.
The vernissage will take place on Friday April 4, in the presence of Curator Lisa Dewhurst, Mary Bradshaw, Director of Visual Arts at the Yukon Arts Centre and Elder Shirlee Frost. Other guests from Yukon will also be present, including graduates whose regalia will be on display in the exhibition. There will also be short guided tours of the exhibitions with the exhibition makers.
As part of the exhibition, which runs until September 28, a number of special events will be organized, such as “Stich für Stich, Perle für Perle”. Aimed at adults and subject to registration, this workshop, to be held tomorrow April 5 in the presence of Gwich’in Elder Shirlee Frost, will enable participants to learn more about the beading technique, an art form particularly important in North American Indigenous cultures.
“Honouring Our Future” from April 5, 2025 to September 28, 2025. Opening April 4, 2025 from 6:30 pm.
To find out more about the exhibition, visit the NONAM website.
