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7ARTSCULTUREVISUALARTSTuesdaySeptember162014ByDALICARMICHAELAsoflastweekanewquilthangsintheNorthwestTerritoriesLegislaturedepictingpersonalstoriesabouttheimpactoffetalal-coholspectrumdisorderFASDoncommu-nitiesacrosstheterritory.Thecommunityartworkprojectwaspre-sentedtotheterritorialministerofHealthandSocialServicesGlenAbernethybytheNWTFASDCommitteeonSept.9InternationalFASDDay.TheideabehindtheinitiativewastocreateanawarenessofthesupportpeoplewithFASDneedtosucceedindaytodaylifewhileremindingexpectantmotherstotakecareofthemselvesandtheirchildreninutero.ThequilthasamessageofhopeaboutFASDsaidEthelBlakemanagerofhealthandcommunitywellnesspromotionforthedepartmentofHealthandmemberofthecommittee.Thepurposeofthequiltistohanginthelegislaturetocontinueonadailybasisbringingthatmessagetotheattentionofpeoplebecause...itsanissuethatweallneedtoworktogetheron.Thereare55squaresonthequilteachlov-inglysewnbyvolunteersfromcommunitiesacrosstheNWT.Eachindividualsquaremea-sures10by10inchesasidefromthatstipula-tiontherewerenorulesforthedesign.EachsectionwascreatedusinginspirationvolunteersdrewfromtheirinteractionswithpeopleintheirliveswhohaveFASD.Werenotfocusinginonanykindofnega-tivestigmaassociatedwithFASDoralcoholconsumptionsaidDeniseMcKeeexecutivedirectoroftheNWTDisabilitiesCouncilandamemberofthecommittee.Whatwereallywanttotakealookatiscreatinghealthycommuni-tiesandhealthywomenandhealthypregnan-ciesasaresult.Wereallywantedtotakealookathowpeoplelookedatitandtoseeitaskindofanartform.TheprojectwasorganizedbyRosaWah-Sheeachildandyouthdisabilitiesconsultantwiththeterritorialgovernment.OnceallthesquaresweresubmittedquilterAnitaGrifforeofYellowknifecompletedthepiece.FASDisadevelopmentaldisordercausedbyalcoholconsumptionbyexpectantmotherswhilepregnant.Itcanresultinawiderangeofmildtosevereeffectsimpactingthephysi-calbrainandcentralnervoussystemandcancausecognitivebehaviouralandemotionalissues.Therearecurrentlynoaccuratestatis-ticsavailableontheprevalenceofFASDintheNorthwestTerritories.AccordingtoCanadasLow-RiskAlcoholDrinkingGuidelinesthereisnosafeamountandnosafetimetoconsumealcoholduringpregnancy.Inanotheractofawareness-raisingtheDis-abilityCouncilheldaclothinganditemswapfornewandexpectantmothersattheNorthernUnitedPlaceinYellowknife.Informationontheimpactsofdrinkingwhilepregnantandbreast-feedingwasservedupalongwithahotlunch.Themoms-to-bewhoattendedweregiventhechancetosignapledgetoavoiddrinkingwhilepregnantwhileotherspledgedtosupporttheirexpectantfriendsandfamilybyprovidingalcohol-freeeventswheretheywouldntfeelthepressuretoimbibe.VolunteersstitchtogetherpictureofFASDCommitteerecognizesFASDDaywithquiltgiventohealthministerHEALTHWELLNESSFASDByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheartexhibithonouringmissingandmur-deredindigenouswomenwillstopinYellow-knifeintheNewYearasitmakesitswaysteadilyacrossthecountry.WalkingWithOurSistersacommemorativeartinstallationinitiatedbyMtisartistChristiBelcourtwillbefeaturedatthePrinceofWalesNorthernHeritageCentreJan.9-262015.Themassivecollaborativeexhibitfeaturesover1800moccasinuppersrememberingandbringingawarenesstothelivesofthenearly1200indigenouswomenandgirlswhohavebeenreportedmissingorwhohavebeenmur-deredinthepast30years.NolaNallugiakexecutivedirectoroftheNa-tiveWomensAssociationoftheNWTsaidtheartinstallationisapowerfulwaytobringtolightaseriousissuethatmanyarguehasnotreceivedadequateattentionorresponsefrommediapoliticiansandlawenforcement.ItsaveryimportantsocialproblemthatneedsawarenessandneedsaspecicactionplantoeradicateitNallugiaksaid.Itshouldbecon-cerningforallCanadiansthatthisishappen-ingandIthinkitsreallygreatthatChristiwithWalkingWithOurSistersinitiatedthis.Itsabigdeal.EverybodyacrossCanadaknowswhatitsaboutwhentheyseetheupperscomingtoanycommunityinCanadatheyknowwhatitsfor.Whileeachcommunitytakesontheeventdifferentlytheformatgenerallyseesthemoc-casinupperslaidontheoorinawindingpathformation.Viewersareinvitedtoremovetheirshoesandwalkalongsidethevampseachpairrepresentingonewoman.Theunnishednatureofthemoccasinsismeanttorepresentthewayinwhichthewomensliveswerecutshortwhilethe180childrensup-persareintendedtorepresentthosewhoneverreturnedhomefromresidentialschools.Itslikeinthesystemtheyremadeinvisibleitsnotaddressedthattheyreagroupthatstar-getedthatneedstobelabeledasocialproblemNallugiaksaid.Butevenintheirdeaththeyrenotinvisible.Theunnisheduppersclearlysaythatweregonebutwerestillhereandwerenotgoingtoletthisbeuntilwereaddressed.NallugiaksaidtheconversationhasjustbeguninYellowknifeastowhatthecommuni-tysowneventwilllooklikeandwillbeguidedbycommunitymembersandelderstoensureitisrespectful.Itsverymuchagrassrootscommunityeffort.Everybodyinthisprocessisequalsoevery-bodytakestheirhatsoffandnobodyisaboveanybodyelseshesaid.TheeldersaregoingtoplayalargepartindetermininghowspirituallyandwithrespectfulnessthatthisisdoneintheNorthwestTerritorieshere.Nallugiakbelievestheexhibitwillgetthecom-munitytalkingaboutwhatneedstobedonetoaddresstheissueofviolenceagainstindigenouswomenandgirls.Itsquiteacommandingpresencewhenthoseupperscometoacommunityshesaid.Ithasadominoeffectwherepeoplestarttalk-ingaboutit...andpeoplegetrevitalizedtodosomethingaboutit.Formoreinformationortogetinvolvedintheplanningcontactwwosykgmail.com.WalkingWithOurSisterscomingtoYellowknifePhotoDarrenJacquardPhotocourtesyofWWOSMoccasinuppersbyartistsMelissaHammellAlexandreaInglangasukandHelenKnottlefttorightarethreeoftheapproximately1800setsofunnishedslippersfeaturedinthetravelingWalkingWithOurSistersexhibitwhichhonoursmissingandmurderedAboriginalwomenandchildreninNorthAmerica.MembersoftheFASDcommitteepresentacommunityquilttoHealthMinisterGlenAbernethy.