EGERTON RYERSON STATUE

BY : MARY CAMPBELL SNYDER

This is the Senior Project/Capstone for Mary Campbell Snyder (Michel First Nation, Treaty 6), Fashion Communications at Toronto Metropolitan University.

First viewing is at Mass Exodus 2025.

Toronto Metropolitan University was originally named after Egerton Ryerson who was a primary architect for Residential Schools . Although the university changed its name in 2022, the indigenous students will never forgot its founding legacy.

Tansi

/

aaniin

/

She'kon

/

Oki

/

Taanishi

/

Welcome

/

Bonjour

/

Tansi / aaniin / She'kon / Oki / Taanishi / Welcome / Bonjour /

TREATEE (pronounced Treaty) is a digital archive showcasing badass T-Shirts created by the Indigenous Peoples across the

Broken Numbered Treaties

Broken Treaties:

The Numbered Treaties signed between Canada and Sovereign First Nations were never implemented. This is why they are broken. Treaty Rights have never been properly respected even though they are recognized and upheld in Section 35 of the Constitution. Canada continues to cheat and lie and murder Indigenous Peoples in order to forcefully remove them from the land.

This Project

frames the T-Shirt as consequential material culture that is used for social/political activism by physically disrupting colonial spaces while also challenging standing definitions of what is considered Indigenous Fashion.

TREATEE’S GOALS:

Bring awareness to issues concerning Indigenous Peoples through the celebration of Indigenous Fashion and Design, using T-Shirts as a vehicle
Illustrate the diversity of Indigenous identity, whether they were born or reside on their Treaty Territory or not, Indigenous Peoples create community wherever they go finding collective similarities from a shared experience. In this case, community is created through fashion
Educate regarding the Treaties and Treaty Rights
Create a digital record to showcase the ways in which Indigenous Peoples are constantly adapting the culture and redefining what Indigenous Fashion is
Show some really cool Indigenous Designs :)

TREATY MEDAL SAW BLADE

BY : MARY CAMPBELL SNYDER

The best example of Indigenous T-Shirt Activism is the implementation of the Orange Shirt and the slogan “Every Child Matters” for Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30th in the recognition of the genocide committed against Indigenous Children from Residential Schools, Day Schools, Indian Hospitals, 60s Scoop and other thoughtfully carried out atrocities from the Canadian Government in an attempt to permanently exterminate Indigenous Peoples.