Over the centuries, several colonial institutions have attempted to dominate Indigenous communities and their lands. The Church, the British Crown, and the government have each played this role in Canada at different times. Even today, the Indian Act governs a wide range of aspects of First Nations life. It dictates who can be recognized as a “registered Indian,” where they can live while enjoying all the rights reserved for them, what system can govern them, and so on. Her Majesty’s Indians directly addresses these issues, ironically recalling the former status of Indigenous peoples as wards of the Queen (or King) and their current status as wards of the federal government. Here, religion is represented by a disturbing trap, the little baptismal gown is reminiscent of residential schools, and clearly, the King does not deign to attend the ceremony that has been prepared for him… Through her work, Jobena Petonoquot criticizes the atrocities perpetrated—even today—against Indigenous peoples by colonial forces, while exploring the demonization of her culture by those same forces. In light of history, who is the Bringer of Death? The raven or the tea people?
Beyond trauma, the artist attests above all of the strength of Indigenous communities and the beauty of their cultures, including her own Anishinaabe culture. A connection is woven between each installation: that of beadwork, that of a relationship with the land and with living things. She thus reminds us that the natural world is a place of healing. This is evidenced by the soil brought from her community of Kitigan Zibi, the cedar and other medicinal plants that inhabit the exhibition space. “My intention is to bring healing. […] If history is written by the victors, as an Indigenous artist, I have the power to change that narrative.”
Jobena is of Algonquin ancestry from Kitigan Zibi, Quebec. Flowing primarily from the teachings of her maternal grandfather of Anishinaabe and Irish descent, Jobena Petonoquot’s practice emphasizes resilience and pride in her Aboriginal identity as well as the defence of traditional values. She creates narrative works that take a critical and sensitive look at Canada’s colonial history, as well as highlighting the beauty of her culture and her love of the land. Her art practice is also influenced by her own Indigenous experience, in the sense that she doesn’t intend to speak for her people. She has presented her work in exhibitions and events in Quebec, Canada, and the United States. In 2018, she was the first Indigenous artist to win the Impressions Residency at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Her work is part of numerous private and public collections.
Her Majesty’s Indians is presented by Ahkwayaonhkeh and Mois Multi.