Organizational Challenges
The IACC serves Indigenous peoples only. In 1990, the United States created a truth-in-advertising law called The Indian Arts and Crafts Act that prohibits misrepresentation in the marketing of Indian (Native American/Indigenous) art and craft products.
Unfortunately Canada has not prioritized this work and the responsibility entirely falls on individual organizations and artists to self identify and validate their own work as authentically Indigenous. The IACC as a National Arts Service Organization is committed to ensuring that viewers have an easy way to identify artists within our membership by clearly labeling our membership lists, platforms and programming. The IACC will not tolerate misrepresentation and fraud will result in loss of membership.
Organizational Mandate
The IACC firmly supports requirements that obligate individuals to validate their relationship to living Indigenous peoples and communities.
Furthermore, the IACC requires that all member artists have a firm commitment to:
- the protection and development of endangered Indigenous art forms,
- maintain the integrity and history of traditional Indigenous art forms,
- contribute to the transmission of Indigenous knowledge within our families and sovereign nations.
Indigenous Identity
At present, there is a particularly volatile climate surrounding Indigenous identity. People who perpetuate the myth that Indigenous identity is self determined and not reliant on any relationships with Indigenous nations/tribes or communities are now called 'pretendians' or 'race shifters'. These people claim Indigenous identities and many are 'self identifying' without having actual relationships/connections to people and communities. Many of these organizations and individuals are getting access to funding that is meant for Indigenous organizations, peoples and communities. Note: this does not include victims of Indian child apprehension and Indian displacement practices (Sixties Scoop, residential school, incarceration) by government and church run programming. The IACC stands firm in our strategy of transparency; all IACC members are required to validate their identity.
Funding and Services Access
Funding specific to Indigenous peoples or communities is in place for specific reasons such as to improve quality of life, increase services to marginalized communities and to mitigate damages to cultures as a result of colonization and cultural genocide.
The IACC strongly opposes the distribution of Indigenous funding and services to non-Indigenous people. Furthermore, the IACC is taking steps to ensure that the funding received is only used toward programs and services for Indigenous peoples.
IACC Solutions • A Timeline
This process is fluid and fast changing...
Important notes:
Existing and new members will not see any changes to their membership other than the addition of an identity verification. If you are a member participating in our programming and receiving emails, this will not change. IACC is inclusive and we're here to help everyone as long as we have funding to do so.
The IACC is actively monitoring the situation and adopting best practices exampled by organizations and people who are making change through research. We recognize a need to move beyond self identification. We are a First Nations women led organization (all board are status card numbered Indians under the outdated Indian Act) and the internal arguments of the Métis peoples are not ours and so we hold no opinions; we do not enter into conversations regarding who is and who is not Métis. We are however, aware that Red River, Manitoba is an origin/land base and limit our resources to including those members as a priority group.
In all cases, IACC doesn't not support or promote pan-Indigenous groups or unassociated Métis organizations and maintains that criteria and rules may change. We will do our best to remain up to date.
In conclusion, these efforts by the IACC are meant to protect the membership that has honoured us with their trust.
Our goals also include:
- providing viewers of our website authentic resources,
- providing seekers of workshop facilitators vetted Indigenous artists,
- provide researchers and buyers of Indigenous art, vetted Indigenous artists.
Some resources include:
