MFA Thesis Oral Defence, Crystal Przybille: Transforming Settler Identity Through Art And Engagement With Indigenous Culture In The Okanagan

Crystal Przybille will defend the dissertation titled:

Transforming Settler Identity Through Art And Engagement With Indigenous Culture In The Okanagan

The image many non-Indigenous Canadians have of our past and present is of a peaceful, progressive nation of immigrants and descendants of pioneering settlers. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s findings re-examines this image. The findings encourage us to recognize how we benefit from, and are complicit in, the Canadian enterprise that has, and continues to, oppress Indigenous peoples.

After coming to a better understanding of this need, I determined to further apply my work in the arts for the purpose of reconciliation. This led me to work alongside members of the Indigenous community in the Okanagan to help foster a public re-examination and understanding of history.

Through my experiences, I attempted to investigate my own complicity and ways of being that run counter to reconciliation. Examining our own mistakes and delusions is difficult. It’s also vital for making positive change, benefitting all.