Through tattooing, Dion Kaszas is playing a key role in stitching together the fabric of indigenous identity that colonization aimed to destroy.

That role is recognized in Skindigenous, a series on APTN TV that features indigenous tattoo artists from places around the world including New Zealand, Alaska, Indonesia, the Philippines, Samoa and Canada.

Kaszas, who grew up in Salmon Arm and practises his skill at Vertigo Tattoo, is described in the series as a leader in the revival of indigenous tattooing.

The revival is also a personal one, as he explains at the opening of the episode.

Amid sweeping views of Shuswap Lake and other areas of the community, Kaszas talks on camera about his experience.

91裸聊视频淔or me, the process of reviving my indigenous Nlaka91裸聊视频檖amux tattooing practice has been a way of remembering, gaining back those teachings, gaining back those cultural ideals I never gained 91裸聊视频� so it91裸聊视频檚 a way of healing and re-indigenizing myself.91裸聊视频�

For millennia, states the Skindigenous website, humans have been marking their bodies with images and symbols giving visible form to what they hold sacred. 91裸聊视频淭oday,91裸聊视频� the site continues, 91裸聊视频渋ndigenous artists around the world continue to practice this ancient art using their own techniques and traditions. For these artists, tattooing is an essential part of their cultural identity, as well as a vehicle for connecting with nature, the ancestors, and the spiritual world.91裸聊视频�

Kaszas91裸聊视频� connection to indigenous tattooing was awakened in 2006 while sitting in the waiting room of a tattoo shop. He picked up a booklet from the early 1900s by anthropologist James Teit, Tattooing and Face and Body Painting of the Thompson Indians. At that time, he did not know his Nlaka91裸聊视频檖amux First Nation had a tattooing tradition.

Much has changed. Kaszas immersed himself in learning about the ancient art. He honed his skills with the traditional hand poke and skin stitch techniques. He began working on his Masters thesis at UBC Okanagan in Indigenous Studies and will soon defend his thesis, which is focused on the revival of indigenous people91裸聊视频檚 tattooing practices. He has received awards and is sought-after and featured for his knowledge and artistry.

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Coming up on June 7, 8 and 9, Kaszas will be guest curator at the Bill Reid Gallery in Vancouver for Body Language: Reawakening Cultural Tattooing of the Northwest.

After APTN91裸聊视频檚 four days of shooting last year for Kaszas91裸聊视频� episode of Skindigenous, they asked him to become an expert consultant on the series because he knows so many of the indigenous cultural tattoo practitioners.

On the day of the interview for this article, Kaszas91裸聊视频� sister Kris Wilson and her spouse Wes were in his studio.

Grief is fresh for them, as Kris and Dion91裸聊视频檚 dad died on March 1. He loved eagles. To honour their father, Dion tattooed an eagle on Kris91裸聊视频� arm, appropriately above a mountain tattoo with an Earth line below it.

The Earth line was often on an indigenous person91裸聊视频檚 garments, explains Kaszas.

91裸聊视频淚t is connected to our Earth view 91裸聊视频� our responsibilities and connectiveness to the earth.91裸聊视频�

Traditional pit houses were also part of that view.

91裸聊视频淲hen you think of being in a pit house, it91裸聊视频檚 another way you understand the Earth circling us.91裸聊视频�

The tattooed Earth line is also a reminder of that connection.

Kaszas is thrilled to be part of the Skindigenous series, and is excited the production company is indigenous as is the main producer of the show, Jason Brennan. Rather than through a mainstream media lens, he says the show speaks to the whole picture of a revival.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 connected to the historical background of the colonial project, with residential schools, missionization, banning of the potlatch at the Coast and in B.C., and indigenous cultural ceremonies91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭attoos are so tied to our identity,91裸聊视频� he emphasizes, and that identity is connected to the land.

91裸聊视频淲hen we come back to uplifting ourselves, we91裸聊视频檙e not only claiming our own identity, but giving us strength to fight the fights we need to fight, with the reclaiming of our land91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

Kaszas91裸聊视频� episode has already aired on APTN, so can now be viewed online at http://aptn.ca/skindigenous/.

marthawickett@saobserver.net
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