Members of the RCMP may soon be wearing ribbon skirts at special events, after the national police force announced it will add the traditional skirts to its ceremonial uniform options.
While RCMP said on social media Wednesday the design represents unity and a “symbol of resilience, survival, identity and hope,” and some see the change as a sign of progress, others were critical of the move.
“I think that’s an insult to our people, because they’re the ones that snatched us from our homes,” Barb Guimond said before a march in support of residential school survivors at The Forks in Winnipeg on Thursday.
“My family was one of them, my dad’s siblings,” she said. “I don’t know what’s the purpose in that, when they did that to us.”
Historically, the RCMP played a major role in bringing students from First Nation communities to the residential schools, where many suffered horrific abuse.
Ribbon skirts are a traditional regalia that can be donned for Indigenous ceremony, and for many, are a symbol of resilience.
Some other participants in Thursday’s march in Winnipeg echoed Guimond’s sentiments on the RCMP adopting the skirt as part of the ceremonial uniform.
“Our ribbon skirt is a statement and it connects us closest to Creator,” said Louise Menow, who also has family members who were day school survivors.
“But when I seen that, I was like ‘No, you guys can’t colonize this skirt too. You took everything else and colonized everything else. You can’t take our ribbon skirt too.'”
Menow’s friend, Ashley Chartrand, said there will be mixed feelings on the uniform addition.
“As long as they acknowledge where it comes from and where it began, then OK — like, I don’t see a problem,” she said. “But we both have different opinions.”
Monica Campeau heard about the RCMP’s change for the first time Thursday. She said Mounties wearing ribbon skirts could be seen as progress.
“To me, maybe that could be a part of reconciliation,” she said. “I mean it, it has to come from somewhere.”
Rayne Ryle agreed.
“I feel like there’s been enough shame, she said. “There’s been enough hate and, you know, that hate is not for me to hold anymore, and I’m giving that to Creator.”
WATCH | RCMP approve traditional Indigenous ribbon skirt as part of ceremonial uniform:
A new addition is being made to the RCMP’s ceremonial uniform. Some officers may soon be wearing an RCMP ribbon skirt at special events. On Thursday, some Indigenous women in Winnipeg were donning their own ribbon skirts, as part of the march in support of survivors of residential schools.
Diane Bousquet, who also took part in Thursday’s march, said she sees where the RCMP are going, but said wearing the ribbon skirt is an honour Mounties haven’t earned yet.
“I think that we need to focus on the justice and the truth and reconciliation, which I don’t believe the RCMP has done to date,” she said. “So until we bridge that gap, I don’t think it’s appropriate.”
But Alive Everette said it’s been a long time coming.
“Cool. I like it.” she said. “About time.”
Approved for use in February
In a statement to CBC News, the RCMP said the ribbon skirt was an initiative of its Women’s Indigenous Network, an employee-led, force-wide network for Indigenous women and two-spirit RCMP employees created in 2021.
That network is intended to advance culture change in the police force and help mend relationships with Indigenous people and communities, RCMP said.
Though the change was only officially announced this week, the ribbon skirt was approved by the RCMP’s commissioner as an Indigenous cultural item of honour and distinction to be worn by Indigenous RCMP members on Feb. 14, 2024, according to the statement.
The ribbon skirt protocols and usage went through “broad internal and external consultation,” which included various internal RCMP groups, elders, and other police agencies whose members wear the traditional skirts, according to the statement.
It said approved Indigenous cultural items of honour and distinction will most often be worn as part of the ceremonial dress uniform, at events that could range from religious or spiritual services to community events.
Other approved items for continued use include the eagle feather for self-identified First Nation members and the Métis sash for Mounties who identify as Métis.
The RCMP ribbon skirt includes the colours yellow, red, blue, and white, to represent the four directions as well as the RCMP colours, the force’s Wednesday announcement on social media said.
Its ribbons are adjacent to each other “as they signify that all of us from the four directions are united rather than divided,” according to RCMP.