INDIGENOUS-LED MARTIAL ART GIVES WOMEN EXTRA TOOLS

THE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE HOPES TO OFFER FUTURE WORKSHOPS

In honour of Red Dress Day, the Shawanaga First Nation Healing Centre and the Parry Sound Friendship Centre hosted a women's self-defence workshop led by an Okichitaw Indigenous martial arts instructor on May 6.

Okichitaw is a martial art that incorporates the fighting techniques of the Plains Cree First Nations.

"It's just a way to empower women. Kind of giving them some extra tools in their belt for these situations," said the Friendship Centre's Indigenous healing and wellness co-ordinator Lisa Ross.

Ross said she chose Okichitaw specifically because it is not only Indigenous-led but also embodies past Indigenous techniques and traditions.

Okichitaw instructor Sonny Robbins is a fourth-degree black belt who has been studying Indigenous martial art for nine

years.

He studied Okichitaw under Master George Lepine for eight years at the Native Canadian Centre

of Toronto and now teaches classes in Barrie.

"One of the things that is taught when you go through traditional martial arts is after you become a fourth-degree black belt, you're able to create or structure your own martial art," said Robbins.

He explained that Lepine was tasked with structuring an Indigenous martial art that combined his martial arts training and traditional teachings.

"Okichitaw is based off traditional weaponry. A lot of what we do, like hand movements, are all based off those weapons," said Robbins.

Weaponry such as tomahawks, lances, knives, gunstocks, and war clubs are all mimicked in the movements.

"And I think it also brings light to the fact that we do need to recognize these problems," said Ross.

She reminded that despite being a small town, the community cannot overlook violent occurrences.

"We can't just keep thinking our community is a safe place, that nothing bad would ever happen, because truth is that these communities are what these people are targeting."

The more the community is aware and talks about issues such as these is "when we'll be safe," says Ross.