Aiitskaitsiiwa | She Is Reminiscing is a new body of work by Bear Hat that presents a conversation between images of the Treaty 7 landscape and her own stories growing up in this land. Learning new and particular skills is a focal point of growing up; Bear Hat’s father often taught her such skills, developing her knowledge and teaching her why this land is so important. What was often cast as summer fun always turned out to be integral lessons about the land.
Aiitskaitsiiwa | She Is Reminiscing includes images taken by Bear Hat, of places in and around Calgary that serve as significant backdrops of important moments throughout her life: where she learned how to safely swim in the Bow River, replete with strong currents, and how a rock or a washed over branch can be souvenir to their time spent together. There is simple beauty that comes from the landscape; these stories speak to such beauty. They should be heard.