This paper aims to bring awareness and create an action plan for the preservation of our nature and earth. It talks about the rights of the Indigenous people and looks at their culture and beliefs in a positive light that needs to be shared with the rest of us. Through my innovative fashion brand and non-profit organization, I will raise money that will be kindly donated to specific causes such as nature conserving movements and tribal rights establishments.

Re-discovering our pastSaving our planet one dress at a time

INDIGENOUS SOUL LISA SIOPA Advertising Year 3 Self-Initiated Project

Indigenous Soul

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Australian Aboriginal

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Native American

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Introduction

Indigenous Soul is an Eco-friendly rebel with a cause. A little bit of madness and genius cooked together for the perfect recipe. It’s a brand that tells a story. In a society fixated with instant gratification, innovation, and conspicuous consumption it’s easy to dismiss fashion design as frivolous. We aim to produce one-of-a-kind exclusive crafts pieces that not only last and look beautiful, but that stand for something. We want the un-conventional items to inspire emotion. The items are works of art that can be worn and passed on. We will be focusing on the design and execution of the garments that are made to last. Only the most audacious of people will dare to be seen in Indigenous Soul. This is my brand that will be launched with a thought provoking campaign that motivates people to act and change habits. This will be a non –profit organization that will donate the money from the exclusive pieces to specific charities such as the environmental justice foundation and equal rights movements.

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children” - Moses Henry Cass

This is a very powerful ancient Indian proverb that sums up what Indigenous Soul stands for. We have to take very good care of our planet if not for ourselves for our children. This is our home that many of us really do take for granted. We have much to learn from these ancient tribes. However Indigenous Soul is not only a brand that will strive to support a more sustainable way of life, it also endeavors to celebrate Indigenous people, and fight for their human rights and basic entitlements. The brand will do this by combining my appetite for design and art, with these causes by creating unique one of a kind dresses that celebrates these indigenous tribes and fights for a more sustainable earth and equal rights for all communities. I’m aware of the massive impact fashion could have on the climate. With more campaigns like these, a difference could really be made.Everything by this brand is handmade from organic sustainable materials. So I pose the question: Do any of us really worry about the planet? What do you think about the eco system or global warming? Do you even know who Native Americans are? What can you do to go green?

We get this shoved down our throats 24/7 but I have to admit, ever since I watched documentaries and read a book called ‘Mutant Message Down Under’ I hadn’t really given it much thought or had many bright ideas on how I could contribute myself, until now. So guys I am not trying to stop a meteoroid but it’s a start. Now it’s your turn. Share the love of sustainable and organic style!Make a difference and do it in style saving the planet one dress at a time!

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Endangered peopleWe worry so much about endangered species, but what about the Endangered Peoples of the world. They are human beings just like any one of us. Shouldn’t they be protected and safe guarded? Both the Aborigines of Australia and the Native American tribes are often disregarded and overlooked. Why do we think this is okay? Why doesn’t anyone do more to stop this? If we were to look closely at these remarkable communities we would notice there are some meaningful lessons to be learned in the way they strive to look after the planet and animals. It’s a way of life that we could all follow. It is no surprise then, that these tribes are known as the ‘caretakers of our planet’ It is sad that one of the very few communities who really look after out earth are being denied the most basic of human rights such as land, food and education.Some of them like the Aboriginal people of Australia have lived uninterrupted for over 40,000 years. Aborigines are Australia's indigenous people. Recent government statistics counted approximately 400,000 aboriginal people in today’s society.They migrated from somewhere in Asia at least 30,000 years ago.

Though they comprise 500–600 distinct groups, aboriginal people possess some unifying links. Among these are strong spiritual beliefs that tie them to the land; a tribal culture of storytelling and art. Aboriginal spirituality entails a close relationship between humans and the land. Unlike other religions, however, aboriginal belief does not place the human species apart from or on a higher level than nature. This is something that intrigued me and sparked some initial ideas for my campaign.Aborigines believe some of the Ancestors metamorphosed into nature (as in rock formations or rivers), where they remain spiritually alive. Similarly, the American Indians who are also known as Native Americans as they were the first to inhabit the country also have this remarkable relationship with Nature. They have the upmost respect for the planet and all living things in it. For me this is the main aspect that has linked these two tribes together. Their love for the earth and preservation of our planet has moved me to bring my passion for art and in particular fashion design together. Creating a unique brand that gives back as much as it takes. A celebration of these cultures living in my eco friendly designs that will be donated to nature causes like the Environmental Justice Foundation and aid for these fragile communities that have never acquired the respect they deserve. Out of the Indian approach to life there came a great freedom, an intense and absorbing respect for life, enriching faith in a Supreme Power, and principles of truth, honesty, generosity, equity, and brotherhood as a guide to mundane relations. I truly admire and respect this outlook on nature and with my love for fashion and my intrigue in these outstanding tribes, what better way than to combine the three in the most creative practical way possible. Think of how much knowledge we have learned from all of these so-called unimportant cultures, like their knowledge of herbs, the environment, and most of all how to live in harmony. The Americas, as well as the rest of the world, need to rediscover those secrets of life that been ignored for centuries.

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My problemThe first setback lies with people’s ignorance or lack of interest. It’s all very good acknowledging us humans needing to change our self-destructive ways, or else this planet would inevitably revert to a chaotic mess. However how many of us actually do something about it? However small this might be? It seems as though people are far too busy and preoccupied with their own lives to see the bigger problem. So time is quite a big issue it seems. So that’s something I had to keep in mind. I thought to myself how I could possibly combine a small opportunity along with people’s busy lives? Then, I thought of fashion and lifestyle and how I could combine the two.Lets be honest, no matter how busy our lives get, we always seem to make a little time for styling our appearance and ourselves. This seems second nature to us.

Another problem I will be tackling is the unfortunate discrimination Indigenous people still face today. An example of this is seeing how a big group tried enforcing the ‘white man’ culture or mentality as some people call it. In some schools in America this is very much still an issue. Young indigenous kids were treated differently because of their faith, and were prone to all sorts of physical abuse from the teachers and other students.The purpose of residential schools was “killing the Indian in the child”. Being from a very cultured background myself, I find this an awful thing to do to someone. Stripping them of their identity is cruel to say the least especially in what seems to be a ‘free’ country for other cultures.

A great man called Glenn H. Welkeronce once quoted “Success for me does not come in dollar amounts. If it did, then I would have less money than those for whom I am writing. The true value comes from hearing from someone like Geronimo's great-great grandson who writes thanking me for giving his grandfather the honor he deserves. This is something that no amount of money can buy.” This is one of the things I aim to do with my eco-friendly fashion brand. Giving honour and tribute to these astonishing communities is definitely something I will be proud to be part of.

This is one of the many rewarding sentiments that one feels by giving recognition to those so worthy.

My insight – making the ugly truth prettyI soul searched, poked and probed people into telling me why they don’t do more to protect and ensure the sustainability of our planet. The responses I got were actually rather shocking. In between more obvious answers like ‘‘I don’t have time’’ or ‘‘Im not sure what I can do to help”, some answers opened my eyes to the darker /negative side of every one of us that people often try to hide. So from the responses I got I realised that the ugly truth is that humans are often selfish and unfortunately many will not do things without getting something in return. People are also not very acceptant of the unknown or different cultures. They are a lot more racist than they admit especially now where racism is so frowned upon. People run away from serious issues that really matter because they would rather ignore it than have all the extra work that ‘doing something about it entails’ I took all these things into consideration and tried to find a solution that would address each one adequately.

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Using my ‘making the ugly truth pretty’ insightTrying to turn something serious into a lighter fun way of celebrating these amazing tribes rather than complaining about it.Bringing awareness in a fashionable way that everyone can feel part of.So I thought of an idea to take all these negative and rather destructive human characteristics and turn them into a meaningful and brilliant brand! A distinctive fashion brand.Indigenous soul – A brand like no other. An Eco-friendly rebel with a cause. A fashion brand that tells a story.The inimitable Australian Aboriginal and the mighty Native American. I am going to merge these two cultures together Again I will be focusing on what unites them rather than what separates them. In terms of fashion, both have very distinctively different traditions and fashion styles that have emerged from this. One of the remarkable things that unites them is their sense of harmony with nature. They feel as though nature is not set apart or inferior to humans bur rather nature is to be deeply valued and respected. Their way of life celebrates and promotes saving our planets resources.

Some people could say “I have nothing in common with these tribes” but actually we have much more in common than we may think! Just the fact that they look after our planet sufficiently better than we do and with much less resources should make us want to change some bad habits. The fact that these poor people are not even given the basics of basic rights as human beings is despicable. We should learn from their sustainability and morals. Writing as a white female from no Indigenous or tribal heritage, I’m aware of the controversy I may cause because so far I’ve not come across a designer/artist or writer that is not from a similar background or connected in some way. On the other hand I see myself as an ambassador for other similar ethnic backgrounds. I feel we should embrace and celebrate these amazing tribes and all their beliefs together.

Indigenous Soul aims to provide relief services to Native Indian people and Aboriginal Australians nationwide, while building bridges of communication and friendship. The aim is for these people to achieve greater fulfillment and a deeper pride in their heritage. Similarly, providing emergency relief distribution to these communities nationwide.I want to do this in a positive, fun and stylish way that everyone can relate too and appreciate.In addition to this, I aim to provide as much support to the environment as possible by donating to specific charities and using only natural fibres to create any of my designs. Through informative materials, special events, cultural sharing opportunities and a future website, I aim to reached thousands with positive and proper representations of contemporary Indigenous culture as well as preservation of the old and treasured beliefs and lessons. Besides, if you choose Indigenous Soul you won’t have to worry about looking like 10 thousand other girls! We should be fighting for equal rights and our planet, since this entire planet belongs to all of us. Every one of us. No matter what race. No matter what ethnicity or background.

Lets celebrate our similarities together…

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The briefI wrote the proposition “Saving the world one dress at a time”. From the problems we faced to a creative a solution, the idea to create a non –profit organization/ fashion brand was born. The aim is to celebrate and combine fashion with opportunity to support and honour these communities as well as our home and planet. Doing all this in style of course.

The creative idea For my creative idea I have found a simple yet effective way of communicating some of my findings and ideas across to my target audience that essentially starts with those that should start to think about changing some habits and be more aware of their relationship with the earth. Native Americans and Aboriginal Australians are some of the oldest tribes on earth today. They are known as the ‘care takers of our planet’. They both have a remarkable connection with nature and have the upmost respect for the planet and all living things on it.

Their way of life shows us some great ways that we can live in harmony with nature and each do our part to help. Using some of their beliefs and customs I have created a campaign to launch my own brand of clothing, Indigenous Soul, that uses the line ‘Saving the Planet One Dress at a Time’ which will help people think practically of ways of how they can also become better caretakers of the world.   In addition I have ‘franchised’ the idea so it can apply to all areas of Life. For example ‘Saving the planet one-car journey at a time’ . Indigenous Soul then moves away from just being a brand of clothes to a mission, a way of life that everyone can embrace and act on. It’s never too late to change habits and change the world. This essentially consists of a few poster ads and fashion films that convey these simple yet eco-friendly messages in a way fashion advertising is not accustomed too. This makes them not only more thought provoking but also attracts the buyer’s attention. I have styled, photographed, produced and edited pictures that carry the same message of ‘saving the planet’ together.  

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In addition as part of the ‘Save the planet one dress at a time’ campaign I will also have a few poster ads and press ads that each express a different idea that can be applied to day-to-day life that go past mere fashion clothing. These will have the main slogan of saving the planet one ‘thing’ at a time.Selling more than clothes I plan to sell beliefs and motivate change. This is one of the ways I plan of expanding my fashion brand.

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Further down the line, I want to develop my brand and create a striking fashion collection of dresses that celebrate both the Native American and Aboriginal culture and fashion. Each dress will tell a story. After much researching into both communities I found an element in both cultures that’s used to make clothing but most importantly has a high significance to them. For the Australian Aboriginal I came across this treasured pearl which is in fact a mother of pearl shell that was used for many centuries as part of initiation ceremonies and spiritual rituals. For them, pearl shell is ‘water’ an emblem of the very basis of life. In other words they hold this shell in a sacred place that means as much to them as water itself. High Chiefs in the tribe would wear the most elaborate pearl shell costumes to signify importance and status.

Like wise, in the Native American culture feathers are of great importance.In particular the significance of eagle feather within the native culture is quite important. The Native Americans put the eagle next to God and receive the greatest respect and sympathy. The eagle is known to be the master of the sky. The eagle is said to represent honesty, courage, wisdom, power, and freedom. Eagle feathers are commonly seen on headpieces that are worn by those who are chiefs in the native community. The bald eagle feathers are amongst the most coveted. They used feathers for a variety of important purposes including ornamentation and artwork as well as ceremonious and religious uses just like the Aboriginal people with their pear shells. However, the type of feather used was at times significant to its purpose and Indian feathers were frequently required to be of a certain species for certain uses. Many Indian feathers, including those from eagles, were symbolic of certain virtues. At other times, Indian feathers that were to be used in ornamentation on clothing or headgear were painted to reflect a certain individual or an event. The number and kind of Indian feathers worn by an individual could tell a great deal about the person. The headdress of an Indian chief contained more Indian feathers than anyone else’s did in the entire tribe. Even today on Indian reservations across the United States, Indian feathers adorn headgear, clothing, and accessories worn to ceremonies and social gatherings. So for my first collection I have chosen to hand make some unique and intricate dresses out of any natural fibres adorned with these two symbolic items that clearly represent the spirituality, values and traditions of these two different yet so

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similar Indigenous tribes.

Summary Indigenous Soul want to build bridges and understand the world is not always black and white or very fair, however if we start making conscious choices in the right direction we are surely on the right path for a better world for everyone. Starting with gorgeous dresses and a brand that dares to embrace deeper issues than just how amazing you look in that dress which if I must add is just a bonus. This is brand that tells a story and stands for it. In a society fixated with instant gratification, innovation, and conspicuous consumption it’s easy to dismiss fashion design as frivolous. We aim to produce one-of-a-kind exclusive crafts pieces that not only last and look beautiful, but that stand for something. We want the un-conventional items to inspire emotion. The items are works of art and expression that can be worn and passed on. This way together we will be celebrating both distinctive and exquisite tribes in a way that brings us all together in a celebration of different cultures and communities. Echo-friendly Fashion but one step closer. A step closer to a better sustainable world with equal rights for everyone.

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