On November 13, 2022, Emma Morrison was the first Indigenous woman in history to be crowned Miss World Canada. Through her years of experience in pageants she has noticed a slow but steady increase of participation by Indigenous people. In her interview Morrison says, "It wasn't about being the first Indigenous woman to hold this title… I wanted to open that door for other Indigenous peoples to walk through" (CBC, 2022). Morrison was honoured to receive the award, but even more honoured that she could set a positive example for other Indigenous people.
Morrison’s story immediately reminds me of Zitkala-Sa’s personal experience as an Indigenous teacher in the times of residential schools, written in her book American Indian Stories, Legends, and Other Writings (2003). Zitkala-Sa was a “token Indian”, so to speak. The colonizers put her on a pedestal and used her to show other Indigenous people the kinds of opportunities that are available when one pursues Western education. However, Zitkala-Sa’s story has a disturbing undertone, with her “Indian-ness” used to encourage assimilation into Western culture. Morrison’s story is similar, but with different intentions. Like Zitkala-Sa, Morrison is a “token Indian” in that she is a trailblazer and innovator, the first of her kind to hold such a title. Morrison’s story is fundamentally different than Zitkala-Sa’s because her goal is to empower Indigenous women’s individuality, the exact opposite of encouraging assimilation. It will be interesting to see what kinds of doors have been opened for Indigenous women after Morrison’s incredible feat.
Zitkala-Ša. American Indian Stories, Legends, and Other Writings, edited by Cathy N. Davidson and Ada Norris. Penguin, 2003.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/emma-morrison-miss-world-canada-1.6654132