Eight-piece BIPOC burlesque collective Virago Nation performed in the UVic Farquhar Auditorium on Saturday, October 21, and the entire show was an act of decolonization. The collective is all about decolonizing Indigenous—especially femme—sexuality. What they do is art, sex work, and good medicine all working harmoniously together.
Settlers who sought to eradicate Indigenous ways of life imposed a gender binary system built on white supremacy and patriarchy: reconciliation with self is important. Allowing oneself to express existing as a sexual being is reclamation of your body in a society not built for brown skin.
The performance definitely was the good medicine the announcer promised it would be. When I first entered the show, the pop/indie music had a fun vibe to begin the night with; it complemented the indigo mood lighting on the stage of the large theatre.
A heartfelt territorial acknowledgement was given before any performances took place. Then the intentions were set for the evening: the performance was to celebrate Indigenous and Afro-Indigenous, mainly queer, performers, and was an act of decolonizing Indigenous sexuality.
Overall, this was an incredibly empowering experience that shows how someone can be sexual and feminine and, at the same time, own their autonomy. Sex work is real work, and it’s valid.
There was also an important acknowledgement to missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, two-spirit, and queer people. The seed of this pain was planted with colonization.
The show was a glamorous battlecry of Land Back, reclaiming the expanse of sexuality outside of the imposed binary of “man” and “woman” or the virgin/whore dichotomy.
This performance shows the beauty of what can happen when Indigenous, Black, and queer folk are given space on centre stage—beauty, creativity, and dignity unfold.
Alongside the incredible message of the performance, the acts were very well thought out and executed. It was obvious that everything had taken a long time to come together into a fluid routine.
Overall, the night was a success, the performers were fabulous, the stage kitten was adorable, and the hosts were eloquent and entertaining. Virago Nation is a beautiful celebration of Indigenous, Black, and two-spirit self-expression of decolonial sexuality.