National MMIP Awareness Day Events 2023

May 3, 2023 By Admin in Native

MMIP Day 2022 March in Grand Rapids, MI. (photo by Levi Rickert)

Details

By Native News Online Staff

May 03, 2023

May 5 is National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) Awareness Day, and Native communities and organizations across the nation are gathering to draw attention to MMIP Crisis and honor those who have been impacted the most.

From marches and vigils to fundraisers and art exhibitions, here is our list of MMIP Awareness Day events happening this week and next that will keep the fire burning for the missing and murdered in Indian Country.

MMIP Ceremony
Thursday, May 04, 9:00 a.m.
California State Assembly

The California Assembly will present an MMIP resolution to tribal chairpersons. The resolution recognizes May as MMIP Month. For the first time, the Capital Dome will be illuminated with red lights for the whole week in recognition of the California’s missing and murdered indigenous people.

Flower Drop on the Weitchpec Bridge
Friday, May 05, 11:00 a.m.
Weitchpec Bridge, Weitchpec, CA

At the event, Yurok Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction Coordinator Alanna Nulph, will be unveiling the Yurok Tribal Court’s new Search and Rescue (SAR) Drone Program. Nulph, a Yurok citizen and credentialed SAR drone pilot, operates remote-controlled aerial vehicles that are specially equipped to assist in search and rescue missions.

Choctaw Nation MMIW Day of Awareness
Friday, May 05, Noon — 2:00 p.m.
HQ Ampitheatre, Durant, OK

Speakers from families affected by the MMIW crisis and the Choctaw Nation Family Violence team will deliver information and a powerful message at this year’s event that will be held at the HQ Amphitheater.

MMIW 5K/1-Mile Run
Friday, May 13, 8:00 a.m.
Antlers Community Center, Antlers Oklahoma

Join Choctaw Nation in honor the victims of the MMIW crisis and learn more about registering missing persons. Registration fee for the 5K is $25, 1-mile walk registration fee is $15. Fees waived if runner/walker is a participant of the PACE program.

MMIP March in Grand Rapids
Friday, May 05, Noon — 3:00 p.m.
Ah-Nab-Awen Park

Native American tribes from across West Michigan invite members of the public to join in a one-mile march through downtown Grand Rapids to honor those who have been impacted by the MMIP crisis. Participants are encouraged to wear red.

Grand Traverse Band of Chippewa and Ottawa Indians MMIP Day of Awareness
Friday, May 05, Noon — 3:00 p.m.
2817 N West Bayshore Drive Peshawbestown, MI
This event will tell the stories of Native community members who have gone missing and the obstacles Native communities have faced in seeking justice.

MMIP Day of Awareness Symposium
Friday, May 05, 9:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.
Virtual
This symposium will be featuring International, National, state, and local leaders from across Arizona. Registration required.

MMIP Awareness Walk
Friday, May 05, 10:30 a.m.
Memorial Park, Rapid City, SD

This walk will allow relatives in the area to remember and bring awareness to their missing and murdered loved ones. All are welcome to participate.

MMIP March and Ceremony
Friday, May 05, 6:30 p.m.
The Art Market, 104 N. Main in Pembroke, NC
The march will end at the Pembroke Park, with the program beginning at 7:30 pm. The event is sponsored by the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. and Native Visions Magazine and will serve to remember those who are missing or murdered and their families, while also spotlighting this important issue impacting all of Indian Country.

MSU Moorhead’s MMIP Event
Friday, May 05, 4:00 — 6:00 p.m.
Roland Dille Center for the Arts

This event at Minnesota State University Moorhead that will raise awareness about and encourage discussion of MMIP. MSUM is hosting a panel discussion bringing together women working to eliminate human trafficking and violence against all persons.

MMIWG2ST+ East Coast Summit
Friday, May 05, 6:00 p.m. — 7:30 p.m.
41 White St, Brooklyn, NY
The summit will feature a vigil ceremony and introduce the MMIWG2ST+ Taskforce and Invitation to Survivors to participate in Taskforce. Topics to be covered include MMIWP harms and risks associated with colonial violence, cultivating protective factors in Indigenous people and communities, healthy equity, and more.

National MMIWP Day
Saturday, May 06, 6:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m.
El Progresso Hall, Antonia, TX

This MMIWP event aimed at unity, healing education, and support and features appetizers, a silent auction and a fashion show.

Inaugural Red Dress Gala
Friday, May 05, 6:00 p.m.— 9:00 p.m.
Holiday Day Inn, Rapid City, SD
At this special event, relatives will share stories and experiences as they navigate the loss of a loved one. Special guest speakers include: Sita Baker, Red Ribbon Skirt Society Ambassador Nominee to the Young Women’s Cabinet in the state of Minnesota and National Cabinet in Washington DC; Grace Baker, Red Ribbon Skirt Society Ambassador and social justice advocate in Minneapoli and Tosa Two Heart, Red Ribbon Skirt Society. Dinner will be prepared by James Beard award-winner and Inidigenous chef Sean Sherman.

PONW MMIW Awareness Event & Luncheon
Saturday, May 06, 10:00 a.m. — 1:00 p.m.
Moani Island Bistro, Kapolei, HI

Join for cultural and live entertainment, survivor testimonies, and educational speakers including Dr. Nikki Cristobalʻs MMIW Report Part 1. Event includes buffet lunch, raffle prizes, giveaways and more. Event cost is covered by Pouhana O Nā Wāhine, however, donations are welcomed.

No Rest: The Epidemic of Stolen Indigenous Women, Girls and 2Spirits
Thursday, May 04 — Friday, May 05
Mitchell Museum, Chicago, IL

In observance of this occasion, the Mitchell Museum invites you to visit us free of charge on Thursday, May 4 and Friday, May 5th The exhibition features 35 original works from 12 collaborating Indigenous artists and will draw attention to the crimes perpetrated against Native women and two-spirit individuals in the United States.

MMIW Twitter Storm
Friday, May 05, 1:00 p.m.
Twitter

Join the Nationa Indigenous Women’s Resource Center in using the hashtags #MMIW, #MMIWActionNow, and #NoMoreStolenSisters to stand in solidarity, honoring our stolen sisters and spreading awareness of this injustice.

3rd Annual National Day of Awareness for MMIW, Girls, 2 Spirit, Relatives
Friday, May 05, 11:00 a.m. — 5:00 p.m.
411 W 1st St, Duluth, MN

This rally and march will be held in Duluth Harbor and will feature a red shawl round dance honoring survivors of violence and MMIW, MMIWg2S, MMIWR.

Running for Justice
Saturday, May 06
In person in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, MN, and Pablo, MT or Virtual
Join Rising Hearts this virtual run and events to help us raise $100,000 to give back to the communities in this work to end the violence and systemic barriers to run for justice and healing. Register here.

New Mexico MMIP Day of Action
Berg Park, Farmington, N.M.
Noon — 4:00 p.m.

This event is a booth fair featuring presentations from Tribal Delegates, F.B.I., B.I.A., law enforcement, and other local organizations that educate the community about MMIP resources and support.

‘Don’t let us become art in a museum’: WCMA celebrates Tibetan, Indigenous cultures through tattoo performance art

May 3, 2023 By Admin in Native

What do white staff do in remote Indigenous art centres?

May 3, 2023 By Admin in Native

In April, The Australian published the results of a four-month investigation into white staff “interference” at Tjala Arts, a member of the APY Arts Centre Collective of Indigenous art centres across South Australia.

It included a video of an art centre manager painting on Yaritji Young’s canvas, to “juice it up” a bit.

The ongoing media commentary has been divisive and confusing. One question it raises is what do art managers and studio assistants actually do in remote Indigenous community art centres?

50 years of arts centres

Remote art centres are central to today’s internationally successful Indigenous contemporary art industry. They typically have a white art centre manager and other staff overseen by an Indigenous board.

Papunya Tula Artists in Central Australia, incorporated in 1972, is the common ancestor of the publicly funded art centre model.

Papunya Tula marked the transition from the paternalism of the mission era to Indigenous self-determination, supported by the establishment of the Aboriginal Arts Board.

On May 3 1973, a press release from Prime Minister Gough Whitlam’s office announced:

Aboriginals have been given full responsibility for developing their own programs in the arts under a new Government policy to revitalise cultural activities through the Australian Council for the Arts.

What followed was a revolution, led by and for Aboriginal artists, with non-Indigenous staff employed to mediate with the art world.

Today, this workforce are mostly young women with degrees in visual art or arts management. They operate in around 90 Aboriginal-owned collectives across remote Australia. Staff turnover is high, and recruitment is a perennial task.

A cross-cultural thing

The troubling fact is not that “Aboriginal art is a white thing”, as Aboriginal artist and activist Richard Bell famously declared in 2002. Rather, Aboriginal art is “a cross-cultural thing”, bringing Indigenous and non-Indigenous creative workers together.

Despite the shared goal and triumphs of the cultural industries in celebrating Indigenous art, the shadow of Australia’s colonisation is never far away.

The conditions in remote art centres have evolved since the 1970s, but the practicalities are essentially the same. Art centre staff support the artists socially, culturally and logistically to ensure artists are happy to create their work in a culturally safe space.

Staff also manage the external demands of the market, exhibition schedules, bureaucratic accountability (to funding bodies and institutions, for example) and advocacy.

Studio assistance involves purchasing art materials, stretching and priming canvas, harvesting raw material such as ochre, bark or timber, as well as packing, freighting and distributing the work and travelling with artists to exhibitions.

The level of support depends on an individual artist’s needs. Art centres often include the elderly and artists with a disability. Some artists have a strong creative drive; some work slowly or inconsistently.

Whatever the art form, good work takes considerable time. Art production is frequently interrupted “mid-canvas” to attend to other business such as cultural events, funerals or medical treatment.

A collaborative space?

The APY Art Centre Collective management strongly denied allegations of any interference with the paintings or “the Tjukurrpa” (the Aṉangu term for their comprehensive spiritual belief system). Their website currently states hands-on assistance, such as “underpainting”, is common practice.

Selecting colours and mixing paint, priming and delegating canvases, washing brushes and general maintenance, as well as regular discussion and responsiveness to the art are all part of the studio assistant’s role.

Some aesthetic influence on the final product is only natural, but painting directly on the canvas is never part of the job description. Undeclared, many would consider it fraudulent.

In 1997, when I first went to work in a Western Desert art centre, the message from the artists was simple: sell our paintings, and be straight with us.

It was also clear the paintings offered for sale – to public institutions, knowledgeable collectors and souvenir buyers – would be of a certain standard.

“Quality control” is an ambivalent term, but it is implied and expected in the job.

In 1996 Kathleen Petyarre won the lucrative Telstra Art Award for her painting Storm in Atnangkere Country II. It was later revealed she was “assisted” by her white partner.

Following an inquiry, Petyarre retained her rightful authorship of the work, but this prompted art centres to recognise “creative labour”, when delegated by the artist and particularly among family, as culturally accepted practice — which should be attributed accordingly.

The right to determine who gets to collaborate on artwork, and how, applies to artists worldwide. The studios of Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst are extreme examples of art making being undertaken by studio assistants. So too, Aboriginal artists enjoy workshops with specialists in fields as varied as printmaking, bronze casting, animation or glassmaking.

It’s up to the artists first, and the institutions, curators, the market and art critics next, to evaluate such collaborations and exchanges case by case.

Cultural narratives and daily realities

A key role in art centres is “taking the story”. This is where art centre staff document the artist’s painting with a photo and the related Tjukurrpa or Country.

These “certificates of authenticity” documenting culturally important stories guarantee the works as genuine Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander works. They also underpin the marketing, promotion and interpretation of many contemporary art exhibitions from remote communities.

It’s the disconnect between these purist cultural narratives and the realities of the busy cross-cultural studios that puts the artists, their staff and the entire industry in such a paradoxical position.

Trust and ethics lie at the heart of these working relationships. It’s impractical to create more rules and impossible to enforce the ways artists and staff interact in art centre settings, but it’s time to acknowledge these exchanges with a new story.

Arts in the South End: A May 2023 Roundup

May 3, 2023 By Admin in Native

by Amanda Ong

Art, film, break dancing, and stories — the weather has turned around in the South End, and the arts scene is turning out too! Enjoy getting out and exploring some of these fantastic events happening around the South End this month.

Below, the Emerald has compiled a list of arts, music, theatre events, and more throughout the South End and beyond, so keep reading to find what May has to offer.

May is also Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage month, so stay tuned for our upcoming guide to AA&NH/PI events.

Know of something that should be in our roundup? Let us know at Arts@SeattleEmerald.org!

“30,000 Years of Art” (54″ x 60″) by Xavier Kelly. (Photo courtesy of Wa Na Wari.)

Now through July 9
Wa Na Wari, 911 24th Ave., Seattle

In a number of new exhibits at Wa Na Wari, check out the artwork of Theda Sandiford, Sotonye Jumbo, Dez’Mon Omega Fair, Xavier Kelley, and Amber Henry. From working with fibers, film, and oil painting, these artists come together in a diverse selection of works for Wa Na Wari. Wa Na Wari will also host Theda Sandiford for an artist talk on Thursday, May 25, at 12 p.m. that will be streamed on Wa Na Wari’s Facebook Live and YouTube page. The gallery hours are Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Counting Coup On Curtis 1” (14 x 8.5) by Tammie Dupuis. (Photo courtesy of Columbia City Gallery.)

May 3 to June 18; opening reception on May 6, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Columbia City Gallery, 4864 Rainier Ave. S, Seattle

The Columbia City Gallery will feature the work of four Indigenous women artists, Jennifer Angaiak Wood, Savannah LeCornu, Paige Pettibon, and Tammie Dupuis. The title of the exhibit, “arnaq, hana’ack, smɁem,” is the translation of “women’’ in each of the artist’s tribal languages, Yup’ik, Tsimshian, and Confederated Salish and Kootenai. With mediums ranging from painting and carving, to beadwork, each piece reflects cultural symbolism practices and the experiences of Indigenous women. The exhibit was curated by Kari Karsten, Columbia City Gallery manager and a member of the Seneca Nation. Gallery hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

(Photo courtesy of The Seattle Project.)

May 5 and May 6
Northwest Film Festival, 1515 12th Ave., Seattle

The Seattle Project, a platform for interdisciplinary, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artists, presents Chapters, a live dance performance and film showcase. Each chapter will focus on one of five Black femmes: Akoiya Harris, Ashton Edwards, Nia-Amina Minor, Amanda Morgan, and Kenya Shakoor. Featuring film, home video, poetry, music, and photography, the event will be a reflection on Black femininity through a number of mediums. Tickets are available on the Northwest Film Forum website.

May 11 to May 13
Multiple Venues

With opening night on May 11, Upper Left Comedy Festival will kick off three days of hilarious standup and performance events before closing on May 13. With a range of passes and ticket options, you can see all or just your favorite Pacific Northwest comedians, with some of the biggest-name acts performing on opening and closing nights. Some names you might already know include comedians Amy Miller, Kermet Apio, Josh Gondelman, Dewa Dorje, and more! Tickets and details are available on the Upper Left Comedy Festival website.

May 13 to Sept. 9, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Roberto Maestas Festival Street, Beacon Hill, Seattle

Kicking off a new season, the first Beacon Arts Street Fair of 2023 will be on May 13 and will continue on second Saturdays of the month through September! Live music, food, pop-up art markets, and family entertainment will light up the street. Important community resources and Beacon Hill garden share information will also be available. Performer, vendor, and volunteer applications are available on the Beacon Arts Street Fair website.

(Photo courtesy of Northwest Film Forum.)

May 13 and May 14
Northwest Film Festival, 1515 12th Ave., Seattle

The fourth Seattle Arab Film Festival starts on May 13 and will feature 13 short films made by emerging and established Arab filmmakers. The festival has been divided into four screenings, and each ticket includes the two screenings of the day — Short Documentaries + Loss and Resilience on Saturday, May 13, and Family Matters + Luck of the Draw on Sunday, May 14. All screenings will include a range of films that will engage the audience while highlighting Arab voices, experiences, and talent. Tickets and details are available on the Northwest Film Forum website.

“Leviathan Rising” installation at the Georgetown Steam Plant by Eirik Johnson.

May 13 to May 21
Georgetown Steam Plant, 6605 13th Ave S., Seattle

A photographic and sound-based installation in three chapters, Eirik Johnson’s Leviathan features large-scale photographic projections, a multi-track sound piece of recordings from beneath the surface of the Duwamish River, and daguerreotype photograms made with Daniel Carrillo.

The installation is free and open to the public with an opening reception on May 13 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in conjunction with Georgetown Art Attack. Open hours will continue Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday, May 15, through Friday, May 19, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, May 20, and Sunday, May 21, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

May 14, 7 p.m
The Royal Room, 5000 Rainier Ave. S, Seattle

To aid in relief following the earthquakes in Syria and Türkiye on Feb. 6, The Royal Room is hosting an evening benefit for the Bridge to Türkiye Fund, which is offering comprehensive relief to affected communities following the earthquake. The evening will include performances by Greek and Balkan group Drómeno, Balkan musician, Eleni Govetas Kompania, and seven-piece Klezmer brass band Shpilkis. Tickets are available on The Royal Room website.

May 20 and May 21
Multiple Locations

A BIPOC-led and community-curated program, the fifth annual ACES will be held at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute & Pratt Fine Arts Center on May 20 and May 21. ACES will include art exhibits, live performances, presentations, workshops, film screenings, artist talks, and artist opportunity tables, with the intention to help artists of color empower each other and connect while recognizing and finding solutions to the challenges artists of color face in the Pacific Northwest. Tickets and details are available on the Shunpike website with suggested donation.

May 26, 5 p.m.
Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle

After last year’s success, OneVibe Africa is hosting the Madaraka Festival again this year as a traveling tour with Seattle as their final stop. To empower African communities, this year’s Madaraka Festival in Seattle features three incredible East African musicians: Sauti Sol, Eddy Kenzo, and King Kaka. Proceeds from Madaraka Festival go towards One Vibe Africa, MAMA HOPE, and Refugee Artisan Initiative. Tickets and details are available on the Benaroya Hall website.

May 26, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Highline Heritage Museum, 819 SW 152nd St., Seattle

7 Stories is a free storytelling event hosted by the Highline Heritage Museum on a monthly basis, with May’s theme being “Disconnecting. Unplugging. Uncoupling.” Storytellers apply in advance, and seven are selected to tell a true story based on the monthly theme. 7 Stories is meant to be an earnest night of storytelling to help build community, empathy, and celebrate diversity. To sign up go to BurienCultureHub.org/7Stories or email them at 7Stories@BurienCultureHub.org.

May 27 to May 29
Multiple Locations

For their 24th annual Massive Monkeys Day this Memorial Day weekend, Massive Monkeys will host their annual break dancing competitions with a number of first, second, and third place awards. Top 16 and Top 8 Open Styles crews will advance to the main event, which will be held on May 28 at the Neptune Theatre and will end on May 29 with a Massive Community Jam and BBQ at Jefferson Park. Find out more from the Massive Monkey’s Facebook page and purchase tickets for the main event on May 28 on the Neptune Theatre website.

Amanda Ong (she/her) is a Chinese American writer from California. She is currently a master’s candidate at the University of Washington Museology program and graduated from Columbia University in 2020 with degrees in creative writing and ethnicity and race studies.

📸 Featured Image: A scene from the film “Prayer III” by Dez’Mon Omega Fair, showing at Wa Na Wari. (Photo courtesy of Wa Na Wari.)

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Alaska Native Artist Spotlight: Lisa Andersson (Tlingit)

May 3, 2023 By Admin in Native

About the Author: Samantha Phillips is Tlingit – Kaagwaantaan, Eagle/Brown Bear of Klukwan and grew up in Yakutat. As a young woman she learned of her Tlingit grandmother’s suffering of severe discrimination and mistreatment while attending a residential boarding school. Publicly speaking out about what her grandmother endured served as a powerful lesson to Samantha that Indigenous voices need to be heard. By focusing on making a difference, she has passionately poured her storytelling abilities into various writing pursuits. When she is not writing in her current home in Madison, Alabama, Samantha can be found making memories with her life’s work—her six children.

“I guess the call of the wild was too strong for me,” smiles Lisa Andersson, a twinkle in her eye.

The call of the wild or the call of her ancestors drew her back home to her birthplace of Hoonah, Alaska. Lisa’s Tlingit mother, Pauline Rudolph, and Swedish father, Sven Andersson, met in Juneau after he arrived on a U.S. Marine ship. Eagerly embracing life in Alaska, Sven married Pauline and settled in Juneau. Summers were spent fishing, their five children in tow. Excursions around Icy Strait included venturing to Glacier Bay, Excursion Inlet, Spasski, Point Adolphus, Flynn Cove, and Lisa’s beloved – Hoonah. About thirty miles west of Juneau on Chichagof Island’s north shore, Hoonah is nestled in the majestic Tongass National Forest.

Views of Hoonah, Alaska. Photo Credit: Kerry Tasker for Spruce Root Org.

As a child, Lisa fondly remembers her beachcombing adventures on those fishing trips. Collecting sea stars, sea urchins, Chinese hat snails. Discovering the many creatures of the sea – halibut, flounder, crab. Taking in views of vivid green waters swarming with jellyfish, the beach grass lined coves, the salty ocean air in her lungs. All etched in her memory.

Lisa Andersson fishing as a child — Lisa fishing as a child.

The beautiful land was not the only experience that formed Lisa into the artist and traditional remedy maker she is today. The culture, the people, and a Tlingit concept called Haa Shagóon, were all guiding forces for Lisa. She speaks tenderly of elders who selflessly imparted their knowledge of Tlingit traditions.

“When the elders see you are interested in something, they want to download all they know into you,” Lisa explains.

When asked about her art, her passion for sharing her Tlingit culture, Lisa is quick to deflect. “It’s not about me. It’s about our culture. Haa Shagóon. Everything we do is from our elders. And what we can leave to our children. Culture bearers, everyone is. What we can take from the past and leave for the future. To hand off the knowledge. The elders taught what was coming down the line. It’s just amazing when I think about it.”

It is apparent that Lisa’s respect for the elders who shaped her runs deep.

Lisa Andersson in Hoonah. Photo Credit: Kerry Tasker for Spruce Root Org.

The Tlingit are a matrilineal people. So naturally, Lisa was influenced by her grandmother. As a young girl, she was captivated by her grandmother’s sewing room, filled with sparkling beads. Her grandmother would wake up early to bead and sew baby booties to sell at shows. “One day my mom sat my siblings and I down and showed us how to bead these tiny flowers. She said Grandma needed them for her booties.” At the promise of a few dollars the girls enthusiastically beaded. Over forty years later, Lisa found that those little flower patches were not sold at all, but tucked away safely in a little box.

As important as elders are in Tlingit culture, children are also treasured. Haa Shágoon is a concept of revering ancestors and future generations equally. This was illustrated to Lisa through a gift she made for her grandmother. When Lisa’s mother arranged for her grandmother to have photos taken by a professional photographer, Lisa’s grandmother proudly donned the beaded butterfly necklace she had made for her across her forehead like a headband. “It was clearly made by a child,” Lisa laughs.

Portrait of Lisa Andersson's grandmother — Lisa’s Grandmother proudly wearing Lisa’s butterfly necklace as a headband.

As grounded as they were in their rich Tlingit culture in Southeast Alaska, Lisa’s family transplanted to her father’s homeland of Sweden when she was nine years old. Lisa says her mom had compassion for her father’s mother, not wanting her to be without her son. So the second half of Lisa’s childhood was immersed in her Swedish roots. She did not do so willingly at first.

“I remember telling my siblings I was not going to learn the Swedish language!” she asserts.

While in Sweden, her father encouraged her to start painting. Since both parents were artists and musicians, they had a habit of thrusting their children into performing or making things.

“We were like the Von Trapp family!” she recalls.

Lisa’s mom, an avid gardener, took well to Sweden. Concocting tinctures from wild plants intrigued Lisa. That, along with witnessing her mother make her own regalia in Alaska, both served as inspiration for Lisa’s future endeavors.

At the age of 20, when Lisa returned to Hoonah, the familiar smell of the ocean welcomed her. She took on jobs fishing commercially and as a journeyman painter. She traveled back and forth from Sweden, spending her summers in Hoonah and eventually settled down to stay in 1995. The only one of her siblings to return to Hoonah, Lisa takes time to travel back to her family in Sweden twice a year.

“I love the Swedish culture. Standing in two worlds is not an easy task, although it is definitely enriching,” she says.

“I am home. I am Tlingit/Swedish, I come from two cultures. I live in Alaska because it is who I am, it was who my ancestors were, and it is who my descendants are going to be. Of Alaska.”

Being home for Lisa is a reminder of Haa Shágoon all over again.

Haa Shagóon is a sense of existence, a unity of the past, present, and future. A continuum of past, present, and future circumstances and how we exist in all three simultaneously. How we are today is defined by our past – what we do today – defines our future. It is like being all three at once, our ancestors, ourselves, and our future. A strong sense of being.”
– Lisa Andersson

Lisa’s work embodies Haa Shagóon. She shares wisdom passed on to her through traditional art and offers traditional healing remedies through her line of Tlingit Botanicals. She welcomes visitors to connect with her rich Tlingit culture by visiting her shop Dei L’e.ann in Hoonah. Visitors can arrive by cruise ship or seaplane, with flights offered by Alaska Seaplanes.

Lisa Andersson in her shop, Tlingit Botanicals — Lisa in her shop Dei L’e.ann. Photo Credit: Kerry Tasker for Spruce Root Org.

Dei L’e.ann is located at Icy Strait Point, a privately owned cruise port that once served as Hoonah’s fishing cannery. Alongside a museum and other retail shops, Dei L’e.ann showcases Lisa’s art, carefully designed with Tlingit formline and her local salves and beauty treatments. Collections of authentic Indigenous art from Hoonah artisans are also on display. Prints, painted drums, jewelry, accessories and treasures all await the visitor to discover.

Not able to swing into Dei L’e.ann? You can still take home some of Lisa’s art by visiting her online store and her Tlingit Botanicals website.

Alice L. Walton Foundation, Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation, and Pilot House Philanthropy Announce Investments for More Diverse Leadership in Art Museums

May 3, 2023 By Admin in Native

Art institutions receive over $11M to develop new leadership and curatorial positions to increase racial equity in the sector

NEW YORK, NY – (May 3, 2023) Today, four national funding partners, Alice L. Walton Foundation, Ford Foundation, Mellon Foundation, and Pilot House Philanthropy announced the Leadership in Art Museums (LAM) initiative. Over the next five years, the LAM funders will commit over $11M in funding to museums to increase racial equity in leadership roles such as curators, conservators, collections managers, community engagement staff, educators and other senior leaders in a manner designed to advance racial equity.

As platforms for civic engagement, museums are vital public spaces. Intended to serve the communities around them, they play a critical role in fostering dialogue, creative expression, and community engagement and fortifying democratic principles. Museum leaders—from curators to board members—play a key role in determining the art on display in these cultural institutions. A 2019 study found that only 1.2% of works in all major U.S. museums were created by Black artists, with 9% for Asian artists and only 2.8% for Hispanic and Latinx artists.

With an expanded group of funding partners, LAM will build on past and existing efforts to create more racial equity in leadership roles across the art museum field. In addition to welcoming new partners—Pilot House Philanthropy and the Mellon Foundation—LAM is bolstered by the learnings from and impact of recent key initiatives; these include the Diversifying Art Museum Leadership (DAMLI) project, the recently created Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums, and related initiatives like the Mellon Foundation’s ongoing Art Museum Staff Demographic Survey to increase diversity in museums. Mellon’s recent research and surveys found significant underrepresentation of Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Arab, Asian, Pacific Islander, and other people of color in institutional leadership positions. For example: only 20% of museum leadership and 20% of conservation staff identified as non-white. While hiring trends from 2021 and 2022 show slow and steady progress, leadership museum roles are still overwhelmingly held by white staff.

“Ultimately, the future of museums depends on their ability to stay relevant and serve their communities,” said Alice Walton, philanthropist and founder of Alice L. Walton Foundation. “The LAM museums represent a variety of regions across the U.S., and help ensure that we’re increasing access to museum roles in a way that’s inclusive of communities of color, no matter where the art institution is based. With this dedicated group of funding partners, we’re united in our commitment to achieve long-lasting impact.”

“If we want the arts in this country to stay vibrant, moving, and transformational, it’s imperative that these institutions bring in more diverse perspectives and lived experiences,” said Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation. “Leadership in Arts Museum’s vision is to grow and invest in diverse leadership at U.S. art museums to ensure their excellence and relevance in the future.”

A competitive and thorough selection process identified 19 museums across the country for LAM grants to create and sustain new leadership positions. The museums have pledged to make these permanent. In hiring for these positions, the museums also pledge to develop a diverse pool of applicants in a manner that is inclusive of communities of color, including Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Arab, Asian, and Pacific Islander communities.

“Some of our proudest work recognizes and elevates the role of arts and culture within Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities to heal, protect, and restore mental and physical health—not only at the individual level, but also at the community and systems level,” said Joël Barraquiel Tan, executive director at Seattle’s Wing Luke Museum. “With this additional support, we can bring in more staff, develop programming in a vibrant, holistic model, and provide training for emerging staff and interns that advances our internal culture of health and wellbeing.”

“Our new Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole curator position, named in honor of the Jacksonville native and internationally regarded educator, scholar, and cultural leader, will help us realize Ninah Cummer’s vision that the museum be a center of beauty for all,” said Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, Ph.D., director and CEO at the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens in Florida. “With the LAM support, we are on course to expand our audiences and invite more visitors to explore and engage with our collections, gardens, and programs.”

The LAM recipients are diverse institutions with local and national impact spanning geography, size, and cultural focus. As a shared goal, they are fully committed to developing and nurturing museums’ leadership roles that will demonstrate and create a more inclusive art world.

The 2023 LAM museums receiving these awards are:

Arizona State University Art Museum, Phoenix, Arizona
Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, Jacksonville, Florida
The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, Massachusetts
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, Michigan
MASS MoCA, North Adams, Massachusetts
McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas
Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson, Mississippi
Museum of the City of New York, New York, New York
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Illinois
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri
The Newark Museum of Art, Newark, New Jersey
Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, California
Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts
Perez Art Museum Miami, Florida
Portland Art Museum, Portland, Oregon
Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, California
Saint Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, Missouri
Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, Seattle, Washington

###

About the Alice L. Walton Foundation

Founded in 2017, the Alice L. Walton Foundation works to enhance the quality of life for individuals through providing access to offerings that improve well-being and create diverse and inclusive communities. The foundation focuses on philanthropist Alice Walton’s commitment to increasing access to the arts, improving education outcomes, enhancing health, and advancing economic opportunity for all. Through this work, the foundation strives to deliver meaningful and lasting change to individuals and communities most in need. Learn more at AliceWalton.org.

About The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.

About Pilot House Philanthropy

Pilot House Philanthropy is an entity of Barbara and Amos Hostetter’s Boston-based family office, Pilot House Associates, which invests in leaders and organizations that aim to contribute to a kinder, more equitable, creative and sustainable world for current and future generations.

Press Contacts

Nicole Okai
Strategic Communications Officer
Ford Foundation
[email protected]

Diane Carroll
Chief Communications Officer
Alice L. Walton Foundation
[email protected]

Interior Department seeks input on modernizing the Indian Arts and Crafts Act

May 2, 2023 By Admin in Native

The U.S. Department of Interior held a listening session in Albuquerque last week to seek comments on proposed changes to the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, which makes it illegal to sell products that falsely suggest they are made by Native Americans.

Fakery is big business with real impacts on Indigenous artisans. In 2019 federal agents charged five men and two businesses in New Mexico for smuggling fake Native American goods from the Philippines and making millions of dollars.

Indigenous art is a large part of the arts and cultural industries in New Mexico, a sector which generates $137 Million dollars in revenue and employs over 43,000 New Mexicans according to the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.

Sheldon Velarde is the director for the Cultural Arts and Heritage for the Jicarilla Apache Nation and is also an artist. As a traditional artist, he makes pottery, baskets, beadwork, moccasins, and dresses. He attended the listening session and says that people try to replicate Native American artwork like his and it affects his tribe.

“I do see some of the imitation artwork around and it does bug you. Some of it has the plastic or especially the jewelry,” he said.

The Department of Interior is hosting a series of listening sessions and consultations with tribes around the country to update the Indian Arts and Crafts Act to help ensure artisans are fairly compensated. The proposed updates bring more focus to promotional activities, expand the definition of what is “Native American-made” and implement a new trademark to certify that an item is an “Indian Product.”

The certification trademark will be available for Native American artists individually or a business where 50% is at least owned by a Native American.

Velarde says keeping traditions alive is important because they can easily die out, which almost happened in his tribe. If not for the work of several artisans “we wouldn’t be making pottery. But I’m happy because we all have that common goal of passing it down to the next generation.”

Interior officials expect to issue a draft of the proposed changes in the fall.

The Department of Interior will continue to host listening sessions around the country with the last one in Santa Fe on August 18th during Indian Market.

Questions of Provenance Cloud a Major Gift of Native American Objects to the Met Museum, According to a New Report

May 2, 2023 By Admin in Native

A recent investigative report reveals questions surrounding the provenance of Native American works gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by prominent donors Charles and Valerie Diker.

The report, published last week in ProPublica, points out that just 15 percent of the 139 works donated or loaned by the Dikers have “solid or complete ownership histories.” Within the museum’s records, numerous objects have vague ownership details; some don’t have provenance information at all.

Experts suggest that the absence of these details could mean that pieces in the Diker collection are stolen or fake.

In 2017, the Dikers, who are among the most prominent collectors of Native American and Indigenous art in North America, gifted 91 objects to the Met. The works ranged in date from the 2nd to the early 20th century, and joined 20 other pieces donated by the couple since 1993.

At the time of the announcement, a press release from the Met called the Dikers’ collection “the finest and most comprehensive private collection of its kind.” Per the wishes of Charles Diker, an honorary trustee at the institution since 2018, the gifted objects were presented in the museum’s American wing rather than its Art of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas department, as was the practice until that point.

Valerie and Charles Diker attend the American Federation of Arts 2017 Gala and Cultural Leadership Awards at The Metropolitan Club on October 26, 2017 in New York City. Photo: Sylvain Gaboury/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images.

The majority of works from the couple’s donations, including paintings, textiles, and ceramics, are on view now in a dedicated exhibition at the museum called “Art of Native America: The Charles and Valerie Diker Collection.” When the show opened in June of last year, it was accompanied by a statement from the museum that vowed to maintain “ongoing relationships with contemporary Native American and Indigenous artists.”

“We understand that these items—vibrant expressions of Native sovereignty, identity, and connections to community and family—embody intergenerational and environmental knowledge, including origin stories, languages, songs, dances, and ties to homelands,” the statement went on.

“We commit to pursuing continuous collaborations with Indigenous communities and to presenting Native American art in a manner that is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives, involves guidance from source communities, and creates space for respectful listening and thoughtful dialogue.”

Still, the show has drawn criticisms from members of tribes with ancestral ties to the material on view. Some have called out the institution for presenting ceremonial or funerary objects in an artistic context; others, like Shannon O’Loughlin, the executive director of the Association on American Indian Affairs, have claimed the museum “did not consult with affiliated tribal representatives” before mounting the show.

ProPublica came to a similar conclusion. For years, the Met has “failed to consult the necessary tribal officials in a timely and consistent manner about objects in its collections,” the report said.

If true, the Met is in violation of 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which requires federally funded institutions to consult tribes and lineal descendants when they acquire human remains, funerary objects, and other cultural items.

“Our collecting practice for over 50 years has always centered on proceeding carefully, assessing all available information relating to provenance before acquiring a work, and welcoming new information should it come to light,” the Dikers told ProPublica in a statement.

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Juneau Jazz & Classics and Áak’w Rock Music Festival partner to jointly present the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band

May 2, 2023 By Admin in Native

Photo of the Indigenous Big Band provided by Juneau Jazz and Classics

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – Juneau Jazz & Classics and Áak’w Rock Music Festival has announced their first partnership, a series of performances by the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band. This groundbreaking collaboration is dedicated to lifting up Indigenous musicians from around the country and promoting cultural diversity in the arts.

The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band is a trailblazing ensemble that showcases the Indigenous roots of jazz through the creative expression of Indigenous artists. It is a rarity to see a solo Indigenous jazz musician perform, let alone sixteen on stage at once. The big band’s music fuses traditional jazz with Indigenous storytelling and culture, creating a unique sound that has captivated audiences around the world. This project is the bridge for all peoples to see themselves on the bandstand regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, or socioeconomic status.

Led by Alaska Native singer and songwriter Julia Keefe, the band is a collective of all-Indigenous world-class musicians who come from disparate regions from Canada to South America. Together, they create an innovative sound that reflects the past and the future of jazz and celebrates Indigenous musical traditions.

The performances will honor Indigenous creative expression and uplift artistic practice. The schedule is as follows:

Friday, May 5
7:00 pm: Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band concert at Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall. All ages with a cash bar for 21+

Saturday, May 6
2:00 pm: Free concert at UAS Noyes Pavilion. Register in advance for your free spot. 18+ or with a guardian
7:00 pm: A Jazz Affair with Julia Keefe at the Crystal Saloon. An intimate night with a 6-piece jazz combo. 21+

Monday, May 8
8-10 pm: Free jazz jam at the Crystal Saloon

The band will also play an educational concert for middle schoolers from both Juneau middle schools, travel to Hoonah for a community concert, and attend a Juneau Big Band rehearsal.

“We are thrilled to partner with Áak’w Rock Music Festival to bring the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band to Juneau,” said Zuill Bailey, Artistic Director of Juneau Jazz & Classics. “At Juneau Jazz & Classics, we believe in building community through adventurous musical experiences, purposeful arts education, and comprehensive community involvement with professional musicians. This partnership is an exciting opportunity to do just that with the exceptional talents of 16(!) Indigenous musicians.”

“Áak’w Rock Music Festival is committed to changing the narrative for our future by amplifying Indigenous excellence and voices to be heard for generations to come,” said Qacung Blanchett, Artistic Director of Áak’w Rock Music Festival. “We look for opportunities to overcome the historical under-representation of Indigenous performers, and this partnership with Juneau Jazz & Classics will help bring us closer to that goal.”

The residency with the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band is made possible through the generous support of Sealaska, Inc, Goldbelt, Inc, Sealaska Heritage Institute, the University of Alaska Southeast, The Alaska Community Foundation, and an Adaptation and Innovation grant through the Alaska State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

For tickets and more information about the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band, you can visit www.jazzandclassics.org.

Sault friendship centre seeks Indigenous artists for new logo

May 2, 2023 By Admin in Native

The Indigenous Friendship Centre in Sault Ste. Marie wants to rebrand itself with a new logo to go along with its new name, and it’s looking to Indigenous artists in the Algoma District and beyond for help.

According to a social media post from Monday, the organization is offering a grand prize of $2,500 and a new iPad for the winning logo design.

“The visual focus of the new logo should reflect a more modern vibe yet capturing Indigenous culture,” said the post. “Not using too much colour, yet complementary colours should be used in the new version of the logo.

“It is important that the logo is bold, but yet somewhat soft and stands out. We are often involved in partnerships and projects where there are multiple partners – it is important the logo stands out in the work we do.”

Originally known as the Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Centre, its membership voted in favour of dropping the word ‘Indian’ from its name in November of last year, opting to be known as the Sault Ste. Marie Indigenous Friendship Centre — marking the first time the local organization has changed its name since its incorporation in 1972.

The group has since opted to change its name again, and will be now be known as the Indigenous Friendship Centre in Sault Ste. Marie (IFCSSM) going forward.

“With the ever-growing population of East Indian people coming to our city and settling here, we had to make a distinction because we were getting calls,” said friendship centre executive director Cathie Syrette during an interview with SooToday earlier this year. “I just felt like it was time to push that envelope of a name change.”

Syrette said the name change is also in line with moves to drop decidedly more outdated terms such as ‘Indian’ and ‘Aboriginal’ and replace them with ‘Indigenous’ as a blanket term for tribal nations across Canada.

The friendship centre’s rebranding committee — comprised of board members, staff and community members — will judge the entries. The artist with the winning logo redesign will have their name published on social media platforms with their permission.

Deadline for entries is Friday, June 2, 2023 at 3:00 PM and can be sent to director@ssmifc.ca with the subject line: NEW LOGO CONTEST.

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