A group of Indigenous women is calling for Buffy Sainte-Marie to lose her Juno Award for Indigenous album of the year, after a CBC story raised doubts about the singer’s ancestry.

“We invite the Juno Awards Committee to revisit this 2018 category and explore ways of righting a past wrong. All Indigenous artists in this 2018 category … should be reconsidered for this rightful honour,” the Indigenous Women’s Collective said in a statement late Sunday. 

The Indigenous Women’s Collective, which describes itself as a group of mothers, grandmothers, academics and activists advocating to stop colonial violence against Indigenous women, said it reviewed CBC’s story and watched “The Fifth Estate” piece, released on Friday. It said it believes Sainte-Marie deceived the public about her origin as an “Indigenous Scoop survivor.”

It said the deception allowed her to benefit from a false narrative that misled thousands of Indigenous people.

“We acknowledge that Buffy Sainte-Marie was traditionally adopted into the Piapot family 60 years ago under the sacred Cree laws of Wahkotowin. We respect the privacy of her family, friends, colleagues and fans, and their decision to remain supportive and loving toward her,” the collective said in the statement. 

“We understand that traditional adoption comes with great responsibilities, it does not provide anyone permission to falsely claim Indigenous origin identity. Being adopted into an Indigenous family and community does not authorize anyone to speak on behalf of our all of our people.”

CBC obtained Sainte-Marie’s birth certificate, which says she was born in 1941 in Stoneham, Mass., to Albert and Winifred Sainte-Marie. The document lists the baby and parents as white and includes a signature of an attending physician. 

CBC said Sainte-Marie’s marriage certificate, a life insurance policy and the United States census corroborate the information on the birth certificate.

Family members in the U.S., including Sainte-Marie’s younger sister, also told CBC that the musician was not adopted and does not have Indigenous ancestry.

Sainte-Marie, 82, said in a statement the day before CBC’s story that she doesn’t know who her birth parents are or where she’s from, but called herself “a proud member of the Native community with deep roots in Canada.”

The singer also provided an affidavit from a former lawyer tasked with looking into her Indigenous heritage. It says oral history from Saskatchewan explained Sainte-Marie was born north of Piapot First Nation to a single woman “who could not care for her.”

Sainte-Marie has long and intimate ties with what she says is her home community of Piapot, northeast of Regina. Members from the community have said Sainte-Marie is family and dismissed CBC’s presentation of the singer’s U.S. birth certificate as “colonial record-keeping.”

The Junos did not respond to a request for comment Monday but said last week that it had not seen “The Fifth Estate” show and had “nothing to provide.”

Sainte-Marie has also received many other notable awards, including the Order of Canada in 1997 and a Gemini, now known as the Canadian Screen Awards.

The Office of the Secretary to the Governor General said in a statement that it’s aware of the report about Sainte-Marie’s ancestry but does not comment on the possibility of honours being revoked. 

“The Order of Canada advisory council reviews nominations and makes appointment recommendations to the Governor General. This same council can also make a recommendation to terminate an appointment.”

The Canadian Screen Awards did not provide an immediate response. 

— With files from Kelly Geraldine Malone in Saskatoon

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2023.

Brittany Hobson, The Canadian Press

MISSOULA, Mont. — Missoula Art Museum invites the public to meet exhibiting artist Molly Murphy Adams on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Thursday there will be a gallery talk at the museum, Friday will be a First Friday celebration with live music and a bar from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday will be a Free Family Workshop on moccasin design.

Murphy Adams was born in Great Falls and now resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She specializes in contemporary sculptural beadwork and her scholarly research reflects personhood for Native artists and women.

The Missoula Art Museum released the following information:

Missoula Art Museum invites the public to meet exhibiting artist Molly Murphy Adams at a Nov. 2 gallery talk and at the museum’s Nov. 3 First Friday celebration, which features live music and a no-host bar from 5 to 8 PM. On Saturday, Nov. 4, Murphy Adams (descendant, Oglala/Lakota) leads a Saturday Free Family Workshop on moccasin design; after a brief tour participants will view the artist’s family moccasins before she leads the class in creative moccasin design.

In the current exhibition, The Space Between, Murphy Adams explores Indigenous beadwork historically, philosophically, and visually. Recently, the artist worked as a consultant and contributed beadwork design to the Martin Scorsese film Flowers of the Killer Moon. She also makes work with a sense of humor and was one of the artists commissioned to make irreverent beaded medallions for the hit Indigenous television series, Reservation Dogs, created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi for FX Productions.

Murphy Adams learned beadwork at a very early age. The artist was born in Great Falls, raised in western Montana, and now resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As an exhibiting artist, scholar, and community-maker and advocate, Murphy Adams specializes in contemporary sculptural beadwork. Her scholarly research reclaims personhood for Native artists, especially women.

MAM presented Murphy Adam’s first solo exhibition in 2008 and collaborated on her MATRIX Press residency in 2017, including the resulting prints in the 2018 group exhibition, The Shape of Things: John Hitchcock, Molly Murphy Adams, Sara Siestreem, Duane Slick. Murphy Adams has exhibited and has work collected in museums and galleries in many states across the U.S. and has received multiple awards and commissions.

Midlands native Sergio Hudson will soon live his dream as The Columbia Museum of Art presents an exhibition showcasing the fashion designer’s work.

The exhibition Sergio Hudson: Focused on the Fit will be on view from Saturday, Nov. 18, through Sunday, June 30, 2024. Organized by the CMA in partnership with Sergio Hudson Collections, LLC and community curator Megan Pinckney Rutherford, this exhibition showcases the remarkable moments of a designer who fell in love with fashion at four years old while living in Ridgeway and according to officials, has become one of the biggest names in the industry today.

“Many things are happening in my life that I could only dream of — this exhibition at the CMA is one of them,” said Hudson. “I feel very lucky, and I hope my story can inspire other young men in South Carolina to believe in themselves and follow their passion.”

Sergio Hudson: Focused on the Fit overlaps with the newly opened exhibition Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray: Rendez-Vous, providing museumgoers with two iconic fashion exhibitions to experience this fall and holiday season. Hudson and his colleagues Inga Beckham, co-owner of Sergio Hudson, and Charles Lynch, co-creative director of Sergio Hudson, will be at the CMA on Nov. 18 for a special opening day program.

“We are honored Sergio Hudson is sharing his story and craft in his home state museum,” said CMA Executive Director Della Watkins. “Visitors will feel his extraordinary sense of glamorous style and passionate enthusiasm for making women feel confident and fabulous. This ascending artist is signature South Carolina special!”

Born and raised in Ridgeway, Hudson has always taken inspiration from the strong women in his life, particularly his mother, Sheldon Hudson, who exposed him to sewing and fashion design. Since launching his first eponymous label in 2014, his fresh perspective on luxury American sportswear has taken the fashion world by storm. Hudson’s high-profile clients include Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Serena Williams, Jessica Alba, Blake Lively, Rihanna, Kamala Harris, Kendall Jenner, Issa Rae, Jessica Chastain, Rachel Brosnahan, and Keke Palmer, a close friend whom he has called a muse.

“As a lifelong lover of fashion, I am thrilled to be the community curator behind this exhibition showcasing the incredible work of my dear friend, Sergio Hudson, a successful Black fashion designer that was born and bred right here in the Midlands and is well on his way to becoming the next iconic American designer,” said Rutherford. “I am honored to get to share his story with a community that inspired and supported him and also with the next generation that I’m sure will be inspired by his familiar beginnings.”

Hudson’s philosophy is that fashion should be for everyone and include everyone. He designs to empower the wearer and often includes a nod to the ’90s of his youth. Exploring his journey from the early days winning Bravo’s Styled to Rock in 2013 up through the present day, Focused on the Fit features nearly 50 works — some 38 illustrations alongside 10 signature garments from key moments in Hudson’s revolutionary career, including Keke Palmer’s stunning ensemble from the 2023 Met Gala, Megan Rapinoe’s star-spangled suit from the 2021 Met Gala, a suit ensemble worn by Beyoncé in 2019, and a custom suit made for Issa Rae in 2018. Visitors get an opportunity to see the creativity and teamwork behind the building of a brand, from concept to craft to collection, in a holistic look at the design process.

To learn more about the Sergio Hudson: Focused on the Fit exhibition, visit columbiamuseum.org/sergio-hudson-focused-fit.

The six nations of the Haudenosaunee* share an understanding of how the Earth began. In the sky world, a hole opened at the roots of the celestial tree, and Sky Woman tumbled through. Her fall was broken by birds, who cradled her on their wings and placed her gently on the back of a turtle. There, in mud raised from the deep by a muskrat, the seeds that Sky Woman brought from the sky world took root and the Earth began to flourish.

Richard Summers III ’25, Oneida, designed a graphic representation of this story to circle the ceiling of a meeting room at 113 Euclid Avenue, the newly renovated home of Syracuse University’s Native Student Program. The origin story speaks to the interconnections and collaborations that create and sustain our worlds. It’s a fitting message to celebrate the Native Student Program and the space dedicated to it—both represent years of collaborative efforts in support of current and future generations of students.

A Feeling of Home and Place of Belonging

For Summers, who majors in communications design in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the story also speaks of familiarity and home. “I grew up hearing this story—hearing it from elders. It’s a story that brings that warm feeling, like everything is going to be OK,” he says.

That quality, too, makes it a perfect fit in 113 Euclid. Providing a homey atmosphere that nurtures a sense of belonging is one of the main goals of the space, explains Rhiannon Abrams ’21 G’24**, Potawatomi and Mohawk, and academic advisor for the Native Student Program. “Having a space where our experiences are centered and where we can form community is important for many Indigenous students’ success,” she says. “This dedicated space really sends a message that we have a presence on campus.”

Over the summer, an Indigenous-owned contracting company conducted major renovations at 113 Euclid: Walls came down and rooms opened to allow for more light and larger gatherings. “We want 113 Euclid to feel like a safe and welcoming place for all,” says Summers, who served on a student committee contributing to renovation plans. “It’s a place you can go any time of the day to relax, see friends, do your work—and maybe get a little break from feeling like the only Native person in the room.”

Growing, Expanding and Welcoming to All

Renovations also mean the program can grow, says Bailey Tlachac G’23, Oneida, and Native Student Program coordinator in the Office of Multicultural Affairs. At 113 Euclid, there is space dedicated for students to create regalia and also opportunities to practice Native languages. “Language revitalization is really important to tribal communities. If we don’t have our language, we don’t have our culture,” she explains. “Now we have space for a language room, which we’ll be able to fill with materials so that interested students can work on learning a language or maintaining what they already know.”

Tlachac is also looking forward to expanding Indigenous programming to include more global representation. The Center for Global Indigenous Cultures and Environmental Justice, an academic unit that supports interdisciplinary work alongside Indigenous communities to address issues related to cultural heritage, political sovereignty and climate change, will also be based at 113 Euclid. “I am really excited that this space will help us expand our global representation,” says Tlachac. “This is home for all Indigenous experiences, and it will help us grow Indigenous representation across campus.”

Seven Generations Thinking

The walls at 113 Euclid are filling with pieces by Indigenous artists from around the world. One of the criteria that has guided art selection is a focus on Indigenous presence in modern and future contexts, says Tlachac. Conscientiousness about the future is salient at 113 Euclid in other ways, too. Abrams and Tlachac speak with great gratitude of Regina A. Jones ’07, Oneida, founding director of the Native Student Program. Although Jones retired last year, Abrams and Tlachac credit her support and mentorship of Native students for growing the program to its current form, and they see their efforts as continuing her legacy of working to benefit future generations. “A lot of what you might advocate for or work toward as a student, you might not be in place to see come to fruition,” says Abrams. “But you do it because you know it’s the right thing for the people who come after you.”

“We have this saying—’for seven generations’,” explains Summers. “It means that what you do now should make things better for people seven generations from now. That’s what we’re trying to do here, with 113 Euclid.”

Sarah H. Griffin

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) biennial National Indian Nations Conference is one of the largest U.S. Department of Justice-sponsored conferences for the Tribal community. The event brings together a wide array of stakeholders who work with American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) victims of crime.

OVC is pleased to announce the launch of an art initiative to support the 18th National Indian Nations Conference, tentatively scheduled for December 2024. We seek original artwork from survivors, advocates, and representees from Tribal communities, which may be used on conference materials and displayed throughout the conference venue.

This initiative offers a unique opportunity to enhance OVC’s collaboration with the AI/AN community for this upcoming conference and continue a long-held tradition of showcasing original Tribal art at this event.

• Eligibility: Individuals and artists, of all ages, with lived experience and allies in the Tribal victim services field. Submissions can be individual or as a group/collective.
• Deadline: 11:59 p.m., eastern time on Friday, December 8, 2023

Learn more and submit your artwork

Thanks to the efforts of local graffiti artists, community volunteers and high school students, a 115-year-old bridge in south Minneapolis is getting a makeover.

Built in 1908, the bridge is part of the final stretch of a railroad that parallels the Midtown Greenway before crossing the Mississippi River. Two 80-foot murals will connect the Longfellow and Seward neighborhoods — and depict the history of the area.

The project, underway this month, is led by 36th Avenue Revitalization and Transformation (ART), a group of Seward and Longfellow community members who wanted to do something about the “eyesore” of a bridge — as project manager Jack Becker calls it — that spans 36th Av. S. between 27th and 28th streets.

The group is getting help from students in a public art class at Hiawatha Collegiate High School who learned from and worked alongside artists with SPRAYFiNGER, a graffiti arts community founded by Peyton Scott Russell.

The students helped research the history of the bridge site and the neighborhood, including its indigenous roots and landmarks. For the final project, students decided on a collage depicting youth and elder generations, the Mississippi River, local architecture, native plants and maps of the neighborhood.

They spent about 20 hours in after-school workshops developing design skills and using stencils and spray paint. As the project has progressed, the students have worked on the murals daily.

“Now, it’s go time; the mural’s happening,” said visual arts teacher Derek Davidson, who works with the students. “It’s all hands on deck, you know. Every hour we can spare, we’re out there.”

Davidson said that while many of the art students are from south Minneapolis, the largely Hispanic school community differs from the majority white population of surrounding neighborhoods.

The murals’ organizers pondered how to ensure the project could be inclusive of both communities, he said, and tried to do so by extensively researching the area’s history.

“The creativity and collaboration at play is inspiring, and it reminds our young people that they belong and that this community is ours together,” said Hiawatha Collegiate Principal Nicole Cooley.

Students participating in the project receive a stipend for their work. The money comes from the $36,000 organizers raised for the project, which Becker called “unbelievable” for a group that isn’t an official nonprofit. Significant funding came from the Seward Neighborhood Group and the Longfellow Community Council, which donated $15,000. Other donors included TruStone Financial and Xcel Energy.

Becker said he is hopeful some of the student artists might be inspired to keep up the work once they finish school.

“We want them to know this is a job; you can enter this field,” he said. “I’m really excited that this is really a launchpad for them wanting to learn more about public art.”

Rachel Boeke, executive director of the Longfellow Community Council, said she is hopeful the art, as well as lighting expected to be installed next spring, will help passing pedestrians feel safer and encourage drivers to slow down — an issue on 36th Avenue in particular, she said.

“It looks unloved,” Boeke said of the bridge before the mural work began. “But if you talk to anybody living in Seward and Longfellow, they love their communities; they love their neighborhoods.”

The community is invited to celebrate the mural at the dedication at 1-4 p.m. Nov. 11 at Hiawatha Collegiate High School at 3500 E. 28th St., within walking distance of the bridge.

Native Artist’s Long Recovery Continues After Being Shot at Rally

News Story by Matthew Kincanon | FāVS News

On Oct. 27, Native artist and activist Jacob Johns posted an update to his social media about his recovery after being shot in the chest at a rally last month in New Mexico, but his recovery may create some challenges.

“In the wake of a gunshot wound to the chest, I find myself navigating through one of the most arduous chapters of my life,” he said on his Instagram account. “My liver, pancreas, and stomach sustained severe damage, propelling me into a relentless fight for recovery and strength.”

He described how he had to undergo surgery for two days and his spleen was removed. He added that he is currently fighting an infection in the space where his spleen was located and has been going through a “relentless” two weeks on IV antibiotics, and “not much has changed.”

Long Hospital Stay

Jeff Ferguson, a Spokane Tribe citizen and close friend of Johns, said he was not expecting him to be in the hospital this long and thought he would be out of the hospital a couple weeks ago.

In a Facebook post, Johns’s mother, LaVerne McGrath, thought that because it was one bullet and as long as it missed his heart and spine, everything would be fine, just like how she saw it on TV countless times. However, that was not the case and Johns experienced a lot of damage from the single gunshot.

After seeing him in the hospital and talking to the ICU doctor, McGrath became aware that the media’s portrayal of gunshot wounds and recovery is not accurate and every person’s case is different. When it comes to gunshot wounds, McGrath said the doctor told her how the speed of the bullet causes damage and when a bullet goes into a person it often shatters a bit and scatters, and surgeons focus on repairing damage.

In the post she described how the doctor told her that one bullet can cause great damage and sometimes additional damages aren’t seen until the following day.

At the end of the post, she prayed that the post would bring more knowledge and understanding that  the idea of just one bullet has no mere aspect of “just” about it.

Finding Faith

“This tumultuous ride has carved out a deeper understanding of resilience within me and underscored the power of faith in moments of darkness,” Johns said in his post. “I am encircled by an extraordinary support system of family, friends, and incredible doctors, all of whom are pouring their energy and dedication into helping me conquer this.”

Within less than a month, Johns is supposed to be the lead organizer of a delegation that is going to Dubai for the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28). However, given the state of his injuries and recovery, Ferguson said that they are not sure if he will be able to travel.

He noted how active Johns is in various causes from pipelines to statues, how much he has matured in the last couple years, and the vast network he has built, all the while working as a full-time artist and a single father to his daughter.

“[Johns] has been doing this stuff for probably the last seven to eight years, but he has been able to build this global community that follows him, helps support him, and helps him with funding efforts and fundraising and all these different things,” Ferguson said.

Financial Support

As of Oct. 28, the GoFundMe set up to support Johns in his recovery has raised more than $260,000 from over 5,000 donors.

While it is not clear what will happen in the event that Johns cannot go to Dubai, Ferguson said the delegation will move forward to give panels and presentations, but it is a matter of what, where and how they will be able to fit Johns in.

Ferguson is sure they will meet with Johns everyday before they go into COP28 and they will probably have a Zoom meeting with him at the least. He added that they will have internet access and have the ability to meet everyday.

Johns extended a message to everyone reading his post letting them know that no matter the storm they are facing, they are not alone in navigating it and seeking support is a courageous act.

Eager To Get Back To Work

“I am still here, anxious to get back to movement work. No matter what please remember that there are better, brighter days that lie ahead, rich with health, joy, and unwavering strength,” he said in the post.

As far as he knows, Ferguson said that Johns has no plans of slowing down and “if anything he’s ready to back out on the road and go to the next thing.”

Johns ended his post with a message of gratitude to those who have been sending him prayers and supportive messages.

Matthew Kincanon is a former Digital Content Producer with a journalism and political science degree from Gonzaga University. His journalism experience includes the Gonzaga Bulletin, The Spokesman-Review, Art Chowder magazine and SpokaneFāVS. He said he is excited to be a freelancer at SpokaneFāVS because, as a Spokane native, he wants to learn more about the various religious communities and cultures in his hometown.

TAHLEQUAH – Cherokee Nation is once again celebrating Native perspective and influence on the comic con scene with the return of SkasdiCon 12-7 p.m., Nov. 4 at Northeastern State University in the University Center Ballroom. 

The family-friendly event is free to attendees 18 and under, students with a school I.D. and those dressed in cosplay costumes. General admission is $5.

More than 40 Indigenous artists will be sharing their work alongside Native pop culture panels, film screenings and a cosplay competition. This year, the competition categories have been expanded to also include a youth division.

“SkasdiCon Vol. II is shaping up to be an incredible event. We were blown away by the reception of this event last year, and we’ve worked hard to expand our panels, special guests list, entertainment and activities,” Callie Chunestudy, cultural programs and events project manager for Cherokee Nation Cultural Tourism, said. “We hope the public joins us for an exciting day with talented artists and vendors who are eager to share their passion and love for both Native culture and pop culture alike.”

The word “skasdi” is Cherokee slang. It’s a playful word that represents pride, impressiveness, awesomeness, fierceness or feistiness, which can all describe many comic book and video game characters represented by artists and cosplayers that participate at comic cons.

Guests can expect appearances from special guests such as Jhane Myers and Kaniehtiio Horn. Myers is most known for her many productions, including “Prey,” “1883,” “Magnificent Seven” and more. Horn has also spent time in the film industry in her recent role of Deer Lady in “Reservation Dogs” and her role in “Letterkenny,” for which she was awarded a Canadian Screen Award.

Guests can also expect an appearance from special guest Jana Schmieding. Schmieding is known for her breakout role as “Reagan” on Peacock’s “Rutherford Falls.” Schmieding frequents on FX’s “Reservation Dogs” and voices Zelda Fox on Fox’s animated sitcom “The Great North.”

The NSU University Center Ballroom is located at 612 N. Grand Avenue. For more information, including a full event schedule, cosplay rules and regulations, and a list of participating artists, creators and cosplay judges, visit https://skasdicon.com/.