2008 November/December On the Wind (News) |
Musician, activist and producer Robby Romero (Apache/Tewa) and wife Stacey Thunder are making an impact; and the long-awaited Haida Cultural Centre opens. Also, other important news in the arts, education, the environment, business, politics, sports, health and other realms of life in Indian Country. By Daniel Gibson. |
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2008 November/December Happening (Events) |
A 1914 silent film by Edward S. Curtis, In the Land of the Head Hunters, is reborn in an ambitious project pairing it with a live musical performance by The Coast Orchestra in Washington, D.C. and New York City. Plus details on other special events of Native interest across North America. By Daniel Gibson. |
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2008 November/December Viewpoint |
Corporate America is urged to step up to its responsibility to hire qualified Native Americans to fulfill executive posts in order to reflect the nation’s ethnic diversity and to help it reach its true potential. By Victoria Wright (Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts). |
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Little People: Native Dolls Live On |
Dolls are far more than gifts for little girls, as you’ll see in this survey of their historical role and place in American Indian cultures. By Mary Jane Lenz. |
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Storytime on the Stage: Native Playwrights & Troupes |
The curtain goes up on our look at prominent Native theater companies and playwrights throughout the United States and Canada, plus a brief history of Native theatrical arts. By Ann Haugo |
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2008 September/October Happening (Events) |
The 14th annual Gathering of the Northwest Native Basketweavers Association. Plus details on other special events of Native interest across North America. By Daniel Gibson. |
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2008 September/October On the Wind (News) |
Eel Ground School in Canada uses technology to boost achievement among its young students; Steven Alvarez, renaissance man. Also, other important news in the arts, education, the environment, business, politics, sports, health and other realms of life in Indian Country. By Daniel Gibson. |
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Pathways: Mission San Luis in Old Spanish Florida |
We check out a little-known Florida treasure, the Mission San Luis, founded by the Spanish in 1656 and once home to a band of Apalachee Indians. By Margaret Barlow. |
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Feats of Clay: Carved, Etched and Incised Pottery of Santa Clara Pueblo |
Our overview of this decorative and innovative form of pottery features a brief history of
its development, profiles on five leading artists—Tammy Garcia, Nathan Youngblood, Jennifer Moquino, Grace Medicine Flower and LuAnn Tafoya—and a comprehensive
list of others working in this field. By Gussie Fauntleroy. |
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2008 July/August Spirit of the Harvest |
Churro Lamb, La Posada Style
The revival of the fabled La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona is
spurred on by the delicious food coming out of its popular kitchen,
including this grilled churro lamb dish. By Beverly Cox and Martin
Jacobs. |
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Bolo Ties and Necklaces |
Bolo Ties and Necklaces
A series of brief short profiles and photos of diverse, eye-dazzling
necklaces and bolo ties created by 15 living Indian artists. Plus a
brief history on bolos and neckwear. By Patty Talahongva (Hopi). |
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2008 May/June Spirit of the Harvest (Food) |
Breakfast in Montréal’s “Chez Alanis”
Our food editor shares a delightful breakfast of crepes with berries,
homemade muesli and other delicacies in the Montréal home of acclaimed
Native filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin (Abenaki). |
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2008 January/February Viewpoint |
Uncooking the Books: The Fed’s Trust Fund Mess
The federal government owes tribes and Indian individuals billions of
dollars in lost trust fund monies derived from Indian land resource
extraction and lease fees. By Elouise Cobell (Blackfeet).
|
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2008 March April Feature |
Return of the Buffalo Nation Ride
the range with us as we review the efforts of Plains tribes and several
organizations to restore buffalo herds on their lands. Plus, history
and natural history regarding this magnificent beast, and where to view
them.
(Photo courtesy US fish and wildlife service)
|
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Scottsdale: Native Arts Mecca |
Everyone
who lives in or visits the dynamic city of Scottsdale, Arizona, owes a
debt of gratitude to the legendary Indian artists who played key roles
in its growth and reputation as a vibrant center of arts and culture.
Scottsdale is considered a leader in this highly competitive market... |
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Native Nacimientos: Cross-Cultural Christmas |
Native Nacimientos
Native artists of the Southwest use traditional pottery and carving
techniques to create charming Indian-style Nativity scenes, as seen in
the work of Mary Trujillo, Troy Sice, Paul and Dorothy Gutierrez, Gerti
Sanchez, Wilson Romero, Mary Ellen Toya, Harry Benally, Mary Lucero,
and Betty and Robert Naranjo. |
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Yo Soy Indio (I Am Indian) |
We explore the sometimes difficult but culturally rich personal and
social territory found in the mixing of Spanish and Indian people in
the Americas, with a focus on the United States/Mexico borderlands. By
Ruben Hernandez (Yaqui/Latino). Illustrated with works by various
artists. |
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Floyd Red Crow Westerman Dies |
Our
friend Floyd Red Crow—actor, musician, artist and activist—passed
away on Dec. 13. We will miss him. See our profile from 2005. Photo by
Kitty Leaken. |
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Indigenous Animation Movement Rising |
A new generation of Indian graphic artists brings storytelling to a new
moving-image medium, from a series airing on Canadian television to
one-of-a-kind productions. By Kade Twist (Cherokee). |
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Artists Behind the Masks |
While
maskmaking today among Native Americans is not nearly as universal as
it was in ancient America, the art and craft of creating these unique
tools for human expression did not disappear, and in fact their
creation is once again expanding. Indigenous maskmakers of North
America today... |
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Sacred Ground |
American Indians consider the land a living entity and believe certain
places have powerful spiritual forces associated with them. Many sacred
places are threatened by inappropriate development today, while some
have been permanently protected. Read about the significance of holy
places and the battles to save them from
housing tracts, strip mining, chemical plants and other assaults. |
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Sacred Plants: Native American Herbal Medicine |
Nearly
all cultures on Earth have integrated plant medicines into their
healthcare systems; the United States is a striking exception. Few in
this country understand that pharmaceuticals are not easily
biodegradable, the elegant complexity and safety of plant medicines, or
the contributions of North American tribal cultures. But plants are the
oldest medicine... |
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Native American Traditional Dance |
We
delve into the roots of traditional Native dance practices across North
America and profile a handful of active Native dance troupes presenting
traditional dance: the Yellow Bird Indian Dancers, the Chinle Valley
Singers, the American Indian Dance Theater and the Le-La-La Dancers. By
Colleen M. Payton. |
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Native American Tribes Restore Endangered Wildlife |
Return of the Wild
Many
Native American tribal governments are embarking on ambitious ecological restoration
programs to protect endangered wildlife on their reservations. We visit the Nez Perce gray
wolf recovery project, the Yakama Nation shrub-steppe program for
sage-grouse, the Iowa Tribe’s eagle aviary, and the Confederated Tribes
of Warm Springs’ chinook salmon effort. Plus details on six other
endeavors. By Ben Ikenson. |
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Splendor in the Glass |
“You’re turning, turning. Softly. Okay, stop. Blow. Stand by in three, two, one. Torch it!” Dancing?
Cooking? No, but to artists such as Tony Jojola and his team of
assistants, the art of glass-blowing is as choreographed as a dance and
demands the precision timing of a chef preparing crème brûlée. Native
American glass art
|
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Inuit Carving |
They have charmed visitors to the Arctic for centuries, and today stone carvings by the Inuit people of Canada are treasured by collectors worldwide. They come in a rich array of sizes and materials, and today in themes as well. While rooted in the ancient past of the Inuit, these modern works can stand beside any of the world’s finest contemporary art. Yet, almost all of the sculpture, even the most abstract and progressive, retains a distinctive look and feel that harks back... |
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Oaxaca, Heart of Native Mexico |
With its moody air of intrigue and large Indian population (Indigenous people comprise 80 percent of the 3,438,765 inhabitants), Oaxaca, Mexico’s southern state, is a microcosm of all of Mexico, old and new. It is home to 16 separate Indian groups, dominated by the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples... |
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Basketry: Weaving New Life into Ancient Forms |
Basketry is arguably humankind’s oldest art form. From time immemorial, women and men of the Americas have bent, twined and coiled root, grass and branch into superlative art. Weavers crafted more than just baskets for storing and preparing food, though—they also wove clothing, hats, baby carriers and gambling trays for daily use, gifts, ceremonies and trading. |
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Tradition! Arts and Crafts Revived |
For many Native artisans, it was the memory of a grandmother’s deftly moving fingers, or a grandfather’s quiet words, that stirred up a powerful desire to learn and carry on an ancient skill perhaps in danger of being lost to the modern world. In some cases, the effort of a single artist—who taught someone else, who then taught someone else—has revived and preserved important ancient Native crafts. |
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