Dennis Banks is a Native American leader, teacher, lecturer, activist, and author. He is an Anishinabe, Ojibwa, born on Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. In 1968 he co-founded the American Indian Movement (AIM), and establishing it to protect the traditional ways of Indian people and to engage in legal cases protecting treaty rights of Natives-such as hunting and fishing, trapping, wild riceing.
Banks earned an Associates of Arts degree at Davis University and taught at Deganawida Quetzecoatl (DQ) University (an all Indian-controlled institution), where he became the first American Indian chancellor.
In 1994, Banks led the four-month Walk for Justice (WFJ) from Alcatraz Island in San Francisco to Washington, DC. The purpose was to bring public awareness to current Native issues. Banks agreed to head the “Bring Peltier Home” campaign in 1996 bringing Native Americans and other supporters together in a national drive for executive clemency for political prisoner Leonard Peltier.
He also had roles in the movies War Party, The Last of the Mohicans, and Thunderheart. A musical tape “Still Strong” featuring Banks’ original work as well as traditional Native American songs was completed in’93 and a musical video with the same name was released in’95.
The images of full blood Cherokee artist, Donald Vann, speak of peace and tranquility of solitude. They speak of yesterday’s tradition and tomorrow’s promise. Through his work, Donald takes the viewer to a place that is as real to him as the tangible world. To see his paintings is to feel the crunch of snow beneath one’s feet, to hear the wind whisper through the aspen trees and to smell the wood smoke and buffalo of hide tipis. It is to know the soft-spoken man behind the paper and paint. Donald Vann
“All my life,” Donald explains, “I have had this desire to paint with images I can express thoughts and feelings I could never put into words. Through my art I am able to transcend the limitations of the spoken word.”
It is more than just his Native American heritage that Donald strives to share. Warriors on horseback, a medicine man greeting the dawn and young maidens gathering wood are only the means of conveying moods that are much more universal. He uses those images to tell how he feels about the unseen forces that influence life. Donald draws his greatest inspiration from the earth, sky, and from the rhythms of nature. His creations have a quality that allow the viewer to share some of the inner facets of the Indian soul. “In our world, there is an unspoken quality, a feeling that touches and flows through everything … all of us as well as all things of the earth. If one listens to these forces, he will find himself painting instinctively with the feeling of his heart about his ancestral beliefs and the way people live today.”
These spiritual elements have been a part of his life for as long as he can remember. “Growing up I was always a loner.” Donald recalls, “I spent a lot of time hunting, but that was really just a way of being by myself out of doors. That is where I felt the most comfortable and in tune with the natural spirits evident in all things.”
When he wasn’t camping with his grandfather or hunting in the woods near his boyhood home outside Stilwell, Oklahoma, Donald remembers painting. “I didn’t fit in too well at school, the one art class I took, I flunked. I always thought education got in the way of learning. I was much more interested in the teachings of the holy man for my clan and in the survival and herb skills my grandparents taught me.”
Combining his love for art and his Cherokee heritage, Donald is able to create moving images that speak of the Indian way of life and capture the hearts of art collectors worldwide. He is recognized for his haunting images of his people’s heritage, especially his portrayal of the Trail of Tears. He was proclaimed “one of the best known Indian artists of the 20th century” by the Cherokee National Historical Society. The Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of the American Indian honored him with their top painting award for watercolor medium. He has also won first place ribbons in juried competitions at Oklahoma’s Red Earth Exhibit, Colorado Indian Market and National American Indian Arts Exposition.
More than 50 different editions of his signed and numbered prints are now collectors items. He has taken top honors at shows from Texas to Ohio, and Minnesota to North Carolina. Yet, it is the public’s acceptance is what matters most to Donald.
“Through my images,” Donald says when asked of his success, “I hope people will be inspired to learn more about the customs and values of America’s native people. Our traditions teach many things that can help all people. In today’s fast-paced world, it is too easy to get cut off from one’s heritage and lose sight of the things that are truly important. If I can make people see with their hearts instead of their eyes, then my art has spoken. Then I have succeeded.” http://www.donaldvann.com/
Sukinanik’oy is a Native American word meaning, “to bring back to life” A Spiritual Collective Art Festival Restoring the Cultural Beauty of the Chumash
Mission
Proceeds will go to paying land taxes for recently acquired land given to our local band of Native Americans, with the intent of building a NON PROFIT Community Educational and Cultural and Education Center; a native plant habitat, a tribal library and a place of honor for Native American Veterans
Company Overview
Barbareno/Ventureno band of Mission Indians (BVBMI) Currently accepting donations through CAUSE for paying property taxes acquired with the gifting back of land in Saticoy, CA.
Description
On July 21st, 2012, the FIRST ANNUAL Festival of SUKINANIK’OY, a celebration of bringing Chumash History back to life in Ventura County, will be held at The Pottery Studio, 1804 E. Ojai Avenue, Ojai from 10 am to 8 pm. In fact, Sukinanik’oy is a Native American word meaning, “to bring back to life”. For the Barbareno/Ventureno band of Mission Indians (BVBMI), this is a day of celebrating the first…
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General Information
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE – SUKINANIK’OY 2012
10:00-10:30 AM Opening Ceremony Julie Tumamait/ R. Bejarano
10:30-10:50 AM Ceremonial QiGong with live flute- Beth Leone
11:00-11:50 AM Smitty West /Three Amigos
12:00-12:30 PM J. Tumamait-Stenslie (Chumash stories…)
12:40-1:30 PM Raymond Powers, Shyla RaySunshine,
Chris B. Olds and Tony Shibumi
1:45-2:05 PM Sukinanik’oy speaker; Carol Janelle
2:10-2:30 PM Greg Bressani– Flute Spirit Journey
2:40-3:00 PM Erich Lenk- guitar/ song writer
3:10-3:30PM Dani Ma-guitar/ song writer
3:45-4:35 PM Restless Hillfillies- local female trio
4:45-5:10 PM Judy Piazza / drums
5:15-5:35PM Conner Jones Re-Introducing Native plants
5:45-6:05 PM Alyzabeth Rhiannon Anath (Dance)
6:15-6:40 PM Rafeal Bejarano- didgeridoo
6:45-7:05 PM Jam session-Rafeal Bejarano, Greg Bressani,
Dennis Connor
7:15-7:40 PM Red Hawk – FIRE CEREMONY
Fern Naomi Renville is an enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, but also carries her grandmother’s Omaha and Seneca-Cayuga blood. She is a graduate of the Evergreen State College, a mother of grown children, and the Director of Seattle-based Red Eagle Soaring Native Youth Theatre. Red Eagle Soaring programming integrates contemporary theatre with traditional Native performing arts, empowering youth to sustain their cultural heritage and take creative action on the issues affecting their lives.
Award Award winning Coast Salish artist Peter Boome is a member of the Upper Skagit Tribe of Washington State. He works in a variety of mediums with a primary focus on printmaking and graphic work. Peter earned his AA from Northwest Indian College, his BA from the Evergreen State College and his JD from the University of Washington School Of Law. He is currently finishing his Master’s of Environmental Studies at Evergreen State College, as well as pursuing a PhD through the School of Indigenous Graduate Studies Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi in New Zealand.
Peter’s work has been aggressively sought after by collectors throughout the world. His art pieces span the continents in various European countries as well as New Zealand, Australia, Asia and Africa. Peter is a regular attendee of many prestigious juried art markets and events throughout the country, such as the Santa Fe Indian Market. His work has shown at institutions such as the National Museum of the American Indian both in New York and Washington DC. Some other places Peter has also shown include the Heard Museum in Phoenix, the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, the Autry Museum in Los Angeles, Indian Art Market in Santa Fe, and the Washington State History Museum where his work is part of the permanent collection. Peter’s work is carried by many galleries and art distributors throughout the world.
Peter works in a variety of mediums such as painting, carving, inlay, and glass work, but he is best known for his Hand-pulled serigraphs. He prints his own original work as well as the work of other artists. As a printer, Peter has worked with both new and established artists. He has worked with indigenous artists from New Zealand and Canada and has been active in printing indigenous work and giving back to his community. Through this commitment to his community Peter has introduced the work of many artists who would not have been otherwise able to have their work printed.
For more information about Peter and his art visit his website and blog at: araquin.comFor questions about individual work such as pricing and availability or to contact Peter email him at: pete@araquin.com
Artist Statement
Peter’s artist statement says, “Art is all around us. Art is everywhere in life, there are lines, curves, shapes, colors, and shades all around us. Each culture has its own way of expressing the art of our world, a window through which we view the world. I am a Coast Salish Artist. My art is rooted in a historical design tradition. My art is a direct reflection of my culture; it is also a reflection of my personal, cultural, and world view.
I believe art is more than a simple reflection of culture. I feel art influences and guides cultures in many directions and ways. If you accept that art and culture are intrinsically connected you realize that art like culture is malleable, while based on a historic foundation both continue to evolve and expand. Our use and need of art is as strong as our use and need of culture. It is intrinsically connected; it surrounds us and often guides us. As an artist representing a distinct culture there is a moral obligation to carry on the artistic tradition with the upmost care and respect. We must carry on this tradition by honoring the past, representing the present, and laying the foundations for the future.”
For questions about pricing and availability and for more information about Peter or to view his work, check out his website and blog:
Grandmother Rita Pitka Blumenstein is a Yupik Elder and the first certified traditional doctor in Alaska. She is also an artist, a teacher, speaker and storyteller. Rita’s teachings of the “Talking Circle” have been recorded and published, and she’s traveled the world to teach song, dance, basket weaving and cultural issues. She donates these earnings to Native American colleges.
Grandmother Rita was born on a fishing boat. Because her father died before she was born, Rita was raised by mother, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. All were wise women elders of her Yupik people. “I grew up with the Grandmothers, walked with the grandmothers and learned with the grandmothers,” she said of her family’s powerful teachings.
Grandmother Rita’s family lived in Tununak on Alaska’s Nelson Island. The bitter cold and barren tundra made life hard for the Yupik, whose name means “Real People.” With no forests or trees, the Yupiks said special prayers for the return of the driftwood each year. They also prayed to the animal spirits for help.
Rita began learning while in her mother’s womb. “My mother taught me that her tummy was my first world, and whatever she did while I was in her was something I learned,” Grandmother Rita says. ” Being in the Mother’s womb is like being under the ice; unsure of the light and hearing things but not clearly.” From the time of her birth, the Yupik grandmothers recognized Grandmother Rita’s spiritual being and healing powers.
When she was a young child, Grandmother Rita had diphtheria for two years and could barely breathe. All she could do was listen. By age 9, she was already receiving visions and was working as a healer. In a recent vision, she saw people looking up at the sky in terror. It turned out to be 9-11.
Rita’s grandmothers stressed that school is important, but more important was learning about oneself. From a young age, Yupik youth are taught that when they think of something, they also need to feel it. And when they feel something, they also need to think about it. “It is essential to allow yourself to know what you know, instead of driving yourself to be,” she believes. “When there is so much striving to be and become, we don’t often recognize what it is we really want when it’s right there in front of us.”
School helped balance Grandmother Rita between two worlds. Yupik people struggled with U.S. policies that ended the tribe’sfishing and hunting rightsand forced their children to attend schools outlawing tribal languages and traditions. “I caught the tail end of the old ways,” said Grandmother Rita. She believes her name, ” Tail End Clearing of the Pathway to the Light” reflects her mission to heal. “Theceremonies,the Potlach are old ways. I can see now, today, that all that happened back then was for this purpose, for this life we are living today. It was for my work now. The ceremonies were about what all our ancestors were doing for the future, for future use. We just didn’t know back then that meant today.”
Grandmother Rita was married happily and peacefully to a Jewish man for over 40 years. During those years, they had six children but five died. Today their living daughter jokingly calls herself a “Jeweskimo.”
In 1995, Grandmother Rita learned she had cancer. The cancer helped Rita recognize her lifetime of anger and sadness from not having a father. She knew she had to heal at the deepest levels. “Emotions become physical, and the physical becomes emotional. Healing is about peeling,” she says. “God said there is only abundance, and the only way through is to forgive. Holding on to negative emotions becomes caner or another illness. Our healing is not just for ourselves, it is for the universe. We forget who we are, and that is the cause of our illness.”
Today Grandmother Rita Blumenstein is a tribal doctor for the South Central Foundation. She uses plant and energy medicine to heal along with the wisdoms learned from her own grandmothers. “I really still don’t know what it is I do, and I don’t know after what I did,” she explains. “The secret is that I don’t know anything. I am your friend, I am not sick, not sad, not angry. But what about you?”
Grandmother Rita is also teaching her teen-age granddaughter — who “talks to Mother Earth” — to be a healerand carry on the traditions. She tells her granddaughter that the whole universe is for everyone’s use. Nothing is to be owned, only shared. “We are all here for the universe … Everything changes except the land we live on, and when that changes, we must accept it …When Mother Nature shows us she’s angry, that changes all of us. My Grandmother taught me long ago that you become a human being when you learn to accept., when you learn to let go. We are here for the universe.”
Inviting the grandmothers to come visit her in Alaska , Grandmother Rita said,” When people think of Alaska, they go, ‘Brrr.’ But I say, when you have a cold heart, that’s when you’re cold. When you have a warm heart, that’s when you are warm. Come to Alaska, and we’ll warm you up!”
Phil Lane Jr. is an enrolled member of the Yankton Dakota and Chickasaw First. National Indian Magazine named Phil named a Modern Indian Sports Great for his record-breaking accomplishments in track and wrestling in 1977. For 44 years, he has worked with Indigenous peoples in North, Central and South America, Micronesia, South East Asia, India, Hawaii, and Africa. For 16 years he taught at the University of Lethbridge, in Alberta, Canada. With elders from across North America, Phil co-founded the Four Worlds International Institute (FWII) in 1982.
Today he chairs the Four Directions International, an indigenous-owned economic development company incorporated in 1996, focusing on the importance of culture and spirituality in development. Phil is an award-winning author and film producer, whose credits include “Images of Indians, “Walking With Grandfather,” and “Healing the Hurts.” He has been honored by Indigenous elders as Hereditary Chief through a traditional headdress ceremony. He was the first indigenous person to receive the Windstar Award, and has been honored by the Foundation for Freedom and Human Rights, in Switzerland, and the Center for Healing Racism in Houston.
Hereditary chief of the Ihanktonwan First Nation Phil Lane Jr. said the treaty reinforces First Nations obligations to defend the environment based on ancient laws, now and into the future.
“This is part of a much larger global campaign called Protect the Sacred. The sacred is not limited to stopping tar sands projects. It’s a global Indigenous movement with allies around the world that are going to focus very specifically on issues that are negatively impacting Mother Earth and Indigenous peoples and humanity, all members of the human family.”
Colleen Jollie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Native American Studies and a Master’s degree in Public Administration, both from The Evergreen State College. She is a descendant of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribe. Ms. Jollie worked to create the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center at Evergreen; she helped found the Potlatch Fund and the Northwest Native American Basketweavers Association. Whether creating a new building or an organization, Colleen gathers people together to bring out ideas and create new realities. She describes this as “getting everyone into one canoe and pulling together toward a common destination.” She was deputy director at the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs and the Tribal Liaison at the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Sla-hal is tied to the people of this area, pre-Clovis, since time immemorial. The finding of the sla-hal bones with the mastodon bring the past to the present, justifying the oral tradition of the people of the Pacific Northwest. Sla-hal began as a game between the animals and the humans.
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World Peace and Prayer Day 2013
Encouraging Words from our Elders
"I appreciate your work in giving voice to our peoples. Blessings to you." Grandmother Mona Polacca
Quote of the Month
Yes, our life energy must be a gift for our future. Your life, my life, everybody’s life must follow your given path. So pray or meditate. Follow your inner path and learn just how powerful you are and learn that you are a leader for your people, your family, your children, and the Mother Earth.
-Chief Arvol Looking Horse, Lakota
Grandmother Rita’s family lived in 
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