The Honoring Canoe
World-renowned Indian educator Emmett Oliver, an elder of the Quinault Indian Nation of Washington, was the force behind a great intertribal canoe journey held in the waters of Puget Sound in 1989 for the Seattle Centennial. His idea for a pan-Indian canoe excursion helped lead to a revival of the art of canoe carving among Pacific Northwest Indian tribes, and with that a number of vital spiritual and ceremonial practices.

Oliver grew up in poverty in the Willapa region. He dropped out of high school but later returned, and in the end earned two college degrees and went on to revolutionize Indian education in Washington. All this preceded his concept of a canoe-carving program that culminated in 17 tribal canoes traveling together in what came to be known as the first Paddle to Seattle. For that historic event, Oliver had to secure permission from the U.S. Forest Service to fell 600-year-old cedar trees, two for each tribe, needed for the canoes.

“We are very proud of him,” his daughter Marylin tells me. “He started the revival of canoe making, because by 1985 dugout canoes were a lost art in the Pacific Northwest. Those in existence were only found in museums.”

Oliver is being recognized in this year’s Tribal Canoe Journey, hosted by the Suquamish Nation, with construction of a special 35-foot cedar-strip canoe, the Honoring Canoe, and the event’s theme: Homeward Bound. The craft is adorned with art designed by his son Marvin Oliver, an art professor at the University of Washington who sells his artwork nationally and internationally (see July/Aug. 2006 issue). Oliver’s family will paddle the canoe in the excursion. When the 110 or so canoes come ashore Aug. 2 at Golden Gardens Beach in Seattle (near Ballard Locks) and again at Suquamish on Aug. 3, the 95-year-old will greet the pullers. You can be sure he will also receive a rousing welcome, befitting the key role he has played in the cultural and spiritual revival of his people.  —Amber Cook


Emerald Ash Borer Threatens Basket Weaving
Some of the world’s finest handmade baskets are produced by Native weavers in the woodlands of the northeastern United States and Canada. A favorite material for these works is thin strips of wood harvested from the ash tree, which has been used for thousands of years throughout the region.

However, healthy ash trees are becoming increasingly difficult to find—particularly the favored black ash—as a small bug originally confined to China, the emerald ash borer, eats its way through the region’s forests.

“The introduction of alien species was devastating to the First Peoples of this continent,” notes ash basket weaver Frank Meuse of the Bear River First Nation (L’sitkuk). “Today we are still struggling to teach our children about the relationship they need to have with the land. We can only hope our elders are speaking the truth when they say the trees will make themselves invisible until we learn to respect them.”

As the insect invasion spreads, the regulations created to combat it seem almost as difficult to deal with as the bug itself. The regulations were designed to restrict the movement of living beetles while not limiting the activities of people who earn a living from ash trees, including basket weavers, but the restrictive codes are severely hampering the weavers. For instance, wood from an infected area with its bark intact cannot be moved, while wood from unaffected areas can be moved—if proper certificates from specified authorities are obtained. But identifying which areas are okay to harvest in and which are not is problematical, as the bug continues its advance. To check on the status of an area, call 866/322-4512 in the United States, and 866/463-6017 in Canada.

Reversing the ash’s disappearance is about restoration, but previously used greenhouse methods for seed propagation are not adequate for large-scale replanting, with only a small percentage of the seeds germinating and thriving. However, Laurie Yeates, a research greenhouse manager for the Canadian Forest Service in Fredericton, New Brunswick, has learned that drastically varying the temperatures the seedlings are exposed to results in much higher success rates. “I look at natural seedlings and think how they would be if [they were] outside,” she explains.

But large-scale ash restoration projects are only possible if bumper crops of seeds are collected. Seed collectors are still needed in many areas. details: www.northnet.org/atfe/atfe.htm or contact Les Benedict of the Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment at lkbenedi@northnet.org.  —Pat Kerr



Music Notes
I overlooked it when first released in 2007, but Faces in the Rocks (Grass Roots Records) by Mariee Sioux (Paiute/Mexican Indigenous/non-Native) is an incredible work. A mesmerizing voice and arrangements; sparse but rich, wonderful poetic song-stories; her clean acoustic guitar work and minimalist use of buffalo drum; redwood flute by Grammy-nominated Gentle Thunder; mandolin by her father, Gary Sobonya; and accordion, bass, cello and other instruments create a soulful soundscape that sticks to you like glue. Details: www.myspace.com/marieesioux

Randy Granger (Chol/Athabascan/Apache/Comanche/Dogrib/non-Native) has produced a fine work in his eight-track CD A Place Called Peace. Using a nice play of flutes (including rare re-created Anasazi instruments), hand drums, a “hang drum” and vocals, the work reflects his lifelong residency in the American Southwest, with songs such as “Rio Grande Lullaby” and “Chaco Moon Meditation.” Details: www.randygranger.net

Another notable flute-driven work is Warrior’s Last Breath (Ancient Oak Productions) by Mike Serna (Mescalero Apache/Gabrielino). Several of the 13 tracks feature the extraordinary fiddler Arvel Bird (Paiute), along with Serna’s rich flute and guitar accompaniment. It’s a mostly instrumental work, with the exception of the playfully titled track “Zaa Zee Za Zu Zing.”

A very powerful freshman effort from Apryl Allen in Shape Shifter (ADA Music, Inc.) pays tribute to her Comanche ancestors, including some spoken Comanche lines by one of the few speakers left of the language, Videll Yackeschi. Somewhat clichéd but heartfelt lyrics mix with piano, electric guitars, flutes, and other modern and traditional instruments.

Riding the country trail is RCA recording artist Crystal Shawanda (of the Wikwemikong Indian Reserve of Ontario), as heard on her CD, Dawn of a New Day. Her smoky-edged voice propels the galloping beats, filled in by lush strings and other flourishes that produce a very slick and professional sound. Her debut single, “You Can Let Go,” reached the country charts—a remarkable achievement for this young artist.

A trio of good blues CDs has crossed the desk: Goin’ for It by Terry Tsotigh (Kiowa) of Oklahoma; Let’s Take a Ride by the Slidin’ Clyde Roulette Band, led by Clyde Roulette (Ojibwe) of Manitoba, Canada; and Lovesick Blues by Gary Farmer (Mohawk). Goin’ for It includes lots of harmonica by Tsotigh, who also doubles as the drummer, accompanied by some excellent sax, guitars and bass. Details by e-mail at terry_straightdancer@yahoo.com. Let’s Take a Ride’s 14 tunes, most written by Roulette, including the standout “Red Man,” have echoes of Muddy Waters and Chet Atkins. Details: www.clyderoulette.com. Lovesick Blues is a compilation of versions of blues standards by the likes of Willy Dixon, John Lee Hooker and Little Walter (with two tunes by Farmer). The sound is led by Farmer’s smokin’ harmonica wailings and rough vocals. He’s best known as an actor (Dead Man, Pow Wow Highway, etc.) but plays a mean harp.


Shards


From left: Concho by Allen Aragon. Rare Seminole finger-woven shoulder sash. Margo Gray Proctor (Osage).

A handful of Native artists has created a stunning concho belt based on the theme “We Are All Related” to raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Fund of New Mexico. Leading the effort is Allen Aragon. Other artists include Daniel Sunshine Reeves, Aaron Brokeshoulder, Daryl and Rebecca Begaye, Lyndon Tsosie, Gerald Lomaventema, David Dear, Raymond Scott, Michael Kirk, Shane Hendren, Michael Roanhorse and Ernie Lester.

The nonprofit Indian Arts and Crafts Association is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. The Albuquerque-based group was formed by artists and reputable businesses to combat the growing problem in the 1970s of misrepresentation of American Indian arts and crafts. Under its mission banner to “promote, preserve and protect authentic American Indian arts and crafts,” the group presents seminars for artists and retailers, educates the public and regulatory authorities regarding authenticity issues, lobbies for increased prosecution of violators, holds a large trade show, and has developed a logo that serves as a standard of quality for those displaying it—providing consumers with confidence in purchases. Foreign-made fakes and domestic frauds are still trying to infiltrate the market, but IACA stands at the gate, guarding American Indian arts and culture.

A rare Seminole shoulder sash, circa 1835, was the top item sold in a recent Cowan’s art auction in Cincinnati, going for $38,187. The finger-woven sash is notable for its age and historic significance, and for the rarity of its beaded frog motif. It is thought to have been first collected around the time of the Second Seminole War in the early 1840s.

A new Indian company, New Horizon Entertainment, formed between New Horizon Enterprises and Gray Raven Co., has snagged exclusive rights to develop IMAX theaters for tribes in North America. New Horizon Enterprises is directed by Margo Gray Proctor (Osage) and Gray Raven by Lise Balk King. Proctor was also recently selected as chairman of the board of the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development.

The SOFA West Fair (Sculptural Objects & Functional Arts) set down in Santa Fe in June for the first time, and featured some Native elements, including a lecture on contemporary Native weaving presented by Dr. Anne Lane Hedlund and an exhibition of glass art by Preston Singletary (Tlingit).


Passages
Cruz Chacon (San Manuel Band of Mission Indians), just 36 years old, passed away in early April. Chacon, a lifelong resident of San Bernardino, California and the tribal reservation, was the co-founder of the annual October San Manuel Pow Wow, now entering its 12th year.

S. Timothy Wapato (Colville Confed-erated Tribes) died on April 19 at his home in Rapid City, South Dakota. Wapato was a strong advocate of Indian sovereignty and served with many Indian rights organizations. Retiring from the Los Angeles Police Department after 21 years of service, he was appointed as Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans in Washington, D.C., and in 1993 helped re-establish the National Indian Gaming Association in D.C. and served as its executive director for six years.

Carol Jean Vigil (Tesuque Pueblo), believed to be the first-ever Indian elected as a state district court judge in the United States (in New Mexico) and the first in the U.S. elected as a judge of a general jurisdiction court, passed away on March 27.



Honoring
From left: Weavings by Anna Brown Ehlers (Tlingit/Chilkat). Pat Courtney Gold (Wasco).Upton Ethelbah (Santa Clara Pueblo/White Mountain Apache.

The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, has become the first tribal museum in the nation to earn accreditation from the American Association of Museums. Also receiving accreditation at the same time was the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The honor comes after years of rigorous preparation and program reviews.

The First Peoples Fund of Rapid City, South Dakota, has announced its 2009 Cultural Capital Fellows. Among those selected are singer Sadie Buck (Seneca), traditional weaver Anna Brown Ehlers (Tlingit/Chilkat), ceremonial music archivist Linley Logan (Onondowaga/Seneca), archer and bowyer Mike One Star (Lakota), canoe craftsman and artist Ronald Paquin (Ojibwe), playwright David Shorey (Ojibwe), and storyteller and artist Edward Wemytewa (Zuni Pueblo).

The Santa Fe–based School of Advanced Research has selected basketmaker Pat Courtney Gold (Wasco) as its Dobkin Fellow 2009. She will utilize SAR’s extensive basket collection for inspiration for a new series of two-dimensional wall-hangings.

Native Treasures, the annual May art festival in Santa Fe, selected Upton Ethelbah (Santa Clara Pueblo/White Mountain Apache) as the recipient of its 2009 Living Treasure Award. “Uppy,” as he is known, creates lovely sculpture in soapstone, limestone, alabaster, marble and bronzes with colorful finishes.

The National Museum of the American Indian has announced the award recipients of its 2009 Visual and Expressive Arts Program: playwright Diane Glancy (Cherokee); the Kaha:wi Dance Theatre of Toronto; actor and playwright Monique Mojica (Kuna/Rappahannock); playwright JudyLee Oliva (Chickasaw); the School of Advanced Research, Santa Fe; the Visible Arts Society/Grunt Gallery of Vancouver; and the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, San Jose, California.

The University of New Mexico has appointed Kevin K. Washburn (Chickasaw) as its first American Indian scholar to serve as dean of its law school. The full professor began his tenure on June 30.

The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, which produces the Santa Fe Indian Market, has selected the following individuals for 2009 fellowships: Phillip Charette (Yup’ik) for his diverse talents, Daniel Moya (Tewa/Pojoaque Pueblo) for diverse arts, Jared Chavez (San Felipe Pueblo) for jewelry, Shelden Nunez-Velarde (Jicarilla Apache) for pottery, and Liz Wallace (Diné) for jewelry. The organization itself was recently the recipient of a Ford Foundation grant to discuss, study and formulate its future directions.

The Indigenous Language Institute, based in Santa Fe, has received a National Tech Savvy Award from Verizon Corp. for its use of technology to create print and audio books aimed at stimulating Native language skills. The nonprofit organization also recently signed working agreements with two National Geographic projects: All Roads Films and Enduring Voices. ILI workshop participants will create three-minute films told in Indigenous languages for inclusion in future All Roads film festivals.

The Albuquerque-based Indian Arts & Crafts Association has picked jeweler Alfred Joe (Navajo) as its Artist of the Year for an outstanding 14-karat gold necklace with gold fluted beads. Others taking major awards were Charlene Sanchez Reano (San Felipe Pueblo) in jewelry/lapidary works, Mary Small (Jemez Pueblo) in pottery, Eddie Morrison (Cherokee) in sculpture for a turquoise-inlaid cedar wood, and George Willis (Choctaw) in traditional crafts for a knife.

The Tribal College Journal has selected winners of its first student writing competition. Haskell Indian Nations University student Larry Madden (Osage) took first place in the Short Story category, Georgenia Earring-Chose (Cheyenne River Sioux) took first place in the Memoir/Personal Narrative class, and Richard John Thompson (Yakama) won the Poetry award. All 30 winning and honorable-mention entries will be published online at www.tribalcollegejournal.org in August. Native Peoples will also post a winning story on its Web site in August.