Making a career in the arts can be a challenge, but Native Artists are found flourishing in the sector. There are many lessons to learn from them – from combating misconceptions to the necessity of art for community health. Reporter Leah Lemm has the story about this program hosted by The University of Minnesota Twin Cities Department of American Indian Studies.
Transcript
Marie: This week on Minnesota Native News:
A Native Artist Talk Series exploring the careers of Native artists in Minnesota.
This is Minnesota Native News, I’m Marie Rock.
STORY 1 AND ONLY: NATIVE ARTIST TALK SERIES SHOWCASES CAREERS
HOST (Marie): Making a career in the arts can be a challenge, but Native Artists are found flourishing in the sector. And… there are many lessons to learn from them… from combating misconceptions… to the necessity of art for community health.
Reporter Leah Lemm has the story about this program hosted by The University of Minnesota
Twin Cities… Department of American Indian Studies.
REPORTER: Once a month, an artist from the Minnesota Native community presents on their artistic careers to the public at the Native Artist Talk Series hosted by the U of M’s Twin Cities Department of American Indian Studies.
They are chosen by the department based on the strength and length of their careers, but also how their work positively impacts the Native community.
Fawn Grauman-White is the department’s Community Engagement Coordinator.
FAWN: We actually received funding from a donor that wanted to highlight local native artists. So that's how it started.
REPORTER: There had been a stronger relationship between local Native artists and the arts programming at the university, so there has been a push to foster those relationships once again.
Fawn began her current position in August and immediately got started looking for artists for the series.
FAWN: One of my first tasks was to start locating artists and start developing the series. They wanted to feature up and coming artists, established artists, local artists, u of m alum. So anybody in the area that is, you know, doing something for the community, is really well known within the area and who are also indigenous people.
REPORTER: This year, the series has featured artists from a wide array of mediums. There have been several visual artists… also writer Carter Meland, hip-hop artist Tall Paul, and… coming up on April fifth… the Native Artist Talk Series will showcase playwright Rhiana Yazzie.
FAWN: I just think it's important for people to get to understand the journey that each individual artist has and that it's not an easy task for a majority of people. This is really an in-depth talk with each artist and you can to kind of see them on a different level rather than just the performing or them presenting their work.
REPORTER: Fawn also notes how there can be misconceptions about a career in the arts, that it’s either more glamorous than reality or that making a career in the arts is impossible.
FAWN: To see actual people flourishing in their careers and being able to support them, especially at the university I think is highly important.
REPORTER: I caught up with upcoming Native Artist Talk Series guest Rhiana Yazzie at a recent performance at In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre on Lake Street in Minneapolis, where she directed the production of ‘Star Girl Clan’ by Rebekah Crisanta de Ybarra and Magdalena Kaluza.
[Clapping Sound from end of show]
YAZZIE: I just opened a play that just closed today. It’s called Star Girl Clan. I was asked to direct it. This is a beautiful puppet play.
REPORTER: It was a vivid production with brightly colored puppets that explored the path of an Indigenous Maya grandmother going through a journey of remembering with help from the ancestors.
Rhiana, a Navajo playwright, film, and theatre-maker, has recently wrapped up filming of ‘A Winter Love,’ a feature film that she wrote, directed and acted in. She is also the Artistic Director and creator of New Native Theatre, and was excited to share their upcoming project that will open on May ninth.
YAZZIE: The next project coming up is ‘Native Woman, the Musical’ at New Native Theatre. We're looking for native women to tell stories. In 2014 we did a play called ‘Native Man the Musical.’ And we were asking what does it mean to be a native man? What does it mean to look at these different stereotypes that native men have been given? …Like being warriors or being protectors, et cetera. A lot of this stuff are things that non-native people have taught us to be. And so we're kind of flipping, flipping the coin now and asking native women to tell their stories.
REPORTER: Rhiana wants to encourage those attending the Native Artist Talk Series to look at performing arts as a meaningful career option. Storytelling and creative expression are a big part of the art form, however, honest portrayals of Native people in the media have a positive effect on artists and community.
YAZZIE: When more native people are creating the images that young native people are seeing, then it makes a healthier world, a healthier environment. And especially when as a native person, you're encouraged to express yourself creatively. It helps you be the full person that you are. And I think that that's really powerful.
REPORTER: More information about the Native Artist Talk Series can be found on Facebook.
For Minnesota Native News, I’m Leah Lemm.