Monday, August 26, 2019 – Native in the Spotlight: Crystal Echo Hawk
It takes constant vigilance and relevant information to battle the barrage of toxic and biased stereotypes. Mainstream media, elected leaders and even school curricula are all prone to perpetuating damaging portrayals of Native people. Fortunately, Crystal Echo Hawk (Pawnee) is a tireless and thoughtful warrior. Her non-profit IllumiNative is focused on changing the narrative about Native Americans through research, media training and education. She is behind the most comprehensive public opinion research project about Native Americans. We’ll talk with Echo Hawk about her path from college in England to her work with Zapatistas and her passion for reclaiming Native truth.
Tuesday, August 27, 2019 – Traditional tattoos
When Marjorie Tahbone (Inupiaq) got permission from her grandmother to get a traditional chin tattoo, she had nowhere to go besides a non-Native tattoo shop in town. The experience ignited her passion to learn traditional Inupiaq tattooing and the culture and traditions behind it. At the first Ancestral Ink symposium, Indigenous tattoo masters and apprentices from tribes in Alaska, California, Canada, New Zealand and Hawaii spoke about reconnecting with the traditional significance of permanently embellishing a person’s skin.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019 – Decolonizing maps
The boundaries of reservations, treaty land and traditional Native territory are all represented by two-dimensional lines on paper. Few, if any, of those lines were ever drawn by Native mapmakers. But Indigenous people have always charted their surroundings in textile designs, drawings, carvings and even in songs. And Indigenous cartographers are finding new ways to map their environment that include interactive digital displays and geospatial technologies. These maps tap into conversations of history, culture, relationships and colonization. We’ll hear from some Indigenous people about both the traditional and new ways of getting a sense of place.
Thursday, August 29, 2019 – Book of the Month: “Apple in the Middle” by Dawn Quigley
Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe author Dawn Quigley’s debut novel, “Apple in the Middle” follows the identity exploration of a mixed race youth, Apple Starkington, who finds out what it means to be between two cultures. A major life turn causes Apple to return to the world of her Native relatives to confront stereotypes. It also propels her to figure out just where she fits into her Native roots. Find out more on our August Book of the Month with Native author Dawn Quigley.
Friday, August 30, 2019 – Protecting your inventions and ideas
You have a unique invention or business idea. Now what? Good ideas and inventions have the potential to change people’s lives and become a thriving venture for their creators. But turning a concept into an ongoing enterprise requires a number of behind-the-scenes steps. One of those is ensuring the original invention is legally protected. We’ll help navigate the legal side of inventions and map out what it takes to see an idea through to fruition.
