Leah Hopkins, Community Engagement Specialist

Gather. Make. Sustain. is a series of virtual workshops, artist talks, and demonstrations featuring Indigenous artists who work in a variety of mediums. It celebrates Indigenous artists, cultural workers, and land-based practitioners as they gather materials from the Natural World, make meaning through art and cultural work, and sustain traditional knowledge systems.

The series was initiated in the spring of 2021. I led of the series by demonstrating the processing of maple sap into maple syrup and maple sugar.  Jannette Vanderhoop (Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head [Aquinnah]) shared her traveling exhibit of “treasure boxes.” Master weaver, Elizabeth James-Perry (Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head [Aquinnah]) gave a workshop on fingerweaving the diagonal stripe pattern. Master Basketmaker Geo Neptune (Passamaquoddy ) shared the history of Wabanaki black ash basketry and its inter-cultural significance throughout history, and how they use the themes of adaptation and resistance to create contemporary versions of traditional Wabanaki baskets. Marlena Myles (Spirit Lake Dakota/Mohegan/Muscogee Creek) discussed how she uses technology to relate and sustain ancient traditions into a new age. The series concluded by a workshop by Makana Kushi (Kanaka ‘Ōiwi) and Rae Kuruhara (Kanaka ‘Ōiwi) on making Hawaiian leis out of eyelash yarn, and exploring the cultural and historical context of this kind of lei.

Gather. Make. Sustain.: Gifts of Land and Sea was held in spring 2022. Master artist Jonathan James-Perry (Aquinnah Wampanoag) shared the cultural renaissance of Northeastern Indigenous maritime traditions and his participation in the movement. Educator and subsistence practitioner Nakai Northup (Mashantucket Pequot/Narragansett) presented on traditional food sources and harvesting on Pequot and Narragansett lands to preserve and protect natural resources to promote culture, lifeways and food sovereignty for future generations. Makana Kushi (Kanaka ‘Ōiwi) reprised her popular Hawaiian lei making workshop.

 

Cover photography by Juan Arce