Artpark Expands Commitment to Indigenous Programming

Artpark & Company expands its commitment to Indigenous programming throughout its summer 2021 season. Under the curatorial leadership of Artpark's newly appointed Indigenous Arts Producer Michele-Elise Burnett (Algonquin-Bear Clan) and the Artpark Works program funded by the John R. Oishei Foundation First Niagara Foundation in partnership with Keybank, as well as M&T Bank and Cullen Foundations, visitors will explore, discover, and be part of the unique culture, traditions, and passed-down Indigenous heritage. The experiences continue this weekend with both live and digital programming. As part of a larger Sonic Trails initiative at Artpark, visitors can participate in Her Moccasins Talk, a free site-activated sound walk on Artpark trails. The sound walk – centered on the inclusive teachings of mother earth – is curated by local Indigenous musicians and designed in collaboration with Ms.Burnett, The Holladay Brothers and SoZo Artists. Additionally, FREE Family Saturdays, an Artpark program beloved by audiences for 20 years, is now enhanced with the Indigenous Ways of Knowing program. The program features expressive Native American Culture through interactive, land-based workshops, storytelling and teachings by well-respected local knowledge keepers in their disciplines. Other summer events include the Native Peace Garden created by the Tuscarora artists, now in full bloom; interactive installations focused on the history, presence and culture of Haudenosaunee; and the Strawberry Moon Festival, Artpark's Earth Day celebration shared digitally earlier this spring. Together, these events make for a unique program that embraces the relationship of the site, its history and its native community. For more information, please visit https://www.artpark.net/.

"By expanding and cultivating Indigenous programming featured on the Artpark stages, we are collectively creating, designing and implementing interactive cultural programs that convey the meaning - depth - substance and significant contributions of our Indigenous culture to Americans. " said Michele-Elise Burnett. "Through interactive experiences, workshops, and performances, we're sharing Indigenous Ways of Knowing with our audiences, and hope to strengthen and broaden the limited views about Indigenous peoples and together with Artpark we are putting the Two Row approach into action and building respectful relationships with the surrounding Haudenosaunee nations."

SONIC TRAILS: Her Moccasins Talk, a matriarchal Indigenous journey was curated by Artpark's Indigenous Arts Producer Michele-Elise Burnett, with local First Nations traditional singers, sounds from the landscape and storytellers all coming together to weave the inclusive teachings of the Natural World. Based on the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address of giving thanks and gratitude to all our relations, remind us to respect one another and to live in peace and harmony with each other and all living things. Along the path, our older and wiser relatives will share teachings where visitors will experience the Indigenous Ways of Knowing, and discover Indigenous mindfulness which emerges from a space within us that is informed and governed by our natural relationship with creation. The key goal of ensuring balance and harmony with all living things. Featured voices and artists: Semiah Smith, Jordan Smith, Gary Parker, Strong Water Women Drum Group, Adrian Harjo, Josie Lavallee and Cherie Poirier, Quinna Hamby, Darryl Tomeh, Michele-Elise Burnett, William L. Reich, Jackie Labonte, Mackenzie-May SmithKeeya Greene Dury.

NATIVE PEACE GARDEN

As part of the 2020 season's adapted festival program, Artpark unveiled the Native Peace Garden: A reflection space for healing, celebrating and tranquility. The concept and initial design of the garden was the brainchild of Michele-Elise Burnett of Kakekalanicks Consultancy and brought to life by a Native team from the Tuscarora reservation made up of Bryan Printup, who finalized the design, and Rene Rickard, Vince Schiffert and Violet Printup.

Designed in the sacred shape of the Turtle, this garden is a place for people from all Four Quadrants of the Medicine Wheel to come in unity and friendship. Overlooking the beautiful Niagara River, this healing garden not only offers visitors the opportunity to relax and reflect in a peaceful setting but also acts as an ongoing Native American outdoor land-based classroom with many Strawberry Moon Festival interactive landbase programs to be offered in the future.

ARTPARK FREE FAMIILY SATURDAYS

Every Saturday through August 28, 2021, 12PM-4PM 

https://www.artpark.net/free-family-saturdays

Artpark's most beloved and long-lasting family program. Summer is for families at Artpark where afternoons are filled with creative hands-on discovery and live performances for all ages! A variety of "Make and Take" themed workshops are available at each and every installment of Family Saturdays. Also featured weekly are these self-directed play spaces: Paint Space, Costume Closet, Sand Mountain, Face Paint, Pottery Wheel (Pottery is guided by 3 instructors; Must be 4ft tall to throw on the wheel), Clay Hand Building. 

The inclusion of Indigenous arts. culture and teachings this summer has enhanced the experience of the Free Family Saturdays with such programming of Antler/Bone Uses of the Haudenosaunee by Hayden Haynes: A hands-on presentation and workshop of traditional uses of antler in Haudenosuanee culture taking people of all ages on a quick journey of historical uses of antler/ bone through time. Starting with discussion on antler tools, how they were shaped, different uses in prehistory, and meanings associated with designs. The evolution of Bone Combs will be examined from prehistoric times to present. How they were made, who made them and art aspects in addition to the utilitarian purpose. Final discussion would be about the resurgence of antler art in the 20th century to present day. The contemporary art and traditions of today. Participants will be able to see and hold deer antlers from various species including: whitetail deer, caribou, moose, elk and bison scapula. 

Acoustic Storytelling - Tonemah, Award winning Tuscarora singer-songwriter will share Native stories from his experiences and relationships he has made along his journey. His organic storytelling style has become his trademark. Tonemah's life experiences of growing up on, and off, reservations coupled with his professional undertakings have given Tonemah a truly unique perspective that he brings to his songwriting and stories. 

Wampum Belts – Dr Richard Hamell

Display, history, demonstration and Open workshops: Using pony beads, large and easy to handle - threaded with plastic needle. The leather ties will be pre-cut. 

Two Row wampum and The Edge of the Woods bracelet beading workshop

Corn Husk Doll workshop and teachings- Kehala Smith. Participants will create their own Corn Husk Doll and learn all the various uses of corn to Native peoples. Food, rugs, shoes, dolls. The facilitator will share different teachings and stories with the participant during the 1 ½ - 2 hour workshop.

Traditional Master Storyteller Perry Ground, will share several Haudenosaunee Stories which have been passed down from time immortal, with a very energetic, fun, engaging style and makes the audience part of the story experience. 

This programming is made possible through general operating support by M&T Bank and Cullen Foundation and Artpark Works program by First Niagara/Keybank Foundation and the John R. Oishei Foundation. FREE Family Saturdays are made possible by Perry's Ice Cream.

URHA'NA'NI HE'KYE YEHĘWÁHKWA'THA

(Picking Up Our Canoes at the Edge of the Woods)

Created by Kanien'kehá:ka artist and scholar-activist Jodi Lynn Maracle, and Tuscarora linguist and activist Montgomery C. Hill, this steel tablet consists of text in Skaru:re, the language of the Tuscarora people, with English footnotes. The text excerpts the Kanęherathęhčreh, or Thanksgiving Address, which gives thanks to and acknowledges the natural world. The piece was commissioned in spring of 2018 by ArtPark, and the New York State Parks and permanently installed in June 2018. More info: https://www.carolinedohertystudio.com/Urha-na-ni-He-kye-Yehewahkwa-tha-Part-2-steel

NEW MUSIC IN THE PARK SERIES

Puppets of Palm - A Deforestation Wayang 

Nusantara Arts - Gamelan performance 

Featuring dahlang puppet master - Ki Midiyanto 

September 18, 2021 at 4PM

Tickets: $12

Indonesia is an epicenter of the world's rainforest deforestation crisis. It's a crisis that intersects issues of global warming, environmental destruction, indigenous peoples rights, animal rights, crony capitalism, and global consumption habits. This crisis is fueled by global addiction to the wonder product of deforestation: Palm Oil. Nusantara Arts performance troupe weaves an epic new story about this issue using the enchanting gamelan gong orchestra music of Indonesia and the inspiring shadow puppets of wayang kulit theatre, connecting audiences to an issue that affects them every day, whether they realize it or not. Characters from ancient wayang stories mix with new puppet creations in an adventure for the whole family to enjoy and learn from. Gamelan gong orchestra music and wayang kulit shadow theater hail from one of the worlds most ecologically and biologically diverse places, the Indonesian archipelago. Gamelan music is ethereal and contemplative, mixing unique music systems with ancient traditions and philosophies. Nusantara Arts is an Indonesian performing arts organization hailing from Buffalo, NY who strive to invite our community to an expansive experience in music and art, sparking dialogue about inclusion and cooperation. Ki Midiyanto is a renowned Javanese musician and dhalang (puppet master). Born in Wonogiri, a rural district in Central Java. Midiyanto comes from a family of generations of musicians and puppeteers. Currently Ki Midiyanto, teaches and performs as Lecturer and Co-Director of Gamelan Sari Raras at University of California, Berkeley. Puppets of Palm - A Deforestation Wayang is funded by the Global Warming Art Project grant from Ben Perrone and the 'Environmental Maze' project donors.

ARTPARK is a park and a cultural institution located in Lewiston, NY along the Niagara Gorge, USA. Established in 1974, Artpark is a collaboration between the New York State Parks and the cultural nonprofit institution Artpark & Company. As a National Historic Landmark, the picturesque 150 acre performing and visual arts park is located along the historic Niagara River Gorge on land rich in both Native American history, pioneer and early American history. Approximately 12,000 years ago the majestic Niagara Falls began to work its way upriver from this site to its current location. Artpark's Mainstage theater opened in July of 1974 on land that was once the Lower Landing of the nine mile Niagara Portage that skirted the unnavigable Gorge and Falls. Designated as a National Historic Landmark (in 1998), Artpark includes several archeological sites, including a Hopewell Mound from one of the earliest Native American mound building cultures and the remnants of the much more recent Oak Hill Mansion. Artpark is a National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat, & National Audubon Society birding site (along the Niagara River Corridor), Artpark is also a popular destination for hiking, picnics, and fishing. As a cultural institution, Artpark attracts over 150,000 audiences over the course of its' summer season (June-August) and serves a population of approximately 1.2 million Western New Yorkers and over 1 million Canadian residents. Over the course of it 40-year history, over 2.5 million persons have attended musical and theater performances at Artpark. In addition to being widely regarded as one of the top rock music Amphitheater stages, under the artistic leadership of President Sonia Kozlova Clark, Artpark has presented a increasingly diverse program including major North American premiers by companies like the Plasticiens Volants (France) with their unique giant inflatable puppetry; the Brazilian modern dance sensation Bale de Rua mixing the traditions of capoeira and B-boy; music acts varying from Boy George to George Clinton and Thievery Corporation; the Native-American DJ duo A Tribe Called Red and Ukranian folk-punk band DakhaBrakha. A new Strawberry Moon Festival has been established in 2019 to celebrate the global influence of the indigenous arts. In 2016 Artpark has developed a unique Artpark Percussion Garden, a new place for sound and nature explorations with interactive installations created by collaboration of visual artists and musicians. Same year we launched a long-term initiative Artpark Laboratory under curatorship of Mary Miss and her City as Living Laboratory, focusing on the exploration of intersections of art, nature, science and technologies and creating awareness on the global climate change crisis. For more information, visit artpark.net.