A Girl Like Her

"A Girl Like Her" by Amy S. Weber, a Netflix movie is about teenage bullying and teenage suicide. It is very real and both the aggressor and the victim need help. Students, parents and teachers need to see this movie with actors in a documentary form. Relationship problems at home and at school extend to problems between cultures around the world. A public education beyond skills toward tolerance and understanding is paramount to our survival.



On PBS TV: N.C. elementary schools promise arts education but access is far from equal

I am so excited to finally see a segment about arts education in the public schools on a television news program. PBS singles out North Carolina as an example of inconsistencies of the amount of time for the mandated arts; but point out the existence of the problem across the nation. Please click here to see the video segment: Arts education inconsistencies

The Recyclers: From Trash to Triumph

I hope you can watch the video below. This is the ultimate usage of "Assemblage" for survival; and it is all about the need for the visual and performing arts in schools. Ideas of resourcefulness, creativity, self-esteem, pride, smart work, and completely connecting to your personal environment is a grand necessity for success.
"Assemblage" is the 3-D version of "collage”. "Found object fragments," "discards," or "throwaways".

"These things are organized by their specific elements. The resulting groups are then arranged into compositions of [necessity]".

"Extending to many cultures of people living in family, religious, work, and various other groups; We could be viewed as a complex living version of "assemblage”(Webster 1. a group of persons or things gathered or collected)". "Art" is "Life".

Click here to view video:

The Landfillharmonic in Cateura.

"Indian Summer Festival, Great Lakes~Great Nations 2013"

The talent, crafts, and costumes in full regalia is overwhelming at this three-day event. Traditional dancers and singers from different tribes all seem to tell the same story of inclusion in our multicultural society, America, and the world. "We are all related and we are all one people" was the message I heard at the "Indian Summer Festival, Great Lakes~Great Nations 2013" in Milwaukee this past week end.

(Written requests with email address will receive pictures through Shutterfly.com).

Sihasin

Sihasin

Aztec Dancers

Aztec Dancers

Aztec Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers

Native Pride Dancers' Fans

Windwalker with Wind Spirit Drum

Wind Spirit Drum

Wind Spirit Drum

Wind Spirit Drum

Wind Spirit Drum with guest

Dancers

All Star Band

In the spirit!!!

Handcrafted Beadwork

Displays with geometric patterns and vivid color

My favorite people!!!

"Super Bowl"-"Security"

The glory of shopping

Can I help you?

How 'bout this one?

Tickle me display

Awesome Beadwork!!!

18th Annual Harvest Pow Wow 9/22 & 9/23

 Save Our Ancestors Remains & Resources Indigenous Network Group

This was my first experience attending a Pow Wow. I was invited by Ray Piagentini, a counselor at Barrington High school in Barrington, Illinois. He is the Moderator of the "Brother's Keeper" Club of high school students involved in the DAKOTA Outreach Program each summer with 45 students and 12 students each winter. This group of well organized students assists the Dakota Children of the Crow Creek Reservation at FT. Thompson, South Dakota. I am proud to be invited each year as a chaperone and provider of daily hands on jewelry making experiences. Ray and his students set up a booth at the pow wow to promote their program.

The Harvest Pow Wow had lots of "pow" and even more "wow" than I was expecting. During part of the opening ceremony, I found myself dancing in the circle with other veterans. As a Vietnam "Era" Veteran serving in a support group in Texas and Germany; this was the first time I have ever been invited to participate.

This all inclusive event had much to offer. The Indian Tacos were delicious and the booths displayed many beautiful artifacts for sale. The dancers and their costumes were awesome and I was surprised to see some dancers in full regalia who looked like my ancestors from Scandinavia.

"Midwest SOARRING Foundation welcomes everyone to the festivities of their intertribal pow wows. Over many years [the] foundation has sponsored two local pow wows: The Honor the Eagle Pow Wow held each May in Starved Rock State Park, Utica, Illinois, and the Annual Harvest Pow Wow held in September at the Naper Settlement in Naperville, Illinois."

"Pow wows are a time to celebrate life, renew friendships, and share our Native American culture through dance, drumming, art, story telling, and song. The drum, as the heartbeat of Mother Earth, holds a special place beside the arena. Several groups"…"share the honor of singing and drumming at our events"…"The pow wow opens each day with a grand entry lead by veterans carrying flags, and followed by all the dancers dressed in bright regalia characteristic to their specific dance."

        Among many contributions, "S.O.A.R"... "[s]ponsors lectures on the history and
       traditions of the Indigenous cultures, including the pre-Columbian, early historic and
       current eras."

 Save Our Ancestors Remains & Resources Indigenous Network Group