My name is LaVerne White Bear. I am an enrolled member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine (Wadopana Band) Sioux (Pabaksa Dakota) and a descendant of the Mandan Hidatsa and Arikara Nations of North Dakota. I represent Fort Peck Community College, and I teach traditional Dakota quillwork.
In addition to being a traditional Dakota quillwork artist, I am also an author, freelance writer, poet, and soon-to-be law student. I have been practicing quillwork since 2012. I acknowledge the traditional teachings of the art form as well as the people and the animals who have made it possible for me to learn and share my gift. I view the art form as not only art but a way of life which aligns with many Indigenous teachings. Quillwork is important, because it provided me with a cultural identity. Practicing this art form has connected me to our history and it allows me to tell a story with my quills, one that I hope will encourage others to learn and connect.
The process of quillwork is not one to take lightly. A lot goes into it, not only the sewing but all of the work beforehand. Many prayers are said, blessings of my hands, clearing of my mind, and opening of my heart. Quillwork has saved my life. Where there once was so much chaos, there is now calm. It taught me to breathe and then to begin telling my story using my quills. I never knew how many stories I had to tell. I learned by studying old pieces, handling them, and sitting with them. I prayed for the gift because I felt a very strong connection. When I realized that Nakoda people practiced the art of quillwork, I knew then that I needed to learn. I researched specifically for living Nakoda quill workers of which I could find none. I learned quillwork through a mixture of research through books, museum exhibits, and personal experience.
I used to carry a lot of anxiety, self-imposed pressure to produce a piece, but I realized that I had to build a relationship with them (quills) just like anything else that we truly care for.
In 2018, I was awarded a grant from the prestigious NAAIRS Program offered through the Minnesota Historical Society. The $50,000 grant was to assist Indigenous artists in furthering their chosen art form through research and practice while providing a living wage during the one-year duration. The pieces of art I submitted are now housed in the museum’s massive permanent collections.
