The Wakanyeja Early Childhood Education (ECE) Initiative celebrates another milestone; the project story has gone (or flown) international! Starting April 2 through May 2014, the Switchback Gallery in the Gippsland Centre for Art and Design, in Churchill, Australia, is presenting the Wakanyeja ECE Initiative’s mono-type prints in a co-curated exhibition entitled, “Flying: A Trans-national cross-cultural print exchange.” Head Start teacher and project partner, Vibeka Mitchell, is the featured artist on the gallery announcement. Ms. Mitchell’s print, “Navajo Life” is explained as follows:
My picture [depicts] my life story and what is important to me as a Navajo woman. I am from Naschitti, NM. I love the landscapes of the Navajo Reservation. Monument Valley is my favorite. I am a Christian and I grew up in the Christian Reformed Church. I am a Head start teacher and I love to work with Children. I want my students to learn who they are, where they are from, and their history of their family. Being so confident and proud of my heritage makes me a strong Navajo.
In June 2012, TCU early childhood faculty, early childhood teachers, parents, and community members convened in Boulder, Colorado to attend the annual Wakanyeja Annual Convening.
Twenty-five representatives participated in collaborative discussions, engaged in shared learning experiences and completed a workshop in which they produced mono-type prints.
The mono-type prints were intended to be a part of a traveling exhibition within the United States and to international countries, surfacing dialogue about Indigenous education across many landscapes.
To engage in sustained efforts to strengthen early childhood learning opportunities requires the critical engagement of many. The images illustrate the participants’ early learning experiences, inspirations, and hopes for the future.
The images featured in this international exhibition invite diverse audiences to join the conversation, and to learn about the social, cultural and educational transformation facilitated by the Wakanyeja ECE Initiative’s grantee teams.
Join the American Indian College Fund and the Wakanyeja ECE Initiative in celebrating the first international exhibition of the Wakanyeja ECE Initiative mono-type print series.
Flying: A Trans-national cross-cultural print exchange
Posting by: Tarajean Yazzie-Mintz, Program Officer, Wakanyeja ECE Initiative
