Cultural Knowledge Teachers
The Cultural Knowledge Teacher storytelling series highlights the Native arts knowledge holders who are helping students and community members strengthen their cultural identity through Native arts teaching, impacting current and future generations. The stories shared will showcase the cultural knowledge teachers work, tell the story of where they learned their craft, highlight the materials they work with and the importance of passing on Native arts skills and knowledge.
The Cultural Knowledge Teacher blog series will bring visibility to TCU Native arts grantees and the programming they offer through the Native Arts grants.
Two TCU Native Arts grantee partners will be highlighted each month.
Featured Stories
From The Chippewa Cree Perspective
This blog from Stone Child College on Rocky Boy’s Reservation in Montana shares insights into navigating higher education and preserving Chippewa Cree culture in the modern world. It highlights the college’s dedication to fostering pride in tribal heritage, featuring an interview with art instructor John Murie, who carries forward traditional beadwork techniques and philosophies passed down through generations, emphasizing the importance of Native storytelling and cultural preservation through education and art.
Fostering Culture and Community: Chadwick Kramer’s Impact on Native Education in Bismarck
Chadwick Kramer, an elder and Cultural Responsive Coordinator for Bismarck Public Schools, is dedicated to providing Native students with culturally enriching opportunities through the Indigenous Education Program. Inspired by his own experiences and his grandmother’s teachings, Chadwick creates welcoming spaces for all students to explore Native traditions, fostering lifelong learning, cultural understanding, and community connection.
Waabaabigan, Working with Our Namesake
Janet and Eliza Klarer, a mother-daughter duo from the White Earth Ojibwe community, are preserving traditional Woodland-style pottery inspired by their ancestor Judy Toppings, who revitalized White Earth clay lifeways. Through workshops and their own artistry, they share the significance of working with White Earth clay, nurturing creativity and connection in their community.
A New Direction
The complexity of Native people and their identities drew Anna to sculpture, video performance, and installation. She uses her familial and formal training to disrupt stereotypes of Natives by telling multi-dimensional stories. The story drives her choice of technique and materials, defying boundaries around Native art.
Bringing Baleen Basketry Into the Future with Ira Ilupak Frankson
Ira Ilupak Frankson, an Iñupiaq artist from Tikiġaq, Alaska, is preserving the traditional art of baleen basketry, an Iñupiat craft made from bowhead whale baleen and walrus ivory. Through his work and teaching, Frankson is helping to revitalize this unique cultural art form for future generations.
Blending Tradition and Innovation:
The Artistry of John Murie
Discover the transformative journey of John Murie, an artist from the Chippewa Cree tribe whose work transcends tradition and modernity. From his early inspiration drawn from comic books to his formal training at the Institute of American Indian Arts, John has seamlessly blended cultural heritage with contemporary elements to create art that resonates deeply. Hear about his adventures on the powwow circuit, where he mastered the intricate crafts of beadwork and moccasin making, and how these skills shaped his unique artistic voice.
