Summer 2013 part 1/ Salt River Youth Program

During the 90's, it was a violent time growing up in Phoenix and Salt River. Myself, I grew up in fighting, getting jumped, being shot at etc. I used graffiti to the best of my ability as a way to escape. Unfortunately back then, a lot of the time you could not escape the tensions and had to survive one way or another.

It was being the oldest sibling of several that I knew I never wanted my brothers or sisters to experience what I did. Probably the reason why even at the age of 18 I chose to start sharing and teaching youth.

For the last 15 years Ive been to numerous Native communities and reservations across the country, including Sacaton/Gila River, San Carlos AZ(Apache), Window Rock AZ/Navajo Nation, Camp Verde/Yavapai-Apache Nation, Lac Du Flambeau WI/Ojibwe, Ute Mountain/Colorado as well as several public schools in the surrounding Phoenix area and workshops at community centers in neighborhoods such as Dupavilla Projects/East Lake Park. I have attempted to share and pass on inspiration and knowledge to the generations who will carry on our legacies. About 5 years ago I realized that I had been to several reservations in Arizona to do youth art workshops etc. But I had never really had an opportunity to work in the community of Salt River where I grew up.

After a long battle of dealing with Salt River's bureaucracy, something that seems to always be a thorn in everyone's ass, I found a small handful of people in the right places who were willing to collaborate and were open to hearing ideas about a possible alternative program for youth at risk.

This summer myself and my brother from another mother, Dwayne Manuel, were fortunate enough to be granted to lead a 12 week art project involving youth from our own community.

It is imperative to pass on life skills and resources to our young people. They are the ones who are going to carry on and continue the cycle of cultural survival and ensure our existence into the future...not just as O'odham or Native people...but as human beings.

In the class room

Angel Diaz as our special guest presenter..doing an airbrush and calligraphy and typography workshop.

This was the start of the final community project. Ideas and concepts created by the students themselves.

New Orleans Spring 2013

Upper 9th Ward

"1 People"

Recently returned from a 2 week visit to the city of New Orleans. Myself and artist Douglas Miles were flown out to paint 2 live murals and 1 black and white mural installation at the 2013 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

A first time visit for myself , I was interested in the city knowing that it has a rich history of music and culture, and the Jazz Fest itself is legendary as it just past it 44th year this year.

Upper 9th Ward

During the first couple of days, friend and local film maker Brandan Bmike Odums, took us on a journey to a section of the city known as Press Park. In New Orleans it's clear that are 4 main types of areas....the tourist French Quarter, the central business district, higher income white neighborhoods...and low income black neighborhoods. Everyone remembers the devastation of the 2005 hurricane that flooded some ¾ of the city if not more. Many homes and whole neighborhoods destroyed. Many different areas, lives and incomes were affected...but those higher income neighborhoods that were destroyed, seemed to be rebuilt (of course) right away, while areas in the 9th wards and other lower income parts of the city never got rebuilt.. . still holding sights of erie post apocalyptic homes with no windows, doors, furniture still intact, family photos still on the walls....and markers in spray paint on the outside from first responders in search of survivors.

Upper 9th Ward<9>

Upper 9th Ward

Upper 9th Ward

Upper 9th Ward

Upper 9th Ward

The famous French quarter area of the city is beautiful with awesome architecture giving it the very different feeling of being in another country. However charming it may be visually, I knew this was not the New Orleans that I wanted to experience by itself. A great place for tourists and photographs, but I was more interested in seeing areas that had been forgotten and getting to know real locals who could share their opinions and express their views from a side of the city that isn't the tourist area.

Weekend 1. New Orleans Jazz Fest live mural(Whole collaboration not pictured)

Weekend 2. Mural 2. New Orleans Jazz Festival

A new chapter of the traveling What Tribe art show was showcased in the Treme neighborhood which featured myself, Doug Miles, Sol Galeano, Chris Bunch and Brandan Bmike Odums.

What Tribe Renaissance/ Treme Neighborhood.

What Tribe Renaissance/ Treme Neighborhood.

What Tribe Renaissance/ Treme Neighborhood.

The power of music and creativity. Those unaware..the quick version..... Jazz and blues evolved out of African drumming played by slaves. From jazz and blues, came many of types of popular genres such as rock n roll, RNB, hip hop etc. the evolution and reinvention of a different type of weapon.....love. The love for music....The love for dance....celebration, ceremony, prayer, expression, physical communication, energy. Human beings always wants to find a way to connect with the physical realm and the metaphysical realm...because somewhere deep down there is a mystery inside each being that is trying to connect to a higher source. The higher source already lives inside all of us. The power to communicate with intellect, and the ability to recognize many layers and dimensions in time and space. We tend forget. However one of the great resources is the vibration of sound and the specific sound waves and melodies that seem to sync and harmonize with our brain.

...the thick energy of so much intense and great music fills the streets and the air. Bob Marley was right when he wrote the lyrics "once music hits you, you feel no pain". The hardships that the city of Nola has experienced and the layers of oppression.....one weapon that cures all is the power of music. Being on the streets of the quarter or inside the festival, you can see the resilience of a people and a city and the strong spiritual connections to brass band music. Walking brass bands and dancers dressed in the flyest suits and Sunday best....bound together by the energy of sound. The brass band transcends from African and European roots…and keeps many similarities with the evolved version. From what I could gather, the music is partly what helped the city get back on its feet. Carrying on old traditions. A spirit and connection that could never be broken through history...and not just in New Orleans but everywhere.

From our guest Lecture at a local art school..NOCCA.

Canal St Trolly line

Close up. Collaboration w Doug Miles at the New Orleans Jazz Fest...weekend 2

In the end....the overall trip was filled with meeting new friends. Large murals painted at the event…as well as Abandoned parts of the upper 9th were also painted. We were able to give a lecture at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. The lecture went quite well and the 50 or so young art students seemed be quite inspired with our shared experiences and stories. Young people everywhere need inspiration and direction. One evening during the trip we watched a screening of a local documentary titled Shell Shock. It was a look inside the gun violence in certain neighborhoods also touching on some intense statistics about incarceration of African Americans in the city of New Orleans. It also showed the young people from those same neighborhoods out to make a difference with determination to make change. It reassured me that reservation life has many parallels to other worlds outside the boundary of native communities. It also reassured me that change starts with education and raising the young generations with the knowledge, tools and resources that they need to not only just survive but to thrive and build a future as well as to carry on a legacy of greatness that all indigenous people everywhere have.

During our trip, We also ran into some familiar acquaintances such as Ethan from the band Tortured Soul, Jboogie, And Rich Medina. We also sat in a studio session with Mos Def and discussed the topic of music and the music industry.

As far as the festival goes… what a beast. But more importantly, what great people behind the scenes. Thanks Asia, Valerie and Rachel for having us. And thanks to the crew, Matthew, Gason, Scott, Laurita, Grayhawk, Lady Grayhawk. Peace to Grama Elder Elaine from Washington for having all of us crackin up...and also to Jimmy Price, Travis of KNOWLA, The Cody's, Photographer Alexa, Yves, Gus Bennett, Doug MacCash, WWOZ Radio, The secret paint spot, Double Black Cafe and everyone else who Im forgetting right now .

A Double shout out to our main man Bmike/ Brandan Odums for holding it down for us outside the Fest. Brandan does some great community work as well as a web series and collective known as 2Cent with his boy Kev. Follow them, find them on instagram, youtube etc...support these guys.

I feel like I'm forgetting more but for now that will have to do. I may have to come back later and add more.

Trail of leaves Installation

"Mothers arms stretched ..as her fire red tears fell..our feet bloody and sore...Today we rake the cycles of sorrow..Recreating on top of burnt pages..Resisting from past..In order to present Tomorrow..."

The Installation: The tree represents mother earth crying as her (native) children walked by force, feet bloody and sore by long journeys, with blood painting the leaves and ground.. Fast forward to present day, As survivors of our ancestors, we rake or sweep up the mess made and forced upon us...still making our own history and carrying on a legacy on top of burnt pages of a dark history...we resist and remember...its been apart of us....we should not exist...and by our very survival...our existence is our resistance.

This is a tribute to those tribes who experienced forced removal and walked their own "trail of tears". One of the more well known trail of tears was the removal of the Cherokee, Seminole, Choctaw, and Muskogee Creek from the southern United States. Many tribes experienced a trail of tears as a result of numerous Government actions and land deals and treaties that were never honored by the U.S. during the 1800's. One of my tribes, The Ponca, were forced to leave their original homelands of north eastern Nebraska and parts of South Dakota. The Ponca made a 500 mile journey on foot to present day Oklahoma.

excerpt-"On May 16, 1877, blue-coated soldiers surrounded the village of 700 people. The soldiers drove the Ponca "as one would drive a herd of ponies" across the Niobrara. Howard kept a diary of the march south, a journey rife with suffering as the Ponca battled constant torrential rain, camped in mud, crossed swollen rivers, even endured a tornado. People broke down in cold, hunger and illness. Many died along the way. Among the dead were children weakened by exposure. "

In January of 1879 one of the Clan chiefs named Standing Bear fled from the new Oklahoma Territory with a small band of Ponca of about 30 members. Standing Bear had made a promise to his dying son that he would bury his son back in their original homelands if the young son succumbed to his illnesses. Against Government orders, Standing Bear and the small band headed back to Nebraska, only to be captured upon their arrival and put on trial. This began Trial of Standing Bear which became the first of its kind case of human rights court cases against the U.S. The Chief Clan Standing Bear won the court case and was allowed to remain in Nebraska with equal rights and being recognized as a human being and not a "savage indian." Although a small but unprecedented victory for its time, it came at a cost in which the Ponca Tribe was now split into two bands, one in Nebraska and one in Oklahoma. A bitter sweet victory on many levels for the ancestors at that time.

March 2013 Phoenix Art Detour and Heard Market weekend

What Tribe group show at Sagrado Gallery on Grand Ave. During Phoenix Art Detour 25 and The Heard Museum Art Market 2013 weekend.

Eriberto Oriol/ Photographer-Artist-Los Angeles CA

Mike Miller / Photographer-Los Angeles CA

Lyncia Begay/ Painter -Flagstaff AZ

Rye Purvis/ Painter- San Francisco CA

Sam Gomez/ Photographer-Phoenix AZ

Thomas Breeze Marcus/ Painter-Phoenix AZ

Werewulf Micah Wesley/ Painter- Norman OK

Jasmin Rosales/ Photographer -Norman OK

Brandan Odums/ Painter- New Orleans LA

Jonathan Nelson/ Artist-Santa Fe NM

Luke Dorsett /Photographer -Phoenix AZ via Japan

Douglas Miles/ Mixed Media Artist-San Carlos AZ

The WHAT TRIBE Art show was born out of necessity. It appallingly begins with a barrage of stereotypes that are aimed at Native Americans. Whether Victoria's Secret hyper-sexualized headdress wearing Kloss super model or Gwen StefanI & No Doubt's red face rock & roll fantasy ( send up of The Lone Ranger ), or the Disney Lone Ranger film (Coming Soon) which features Johnny Depp (in Red face make-up) as archaic racially archetypical "side-kick". Pop culture is now rife with stereotype(s) and caricatures of Native People. The more we critique it, the more it seems to rear its institutionally racist head.

When Douglas Miles was asked to do a show at Denver University with the Native American Student Alliance, the What Tribe art show idea was launched. At DU, Native students were already battling racist Sorority parties. Douglas Miles of Apache Skateboards realized then that there is a whole generation that does not know what is or isn't racist and stereotypical imagery. He saw the need for a creative dialogue to occur. He decided it was important to create and curate an art show where artists could discuss the issue of "stereotypes" in their work. As the show was being curated artists were selected for the conversational power and or social commentary in their work.

From the L.A. Modern iconic work of Eriberto Oriol to the documentation of the history Of West Coast Hip Hop via Mike Miller's photography, to the Downtown Phoenix grit of Sam Gomez's photographic work, What Tribe is a complex eclectic mix of artists from various "tribal" backgrounds and cultures. From the streets of L.A. To the back roads of San Carlos Apacheria, institutional racism affects all people of All backgrounds. The What Tribe show is the place to start the conversation on how to replace ridicule with respect via art.

-Douglas Miles

Existence and Resistance Group Show at The Hive also during Art Detour 25 and Heard Market weekend.

The show titled EXISTENCE AND RESISTANCE featuring the work of Lynnette Haozous, Randy Barton, Tom Greyeyes and Thomas Breeze Marcus, opened at The Hive on Friday Feb 15th and will run through the second week of March. Saturday evening March 2nd The Hive will host a reception for all artists involved as well as family, friends and out of town visitors in town for The Heard Museum Art Market, as well as the Art Detour weekend. Existence and Resistance is also pleased to welcome the late addition to two talented artists Averian Chee and Jeff Slim. The show features a newer generation of Indigenous artists, and their interpretation of existing and resisting in a modern world with acknowledgement to various topics. As in all art, some interpretations are direct and others are found in metaphor and poetics. Come view the work and join us Saturday evening March 2nd.

Printed in Western Art Colletor March 2013 issue