The Eiteljorg Museum said in a statement that its Indigenous Peoples Day Community Celebration on Oct. 12 will feature a new focus on the arts and cultures of Native peoples of the Great Lakes region alongside free admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors will have opportunities to meet Native artists, tour the galleries, create art and take part in intertribal dance performances throughout the day. Eiteljorg President and CEO Kathryn Haigh said Indigenous Peoples Day is a meaningful opportunity for the community to come together, learn from Native artists, appreciate their art and experience the richness of Native cultures of the Midwest and beyond while welcoming everyone to the all-ages free-admission celebration that creates lasting memories.
A panel discussion titled Meet the Artists is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Clowes Sculpture Court where participants will explore how their cultures and traditions shape their work. The session will include Jason Wesaw and David Martin of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, Katrina Mitten of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Dani Tippmann of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. Monica Raphael of Anishinaabe and Sičáŋğu Lakota heritage, who serves as Hoback curator of Great Lakes Native art and cultures and tribal liaison, will facilitate the discussion according to the museum’s published schedule which also lists live artist demonstrations by the same creators running from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Curator-led tours form a central element of the program with Dorene Red Cloud of Oglala Lakota heritage guiding a 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. visit to the Then and Now exhibition featuring art from the Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship. Dani Tippmann will lead a 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. talk and tour of the native plants garden drawing on her role as Foods Program Director at the Cultural Resources Extension Office for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. The day’s final gallery tour from 2:45 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. will cover the Expressions of Life exhibition under Raphael’s direction followed by Southern Great Lakes Stomp and Social Dance from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The Expressions of Life exhibition on view during the tours includes significant examples of cultural belongings from Native peoples of the Great Lakes region such as beadwork, quillwork, ribbonwork, basketry, pottery, weavings and carvings. Contemporary works in the show encompass paintings, prints, sculptures and other pieces that illustrate ongoing artistic traditions. A newly published museum book titled In the Company of Our Relatives focusing on the Richard Pohrt Jr. Collection of Great Lakes Native artworks will be available in the museum store complete with essays by descendants of the original artists.
Pew Research Center figures show that 17 states along with the District of Columbia maintain some form of holiday recognizing Native Americans on the second Monday in October which coincides with the federal Columbus Day observance. The city of Indianapolis has joined this recognition by designating Indigenous Peoples Day as an official government holiday. Such observances vary from paid holidays that replace Columbus Day in states including Maine, New Mexico, Vermont and South Dakota to unpaid commemorations or dual recognitions in other jurisdictions.
The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art which opened more than 36 years ago has established itself as a leading institution for presenting Native American art and cultural narratives. Its annual Indigenous Peoples Day events have drawn visitors to engage directly with living artists and curators while highlighting both historical collections and modern expressions. This year’s programming builds on that foundation by directing attention specifically toward Great Lakes tribal histories that have shaped significant portions of the museum’s holdings.
