Cross Logo of Lutheran Indian Ministries

Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

From Holy Nation:

"The colors of this Native cross, along with the words, "Christ's Kingdom. Every Native American Nation,", communicate the focus of the Lutheran Association of Missionaries & Pilots U.S. to bring the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ to people of all races- red, yellow, black and white.

From Lutheran Indian Ministries:

While the legal name of the organization continues to be Lutheran Association of Missionaries and Pilots U.S., Inc., the name Lutheran Indian Ministries was introduced to reflect our ministry to Native Americans by Native Americans.

Because He Lives We Can Face Tomorrow

Please Note: All posts on this blog are intended for informational purposes only, not as an evaluation or endorsement of any artist, art form, organization or website.  If you have concerns about the accuracy of any information presented please contact the author at hmsarthistorian@gmail.com.

Because He Lives We Can Face Tomorrowby Cree Artist Ovide Bighetty

From the reForming Relationships art tour website:

Kisemanito Pakitinasuwin - The Creator’s Sacrifice tells this foundational Christian story of Jesus’ death and resurrection - the story that makes all things new. Its vibrant imagery, familiar to some and unfamiliar to others - both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal—invites us to re-imagine how we think about and live out the relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples... Through these works of art, the Spirit of our Creator invites us to live in new ways - in re-formed relationships of peace and friendship. 

"Wise Men Still Follow the Star" by Native American Artist Jerry Yellowhawk

Wise Men Still Follow the Star, Jerry Yellowhawk

From Wesleyan Native Ministries:

Dr. Jerry Yellowhawk, a Wesleyan Native leader and Respected Elder... placed his faith in Christ in 1953, at age 18. Married to Johanna, he has pioneered new churches and served as district superintendent of the Wesleyan Native District. 

He has also assisted Wycliffe Bible Translators in providing a version in his native Lakota language. In 1995, Oklahoma Wesleyan University conferred a doctorate of divinity to Yellowhawk. 

Dr. Yellowhawk is retired now, but still preaches at the Lakota Chapel in Eagle Butte, SD from time to time, and still influences others to answer the call to minister. His grandson, Steve, is one of those who has answered the call and is now working on his Masters degree in preparation. 

“The sun is setting for me, but there are young men obeying and answering the call,” said Rev. Yellowhawk.

For a 2002 article about Dr. Jerry Yellowhawk, click here.

Thanksgiving via The reForming Relationships Art Tour

Creating A New Family by Ovide Bighetty

On this Thanksgiving Day here in the U.S., I thought I would share a link to an art project from the Christian Reformed Church in Canada that could be seen as a model for reconciliation among Native and non-Native American Christians in the U.S.  I would suggest that it would be even more beautiful to see something collaborative done between artists from both of these two groups here in the U.S., but I think that an important part of that process would probably involve them working separately as well, as in this example.

I hope to write more about the reForming Relationships art tour in future posts, but thought I would go ahead and at least make you aware of it in the meantime.  Please check out the wonderful images painted by Cree artist Ovide Bighetty.  Indian Metis Christian Fellowship commissioned Bighetty to paint this series of paintings called Kisemanito Pakitinasuwin - The Creator's Sacrifice.

From the reForming Relationships art tour website:

Native American Identity, Christianity, and Critical Contextualization by Eric Bates

I was just made aware of this new book (thanks to Paul Neeley at Global Worship): Native American Identity, Christianity, and Critical Contextualization by Eric Bates.  I haven't read it yet so if any of you do, let me know!

From Amazon:

The idea of being both ‘Native’ and ‘Christian’ has been especially challenging among American Indians. Indian people have endured five hundred years of colonial dominance and the results have left divisions between those who are traditionalists, keeping to the old ways, and those who are progressives, embracing the new. Since the mid-1990s there has been a resurgence among Indian evangelicals who wish to break down the ‘identity crisis’ related to being Native and Christian. Native Christians are encouraging other Natives to meet somewhere in the middle of traditionalism and progressivism. 

Eric Bates addresses the question of Native American identity, a question that has been problematic among both Native Americans and non-Indians. Blood quantum as an indicator of Indigenous identity has led to constructions of different levels of Indianness. Pan-Indianism has brought together Native peoples from a variety of tribal backgrounds and has formed a new sense of collective identity as Indians versus tribal affiliations. Using situational analysis, Bates examines contextualized ministry via a Native Christian conference which allows Christian Indians to express their Indianness by wearing Native regalia, using Indigenous instruments, and employing other forms of Native expression.

For more about the author, Eric Bates, check out his NKU faculty profile or page 31 of this alumni magazine.

The Sacred Hoop as the Cross of Christ

This is the Aboriginal logo created for the Sudbury Catholic Schools by Hauk Toulouse, a 15 year old Anishinabek Canadian from Sagamok Anishnawbek and former student.  He aspires to be a professional artist, specializing in Graphic Art.  The Sudbury Catholic District Board, located in Ontario, strives to improve achievement among First Nation, Métis and Inuit students, and to close the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students.

So, what does the logo symbolize, and is it representative of First Nation, Métis and Inuit students in Ontario, as well as of the school itself?  Unfortunately, no explanation of the logo is given.  I was, however, able to find some information about the circle and colors behind the cross.

Raven Icon

Raven Icon ©1998 by Bill Hudson
12" x 16" Acrylic and gold leaf on panel

The icon painting above was created by Bill Hudson for the Alaska Folk Festival's 20th annual festival.  He writes that had originally proposed "for the 20th anniversary, a Russian Orthodox style icon of the Mother Mary playing a Russian balalaika," but festival board members felt that might be too offensive to some viewers.  So he came back with this Raven icon.  He writes, "Although Raven is well known among Alaskan Natives as the Creator of the World — which in my mind certainly ranks him up there with the Mother Mary — no one complained that the new design was religiously offensive."

So the image isn't intended to be a religious icon, but rather to represent the Russian orthodox and Native American communities of Alaska collectively.  But it got me to thinking, what would it look like to combine the icon format with Northwest Coast art style to produce biblical depictions of Christ, saints, stories, etc.?  Hmmmmm...

2013 Festival of Native Peoples and Cherokee Indian Art Market

Coming up this weekend (7/12-7/13) in Cherokee, NC is the 2013 Festival of Native Peoples and Cherokee Indian Art Market.  It is the "finest showcase of native dance, art, and culture in the southeast. Indigenous tribes from across the Americas gather for the Festival of Native Peoples... the event honors the collective history, customs and wisdom of some of the oldest documented tribes."

Some of this year's performing groups include the Totonac pole flyers of Mexico who gracefully unfurl from the top of a ninety-foot pole while attached to ropes; the White Mountain Apache Crown Dancers of Arizona; the Halau Ho'omau I ka Wai Ola O' Hawai'i hula dancers based at Hope United Church in Alexandria, Virginia; and Cherokee's own Warriors of AniKituhwa.

The festival will also play host to one of the southeast’s largest Native American art markets. The Cherokee Indian Art Market will feature over fifty nationally recognized, juried craftspeople and artisans from around the country displaying and selling their handmade traditional and contemporary works of art ranging in price from $10 to tens of thousands of dollars. Artists will also demonstrate techniques passed down from generation to generation.

Adult admission to the festival is $10.  To see a detailed performance schedule for both days, click the image at the top of this page.  Below is montage video of the dance groups from 2009:

The Jesus Question: Depictions of Jesus in Northwest Coast Art, Part 1

A Tlingit community house and totem poles are preserved in
Totem Bight State Historical Park in Ketchikan, Alaska.

Be sure to check out the first part of a new series of posts at The Jesus Question, called Depictions of Jesus in Northwest Coast Art.  The series looks to be an interesting and exciting "celebration of the divine image-bearing First Nations peoples of coastal British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, and Oregon, and their art."  Part 1 is a general introduction to the peoples who create Northwest Coast Art, and a description of totem poles, their history and purposes (and common misconceptions about them).  The post even contains three videos on the art form, as well as a few photos.  Though I'm very under-informed about Northwest Coast Art, I absolutely love the look of it and I can't wait for Part 2 (which is coming later this weekend)!

Richard Twiss (Taoyate Obnajin): "He Stands with His People"

Richard Twiss (Taoyate Obnajin): "He Stands with His People"

1954-2013

I had hoped to someday meet Richard in this life but thank God that I will have all eternity to get to know him better.  Richard was a Native American Christian who advocated the idea that indigenous people could follow Christ according to their cultural patterns of worship, dress and the arts.  He also worked to help strengthen the North American indigenous community, both Christian and non-Christian.  All believers, both western and indigenous, would do well to reflect on his writings and words (regardless of whether you agree with every point).  His books include: One Church, Many Tribes: Following Jesus the Way God Made You, Culture, Christ, and Kingdom Study Guide, and Rescuing Theology from the Cowboys: An Emerging Indigenous Expression of the Jesus Way in North America.  

I deeply admired Richard's faith and ministry and truly think that he has been a great and godly example for many who call Jesus savior. I praise our Father in heaven for how He has used this man to advance His kingdom and bring blessing and healing to so many people!

For other (and more eloquent) reflections on the impact Richard had on the lives of others, read here and here.  And be sure to check out his organization's website, Wiconi International.  Below is a video of Richard discussing the need for the American church to embrace their indigenous brothers and sisters as co-equals in Christ.

Native American Heritage Month: Jesus as Sun Dancer

Sundancer Christ by Fr. John Giuliani

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, I am reposting parts of an Easter-themed article by Rich Avery titled "Good Friday – Jesus the Greatest Sun Dancer."  The article (and the accompanying video by Pastor Larry Salway) offer an interesting contextualized view of Jesus and the Sun Dance, a ritual ceremony performed by Native American Plains Nations.  Avery writes:

Most Native North American people groups have a story of how their people were created, and this story has been passed down orally for hundreds or thousands of years. 

And many have a story of a Messiah-like figure who will sacrifice himself in order to deliver or bring greater enlightenment to their people. But few make the connection to Jesus Christ as both their Creator and Messiah. 

The Lakota, and other nations of the Plains, have a ritual called the Sun Dance, where men will punish or sacrifice themselves by piercing their body or tearing their flesh in order to hopefully bring about a closer connection to Creator – not only for themselves but for their entire community.

Father John Giuliani, Painter of Native American Icons

Lakota Victory Christ by Father John Giuliani

Father John Battista Giuliani (b. 1932), the son of Italian immigrants, grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut.   He was an artistic child whose parents and teachers encouraged him to pursue his artistic interests, which propelled him as an adult to obtain an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts at New York's Pratt Institute.  Yet, in 1960 he gave up his pursuit of art to become a Catholic priest, a position in which he still serves today.  

November is Native American Heritage Month; New Book by Richard Twiss

Native american youth wearing a mixture of contemporary and traditional clothes.
Photo by thaths, 2011.

In case you didn't know, November is Native American Heritage Month:

Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. Heritage Month is also an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges (ncai.org).

And on that note, it's also great to mention here for those of us interested in Christian missions and indigenous communities, that Richard Twiss of Wiconi International has written a new book titled Rescuing Theology from the Cowboys: An Emerging Indigenous Expression of the Jesus Way in North America.  Twiss, the author of One Church, Many Tribes: Following Jesus the Way God Made You, says that the new book was the basis for his Doctor of Missiology Degree dissertation for Asbury Theological Seminary.  He is self-publishing it (for now at least) and making it available online for $20.

I haven't read it yet, so if any of you read it before I get a chance, please let me know what you think.  I'm sure it will be an eye-opening and heart-searching book.  Here is Twiss' description:

My new book, Rescuing Theology from the Cowboys, is based on my reflections, research and experiences over the past 24 years as a Lakota learning to walk on the Good Red Road as a follower of Jesus. It is also the story of many of us Native leaders who have been walking this Jesus Road together in community since the late 1980s.  

It is a close examination of the inter-connectedness between European colonialism and Christian missions among the tribal nations in North America. It is a redemptive look toward a preferred future, informed and inspired by the good, bad and ugly of the past... 

I believe you will find it educational, helpful, challenging and hopefully inspiring. I truly hope it empowers you to discover what it means to be more fully human as a lover of our Creator, our relatives in Creation, yourself and your neighbors in the spirit of Jesus as we all work and live for the well-being of Seven Generations!

One reviewer at goodreads.com writes that the book "is an excellent codification of important movements of the Holy Spirit both in the Americas and globally over the past 20yrs."

Kateri Tekakwitha: Native American Saint

The Lily of the Mohawks by Molly Kiely.

I found this story (and the cool image above) about Kateri Tekakwitha (1656–1680), a Native American Catholic woman who will be canonized today as a saint for her commitment to the church, despite being ridiculed and ostracized by her fellow Mohawks at the time.  She is known as "The Lily of the Mohawks."

There's nothing specifically about art in the article, but it's an interesting story nevertheless.  A group of more than 500 Mohawks will travel to Vatican City to witness the canonization ceremony in October, and will present a handwoven Mohawk basket to Pope Benedict XVI.

GIFT FOR THE POPE - Former St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Chief
Alma Ransom holds a handwoven baket made by Akwesasne
resident Sheila Ransom. A group from Akwesasne will deliver
the basket to Pope Benedict XVI during Kateri Tekakwitha’s
canonization ceremony this fall. (Hayden Photo)

Elmer Yazzie, Navaho Artist

Elmer Yazzie is a Navaho Christian who has been painting and teaching about art and faith for 35 years.  The son of a reformed minister, he was born on the Navaho reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico, and is a member of the "Where Two Waters Meet" clan.  Yazzie's sixth grade teacher at Rehoboth Christian School recognized his artistic abilities and gave him some art supplies to begin him on his journey as an artist.

Native American Contextualization

Although not dealing specifically with the visual arts, I invite you to check out the newest issue of Mission Frontiers magazine, "Making Jesus Known."  It has articles by several native Christian leaders about contextualization, and each article (or the entire issue) can be downloaded in pdf format.  I'm still reading through it, but so far have really enjoyed the article on contextualized sweat lodges!

First Nations artist Don Froese

I featured this image on my very first post.  There's a great article (p. 1-2) about the First Nations artist who carved it, Don Froese.  The wood carving is beautiful and Froese gives a full description of the symbolism.  It's absolutely awesome to see such beautiful First Nations/Native American artwork contextualized to show Christ's love for the artist and his people.  Check it out!