KANSAS! Magazine | Native Edition Issue No 2 2022

2022

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ISSUE 2

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KANSASMAG.COM

Being Native

Being Kansan An entire issue of stories, photography, and art from the Native tribal nations and communities within Kansas

A L S O I N T H I S I S S U E // Jimmy Beason on sharing stories of Native heroes // Mona Cliff and Ric Dunwoody on creating Native art for the future // Alex Red Corn on teaching Native history Rhonda LeValdo on the language of the land // Jared Nally on new school mascots ... and much more!

Topeka Dino Days Base Camp featuring an Allosaurus Topeka Information Center SUE: The T. rex Experience Great Overland Station Dinosaurs Alive! Created by Dino Don, Inc. The Topeka Zoo Tiny Titans: Dinosaur Eggs and Babies Kansas Children’s Discovery Center

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KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 2

‘Working from a Past, Heading to a Future’ Ric Dunwoody and Mona Cliff talk contemporary Native art and the futures they envision A Herd, Once More The Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas works to care for and grow its herd of bison as a practical and symbolic bridge between its past and future

Artist Ric Dunwoody carries one of his canvas works with reverse, signature-side showing.

PHOTOGRAPH Aaron Patton

WHAT’S IN THESE PAGES

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WHAT’S IN THESE PAGES

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KANSAS DETAILS 10 Culture Arts and Experiences

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14 Kansas Made Must-have Local Items

38 New Mascots Offer New Beginnings Kansas public schools see benefits for their students and their relationships with Native communities after adopting new mascots

18 Lens A Conversation with KANSAS! Photographers 20 The Kansan Authentic Life in the Sunflower State

42 ‘We Are Still Here’ A more appropriate and accurate understanding of Native peoples and nations begins with education

22 Reasons We Love Kansas Celebrating Unique Attractions

PHOTOGRAPHS AND ILLUSTRATION (FROM TOP) Ryan Coody, Nick Krug, Lana Grove

24 Reasons Q&A Kickapoo Tribal Museum 26 Must See Native Cultural Events

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IN EVERY ISSUE 7 8

Extra Details A Hello From Our Editors 58 KANSAS! Gallery 64 From the Poet Laureate

WIDE OPEN SPACES 28 Taste of Kansas: Morning Light Kombucha As a Native-owned business scales, so does its ability to support causes and partners in Kansas and beyond

34 The Language of Land Acknowledgments Addressing erasure and responsibility by acknowledging Indigenous peoples’ relationships to land

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ON THE COVER Entrepreneur Melinda Williamson.

Photograph by Nick Krug.

2022 ISSUE 2 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

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Why Lawrence?

open, smanldlin, g understa

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ional Cham

- Shiloh, Nat

Kansas Tourism, a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce

Andrea Etzel

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Laura Kelly GOVERNOR

David Toland

LT. GOVERNOR & SECRETARY OF COMMERCE

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TOURISM DIRECTOR

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(PÂRI/PAWNEE NATION OF OKLAHOMA) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS AND GOVERNOR’S TRIBAL LIAISON

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KANSAS! (ISSN 0022-8435) is published five (5) times per year by Kansas Tourism 1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 100 Topeka, KS 66612; 785.296.3479; TTY Hearing Impaired: 785.296.3487.

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Please mail all editorial inquiries to: KANSAS!, 1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 100 Topeka, KS 66612 | Email: kansas.mag@ks.gov The articles and photographs that appear in KANSAS! magazine may not be broadcast, published or otherwise reproduced without the express written consent of Kansas Tourism or the appropriate copyright owner.

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COZY ANNIVERSARY

If you are heading through Salina this year, be sure to stop by Cozy Inn. The small-sized and big-taste classic hamburger joint is kicking off a 100-year celebration this March.

The hometown-original diner has been at the same spot on 108 N. Seventh Street since it opened in 1922. The diner’s exterior of crisp white and bold red has become a landmark in the community. Visitors can stop by for take-out or dine-in at the seven counter barstools.

Go online or call ahead to confirm hours and any special operating conditions, cozyburger.com or 785.825.2699.

Attention, photographers: This edition includes a special gallery section focusing on recent Native graduates from Haskell Indian Nations University; in the next issue, we will return with our traditional gallery of landscapes and Kansas scenes.

We love featuring your work, so keep those submissions coming! (See the “Photography” tab at kansasmag.com for submission details and deadlines.)

Well done, Humboldt! In January, the southeastern Kansas town was named by the New York Times as one of its 52 places to visit in 2022. For this year’s lineup— which includes locations such Kyoto, Japan; Thy, Denmark; and Kunta Kintah Island, Gambia—the New York Times focused on destinations “for a changed world … where travelers can be part of the solution” and singled out Humboldt for its recent and continuing efforts of downtown and community revival.

PHOTOGRAPHS (FROM TOP) Larry Harwood, Rebecca Austin

CONGRATS, HUMBOLDT!

around the state page 23 Republic page 42 Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska page 28 Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation page 26 Medicine Lodge

page 14 Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska page 50 Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas page 38 Shawnee Mission page23 Wichita 2022 ISSUE 2 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

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A hello FROM OUR EDITORS

My family’s connection to Kansas started with my tribe’s removal to Kansas territory 175 years ago.

My family has farmed Kansas land ever since. Because of that history, Kansas has always been my home. I grew up in Colby and I went to school at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence. Niila myaamia—I’m Miami, I’m Native, and I’m a Kansan.

Who we are shapes the questions we ask, the topics we highlight, and the language we use. As guest editor for KANSAS! magazine, my role has been to ensure we are telling authentic stories about the Kansas Native American community by members of that community. These stories represent our presence in Kansas—Kansas tribes, our communities, our businesses, and most importantly, our relationships to Kansas.

Our diversity speaks to the history of the state, which sits on the traditional homelands of the 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟 (Osage), Kaánze (Kaw/Kansa), Pâri (Pawnee), Tsistsistas (Cheyenne), Hinono’ei (Arapaho), Gáuigú (Kiowa), N m n (Comanche), and Kitikiti’sh (Wichita), among others. This land has also served as a home to immigrant tribes, such as mine, who were forced from their traditional homelands.

In this issue, most of the writers, photographers, As we approached this edition of KANSAS!, we knew illustrators, and subjects represent tribal nations that telling authentic stories about contemporary Native from traditional homelands all across the United communities required Native leadership and oversight.

States, yet each of us calls Kansas home. For nearly It is imperative these stories be told, but they are not 140 years, the state has also been a temporary home our narratives to tell. I am deeply grateful to Jared Nally, to Native Americans and Alaska Natives from across outgoing editor of Indian Leader at Haskell Indian the nation through what is now Haskell Indian Nations University, and to Rhonda LeValdo, professor Nations University and has benefited from the and administrator at Haskell, for being our guest editor experience, perspective, and lasting connections to and guest adviser to oversee the editorial direction. I am the region brought by these generations of students. also grateful to Chris Howell, the executive director of It is the diversity of tribes, our unique cultures, the Office of Native American Affairs and the governor’s languages, and customs, that make the Native tribal liaison, for his guidance. community so special. Our histories are different, Threaded throughout this issue is the word and our relationships to Kansas are different. I hope community, which appears in some variation more you learn from and enjoy our stories highlighting than 41 times. By definition, it means a group of our diversity and presence in Kansas. people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. To all those featured, and JARED NALLY to our Native contributors, thank you for opening MYAAMIA/MIAMI your communities and sharing your stories with all GUEST EDITOR, KANSAS! MAGAZINE who read this special Native modern culture and community edition of KANSAS!. facebook.com/kansasMagazine @KANSASMag KansasMagazine (get spotted; use #kansasmag to tag us)

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KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 2

ANDREA ETZEL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, KANSAS! MAGAZINE

Known as ...

You will notice that in this issue of KANSAS! magazine, we introduce Native nations, contributors and subjects by including Native nation and community names in their tribal languages alongside their colonial English names.

Our intent is to reflect the diversity of Native peoples who share a connection with what is now the state of Kansas, and it is a reminder of the linguistic heritage behind many of the stories that we introduce in these pages.

The juxtaposition of English and tribal names also acknowledges language’s power to affirm the sovereignty and self-determination of these nations. Tribal languages are reservoirs of cultural heritage, religious teachings, historical information and familial and societal bonds. Each Native language conveys ideas and concepts unique to that Native community; while those ideas may be translated or approximated in other languages such as English, their full meanings and historical connections are rooted in the original words and sounds that express them.

By centering tribal identities around Native languages, we also acknowledge the generational work and resiliency of these nations to maintain and revitalize their tribal languages.

Countless Native American communities experienced forced language loss during the American Indian boarding school era. The use of tribal languages today speaks to a resilience over attempts of assimilation and ethnocide and reminds us of all the histories, stories, ideas and lives that these words lead to—both in the past, the present and future.

PHOTOGRAPHS Ryan Coody

Some of the tribal nations appearing in this magazine include …

NATIVE NATION/ COMMUNITY NAMES

FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED AS…

ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ

Cherokee Nation

𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟

Osage Nation

Aaniiih

(Gros Ventre) Fort Belknap Indian Community of the Fort Belknap Reservation of Montana

Adawe

Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma

Baxoje

Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska

mshkoteni bodwewadmi

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation

Gáuigú

Kiowa Indian Tribe of Oklahoma

H’akum’ee

Pueblo of Acoma

Hinono’ei

(Arapaho) Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and Arapaho Tribe of the Wind River Reservation

Jiwere

(Otoe) Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians

Kaánze

Kaw Nation

Kiikaapoi

Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas

Kitikiti’sh

Wichita and Affiliated Tribes

Myaamia

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma

Ne ma ha ha ki

Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska

N m n

Comanche Nation

Oceti Ŝakowiŋ

Oglala Lakota Nation, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and other Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota nations.

Pâri

Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma

Saawanooki

Shawnee Tribe

Tsistsistas

(Cheyenne) Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation and Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes

Note: Native community names may also refer to other Native nations not featured in this issue.

Where in Kansas?

KANSAS DETAILS

Haskell Indian Nations University

culture

‘The Answer … Is Found in the People’ Writer Jimmy Beason talks about his children’s history book and the importance of Native peoples overseeing the narrative of the past and the heroes who shaped it Story by Allen Stephenson (N m n /Comanche and Kitikiti’sh/Wichita) Photography by Ryan Coody (ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ/Cherokee Nation)

In some tribes there would live a person with the power to bend reality and create entire new worlds that capture the imagination.

This person historically held the task of teaching the tribe’s parables, speaking on the nature of life and death through stories of fantastical creatures and wonderful characters. Through folklore, they explained divine origins and cosmic afterlife. Through narrative tales, they instilled the medicine of a good spirit and healthy culture. It was these kinds of people who would come to be known as storytellers.

Jimmy Beason is one such modern storyteller. An Eagle clan member of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma (𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟) and professor in the Indigenous and American Indian studies department at Haskell Indian Nations University, he has written fiction, nonfiction, essays, and articles about historical and contemporary Native issues. One of his most recent releases is his 2021 history book for children, Native Americans in History, part of the Biographies for Kids series from Rockridge Press.

The brightly illustrated book presents the biographies of 15 Native Americans, from historical figures such as political and military figure Sitting Bull to contemporary leaders such as poet and activist Suzan Harjo.

We are not mascots and 18th-century symbols of America’s past who vanished. We had families, children, value systems we believed in and tried to keep some sense of ourselves during what can only be deemed as our apocalypse, which was colonization.

And, because of this resolute spirit, we are still here today.

Although I am not from the same tribal nation of some of those I have written about, I hope my voice as an Osage relative brings out their humanity a bit more as compared to someone who is non-Native writing from a completely different perspective. If people, especially young Native people, read it and become more inspired to do better things with their lives, then it would well be worth it!

KANSAS! magazine (K!): Why did you feel the need to write this book, and what do you want both young and older readers to take away from these stories?

Jimmy Beason (JB): I felt this book needed to be written to promote greater visibility and a better understanding of some of the notable people of our Native communities. I hope young and old readers can see the people in the book as one part of a greater whole of Native people and that it helps them understand we are not one-dimensional caricatures as depicted through most mainstream media.

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KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 2

Above Cover image of Jimmy Beason’s history book for children.

Opposite The author, with his book, on the campus of Haskell Indian Nations University.

KANSAS DETAILS

culture

short of a book, so it was more of a matter of page requirements to meet on my end. I definitely think so much more can be written about notable Native people that it would be an ongoing series and would like to see that take place.

The storytellers of old both created and collected their stories. They were tasked with finding inspiration in all manners of the natural universe. We must remember that as we enter the modern age, a lot has changed. The concept of storytelling has changed.

The land of the old storyteller doesn’t quite exist anymore and neither K!: With magical realms and comic book superheroes saturating mainstream does the raw power of the media and young adult literature, what made you choose history as the elements they drew from. medium for your storytelling?

So, how then does the storyteller decide JB: Our history has typically been told and interpreted by non-Native to remedy this? academics and researchers. Although we can look at this as doing our The answer, as community a service by gathering information and presenting it to the with many things world, it is important that we oversee the narrative. Writing about key in Indigenous folks in our recent history who accomplished great things despite the thought, is found odds stacked against them is a story of real heroes [and] worth telling. in the people, the people of the K!: Native Americans in History has an all-star lineup of Indigenous earth, the people luminaries from both past and present. Was there anyone else that you of the storyteller’s wanted added to the book but couldn’t? tribe, of all tribes and their amazing JB: I would have liked to have written about folks such as John Horse adventures and [Black Seminole soldier and diplomat], Little Turtle [Myaamia/ epic struggles— Miami military leader], Amanda Blackhorse [Diné/Navajo medical history made into professional and activist] or even everyday Natives who are not in the stories that are spotlight and have done great work in the community, and people –Jimmy Beason both legend and should know about them and what they have achieved. truth, a new medicine of Sometimes we only think of leaders and advocates as those who get more remembrance, media attention or get more exposure. It would be cool to have a book where acknowledgment and those who have been doing the work are getting recognized in some way. When I healing. got on the project with the publishers, they didn’t want to make it too long or too

“It would be cool to have a book where those who have been doing the work are getting recognized in some way.”

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Above An interior illustration and entry from Native Americans in History.

Let’s do more for the special places of Kansas.

From Konza Prairie to Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park, The Nature Conservancy has protected nearly 200,000 acres in Kansas.

Together, we can do more.

Find out how at nature.org/kansas

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Where in Kansas?

Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska

‘Tribal Enterprises Adapt to Community Needs’ Businesses that are good for the land are good for the people Story by Rhonda LeValdo (H’akum’ee/Acoma Pueblo) Photography by Ryan Coody (ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ/ Cherokee Nation)

The Baxoje (Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska) are located in the northeast corner of Kansas, and they are doing big things economically. With more than 26 enterprises outside of casino gaming— the Ioway Bee Farm, hemp cigarettes called Soje, a cattle farm, tire business, renewable energy, and others—the tribe has been able to provide jobs and resources to their local community.

Artees Vannett, the chief operations officer for Grey Snow Management Solutions, the economic development arm of the tribe, says they are creating an economy not only for them but also for the surrounding community.

“We oversee and manage all of the tribe’s for-profit businesses, including Soje and the Ioway Bee Farm. And we’re trying to see our economic development ventures as a way to support the entire community as well as all of our tribal members and be a source for people to go to. The only way we can grow our community is by providing education, providing better paying jobs and creating an economy that is a lot healthier. With all the businesses whose main economic driver is our agricultural enterprises, we try to see that, in all things that we do, we benefit the earth and we give back more than we take. We embrace the land, and so that whenever we’re doing something we know that we’re adding to the soil, we’re building our microbiome. In the end that is how we have longevity in our businesses.”

The bee farm was the first to get international business with a viral post by one of the tribal citizens. “Back on July 4, 2020,” Vannett recalls, “one of our tribal members posted on our Tumblr; it spread across the entire world in a period of 10 hours. We had 2,500 orders to our small bee farm, which had seen maybe 15 or 20 over the past six months, and it hasn’t stopped.”

At a time where people are talking about climate change, the Iowa Tribe is trying to help the environment with its companies. Vannett explains how it is more profitable.

“We’re gonna address climate change and we’re gonna utilize practices like holistic grazing or regenerative agriculture because we know first that it’s better Opposite The Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska sells natural hemp and honey products grown and harvested on tribal land.

kansas made

for our environment. It’s better for our community, creates healthier foods, and it creates healthier forage for our cattle…. We let our environment work for us, and we work on restoring our soils. Our soil is really strong, and that will impact everything. That makes our jobs 100% easier. It will reduce the rates of disease and pests and all these other different pieces of collateral that you normally see in traditional farming or traditional business. I think everyone can get excited about supporting American tribes and supporting people who are willing to have a better impact on our environment and who seek out creating a better future for the next two, three, seven generations.”

With the Soje hemp cigarettes, the Iowa has gained more attention nationally, though it did have some concerns from tribal members who didn’t agree with the venture.

Vannett says they try to educate on the difference between hemp cigarettes and THC-based marijuana to those who objected.

“There was some pushback, but with Soje, it is the Ioway name for smoke, and for this product we really tried to use the 2022 ISSUE 2 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

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kansas made cultural identity of the tribe, the language within it as well as some of the traditional smoking herbs of the Ioway. Here’s something that has been used for hundreds of years as a medicinal way of interacting with sacred plants and plant medicines and an alternative to tobacco.”

And Soje has educated people all over the country about the Ioway Nation, Vannett explains.

“When you go into [the website], it asks if you’re 18 years or older, but the second question is like, do you support Native American tribes? It’s a call to action—do I want to have an impact with my purchases?—which is what I think our current generation sees the power of their dollar.”

Vannett explains that the impact of COVID-19 on gaming for tribes has also been a reason to expand businesses.

“The casino was our main economic driver. It supported our whole tribal government and tribal programs. When Grey Snow Management Solutions was launched, the directive was to diversify … the sustainable way and find businesses that are in alignment with our tribe’s strengths and then focus on that. Trying to figure out what that is and can it provide a similar form of revenue. And in agriculture when you do it in a regenerative way and a way that is tied more closely to Indigenous practices carries with that same profitability.”

Along with the new businesses, Olivia Brien, Iowa Tribe marketing and communications consultant and Iowa tribal member, says one of the positive impacts has been tribal pride in what they are doing.

“Ultimately what all these businesses are doing is increasing our sovereignty.

It’s making it so our tribe has the potential to move into the future as a tribe that can compete and manage, that can hold their own government entity. What I’m seeing with all of these different enterprises is that people within our tribe are starting to get more excited about being a part of the tribe. Our tribe has a very small population actually living on the reservation, and then most of our tribal members live off the reservation. It’s providing opportunities for people to actually get a little bit more involved and just having a sense of pride that’s coming along with all of these enterprises that’s putting us on the map as a successful tribe.”

Brien also says the Iowa have begun working with other tribes to help them start their own goods and services so that all tribes can benefit. Vannett reiterated the impact on tribes.

“We want to meet with all of the tribes that we possibly can right now all throughout the nation to figure out how we can redevelop those little trade routes and not only physical goods but also from the services and making an impact in the way that tribes are represented in the state of Kansas.”

The Iowa are continuing to add more to benefit not only their own tribal citizens but the community as well. They recently acquired land in Nebraska that will become the Ioway Tribal National Park, which isn’t open to the public yet, but there are plans to make it a destination spot. They also acquired the Sac and Fox Mission outside of Highland, Kansas, that will be used as a museum and classroom space.

Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska iowatribeofkansasandnebraska.com

Soje

SOJE.co

“These enterprises are allowing us to give the opportunity for our tribal members and other community members to participate in the culture, participate in so much of what has been removed from us,” Brien says.

The Iowa also sell Soje products and honey products at the Grandview Oil convenience store on the reservation. Brien adds that they “will be expanding the store to include a food market space so the public can purchase their meat and vegetables, which is very important because we’re actually in a food desert.”

The Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska are improving the lives of their own people as well as those of their community and through relationships with other tribes. Vannett says they welcome more dialogue to spread their message so others know who they are.

“People are like, ‘Oh, I didn’t even know, or didn’t even begin to think’ that there’s a tribe in Kansas even though the state of Kansas got their name from the Kanza Tribe (Kaánze). So it’s part of the social narrative, and that’s what we’re really trying to change.”

Ioway Bee Farm IowayBeeFarm.com

2022 ISSUE 2 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

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Ryan Coody A conversation with KANSAS! photographers about their lives in photography @ryancoodyphoto

Originally from Northwest Arkansas, Ryan Coody (ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ/ Cherokee Nation) moved to Lawrence in 2010 to attend Haskell Indian Nations University. He later returned to Arkansas after graduation, but missed the area so much that he felt compelled to return in 2017. Since then, Coody has spent his time photographing iconic Kansas landscapes, subjects and sporting events.

What was the moment you wanted to become a photographer? I could tell you a few different instances the photography bug bit me and I ignored it, but it finally caught up to me after I started at Haskell University. I was working for the student newspaper, the Indian Leader, and became fascinated with photography on a deeper level. I used the paper as an excuse to hang out at the games taking photos. Over the years I learned more, and it was great to constantly have a nearby source of events to shoot any time I wanted.

What was your first camera? In 2011 or so, I took a scholarship I had earned through the American Indian College Fund and spent it on a Nikon D3100 and a couple of basic lenses without really knowing what I was doing. I’ve bought and sold a lot of cameras and jumped brands a few times since then, but I still have that D3100 on my shelf.

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY Ryan Coody

Tell us about the shot that got away. It’s not so much a shot that got away as it is certain athletes. I try to collect good images of the athletes that I cover in the same way others might collect autographs, but sometimes I just can’t catch the right moment. I’ve worked several games trying to get an image of Chris Wondolowski (Gáuigú/Kiowa), and something just always gets in the way, whether the weather prevents it, or maybe he ends up not playing that day for some reason. Keyshawn Whitehorse (Diné/Navajo) is another one I can’t catch.

I’ve taken photos of him at several different Professional Bull Riding events (PBR), and his bull will spin the wrong way, or one of the bullfighters blocks my shot, or something else will come up and I just have to leave empty-handed.

What is your favorite Kansas landmark to photograph? I find the entire campus at Haskell Indian Nations University intriguing. I lived on campus for four years, and I’ve walked miles and miles around it. But each time, I can find something new to look at, or a different angle of one of the buildings I’ve never Opposite (Clockwise from top) Ryan Coody frequently photographs Native athletes and subjects including Ryan Dirteater (ᏣᎳᎩ/Cherokee), Preston Wynne (sqelixw/Spokane), Joshua Justice Dick (ᏣᎳᎩ/Cherokee), Nathan Fraley (Gáuigú/Kiowa), Ian Stand (Mesquaki Asakiwaki/Sac and Fox Nation), and Sydney Dray (Manuquutaq/Manokotak Village).

noticed, or a new way the light strikes something. The buildings, the people, the entire vibe of the campus is like home to me and if I find myself getting bored with photography, I’ll just walk the campus and take pictures, and it helps me reset.

What have you learned from being a photographer that you wouldn’t have learned otherwise? Patience. Like many others, I’m always pushing myself, and I’m eager to grow quickly, and it’s easy to get frustrated. I have to remember everything is a journey and it’s important to enjoy the trip.

What is the most common photography advice you share with amateur photographers?

Avoid focusing on gear. It’s one thing to max out your potential on some equipment and upgrade to give yourself room to grow, but it’s another thing to max out your credit card to buy gear you don’t know how to use. Focus on learning the basics and as you run into roadblocks that stop you from creating the images you envision, acquire new gear selectively and purposefully. And when you buy, support your local camera shop.

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THE

kansan

“This image of Sean Parrish (Diné/Navajo Nation) was taken during his senior portrait shoot in 2019.

He was graduating from Haskell Indian Nations University, and we had worked together for the Indian Leader, so he asked me to take his grad announcement photos. This photo wasn’t one of his main photos though; it wasn’t posed … I snapped this photo while he was checking his reflection in a hand mirror between background locations. It was a candid photo but ended up being one of the best from that session. Being a part of Native American culture is a big part of my life. It is a connection to my father, our elders, and our ancestors that came before us. My culture has become intertwined with many aspects of my life, including my art and my education. I am honored to be a part of modern Native American culture and to have the opportunity to watch it flourish and thrive.”

A member of the Cherokee Nation (ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ), Makayla Sloan is a senior in the Indigenous and American Indian studies program at Haskell Indian Nations University. According to Sloan, this image is a reminder to “hold your head up high, to be proud of your culture and of yourself.”

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KANSAS! MAGAZINE | 2022 ISSUE 2

PHOTOGRAPH Makayla Sloan

–MAKAYLA SLOAN

Where in Kansas?

KANSAS DETAILS

Lawrence

Horton Wichita

Republic

reasons

Reasons

We Love Kansas Story by James Cadotte (Oceti Ŝakowiŋ/Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and Mnicoujou Lakota)

IN THIS ISSUE

Native Museums

ALL-INDIAN MUSEUM | Wichita 1 AMID-AMERICA museum dedicated to exhibiting art pieces from Native artists across America. The collection includes over 3,000 unique art installations. The purpose of the museum is to educate visitors and preserve Indigenous cultural heritage. The museum has an outdoor learning center with gardens growing gourds, three sisters (corn, squash and beans), and more. The main art piece is at Keeper Plaza, where The Keeper of the Plains, a 44-foot tall, 5-ton steel statue stands at the convergence of the Little and Big Arkansas rivers. There are five drums that are lit at night representing the medicine wheel and circle of life. Museum hours are Tuesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; closed Sundays and Mondays & federal holidays. theindiancenter.org | 316.350.3340

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reasons HASKELL CULTURAL CENTER & MUSEUM | Lawrence 2 Located on the campus of Haskell Indian Nations University are a

PHOTOGRAPHS (CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE) Courtesy Mid-America All-Indian Museum, Sunflower Publishing, Kansas Tourism, Ryan Coody

ate

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museum and center that tell the story of the school’s long history. What was once an Indian boarding school with the mission to “kill the Indian to save the man” has been transformed into a university providing the unique opportunity for Native students from across the country to share their strength, resiliency, and diverse tribal traditions as they pursue higher education. Today, the Haskell Cultural Center & Museum amplifies Native voices and cultures and stands as a “steward of living Tribal materials, traditions and cultural arts.” The museum is not open for public walk-ins, but viewing appointments can be made through the President’s Office at Haskell. haskell.edu/cultural-center/ | 785.832.6686

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PAWNEE INDIAN MUSEUM STATE HISTORIC SITE | Republic 3 The site of an Earth Lodge of the Pâri (Pawnee) Kitkehahki band, the Pawnee Museum State Historic site is a museum dedicated to telling the story of the Kitkehahki village dating back to the late 1700s.

The museum is the site of an excavation by archaeologists and has a nature trail where visitors can see earth depressions of over 20 lodges.

Gifts related to the site are available at the museum store. This year the museum is open seasonally April 15–October 22, Wednesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; closed Sunday–Tuesday & state holidays. kshs.org/p/pawnee-indian-museum/19568 | 785.361.2255

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TRIBAL MUSEUM | Horton 4 AKICKAPOO place to tell their own history, the Kickapoo Tribal Museum, which opened in 2019, serves as an education center for the collected history, artifacts and stories of the Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas). Exhibits include Kiikaapoi relocation history from the Great Lakes to Kansas, artifacts including beadwork, and an exhibit dedicated to Kiikaapoi military veterans. Museum hours are Monday– Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; closed weekends & federal holidays. ktik-nsn.gov | 785.486.2131

WASHINGTON

COUNTY TOURISM

785.325.2116 | washingtoncountyks.gov FISHING AND PUBLIC HUNTING

The Wahington County State Fishing Lake is located 12 miles NW of Washington

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reasons Q&A

Q&A with Kickapoo Tribal Chairman Lester Randall Kickapoo Tribal Museum Story by Kalli Jo Smith Photography by Ryan Coody (ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ/ Cherokee Nation)

How are you involved with the museum? As chairman of the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas (Kiikaapoi), I worked diligently with the federal government and with the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research (UKCPPR) to procure funding so that we could invest in obtaining artifacts and gaining stories of our rich history. I wanted to listen to our people and highlight their stories and history. I worked on this for several years, and in 2019 our museum (Kickapoo Tribal Museum) was established.

What’s the difference between being a museum about Native American cultures and being a museum of Native American cultures? Being “of it” is to honor the Kickapoo history, culture, traditions and livelihoods and to celebrate our people of the past and today. Together we will educate each other, celebrate our strengths and values and educate our future tribal leaders.

How do you curate the museum and ensure artifacts remain authentic and tell the true story of Native American peoples?

We received many of the artifacts directly from descendants of the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas. We listened to them tell stories of their families, how they lived on this land, and the important practices of their religions and traditions.

the true and important significance of each item.

Further, many of these items were obtained by grave robbing. While [that] is a depraved act of violation, it [repatriation] may create some closure for family members who had these artifacts buried alongside their loved ones.

Why was it important for the Kickapoo Tribe to open a museum? We felt it was important to open the Kickapoo Tribal Museum on the Kickapoo Reservation as a way to highlight and celebrate all that make up our culture.

By educating each other, the community and our visitors, we honor the past and take pride in our shared history.

“By educating each other, the community and our visitors, we honor the past and take pride in our shared history.”

–Lester Randall

How are Native American perspectives included throughout your museum?

With each feature and exhibit, we spoke to as many tribal members as possible to gain a full picture of what these artifacts, photographs and exhibits have meant to our people. From our tribal elders to our youth, the artifacts in the museum are different but have just as precious and important meanings.

What is repatriation and why is it crucial for Native American cultures?

Repatriation is the process by which important artifacts and symbols are returned to their true owner or place of origin. It is crucial that we have these artifacts repatriated, as our tribal members are the only ones who understand

What do you hope people leave with when they visit your museum? We are a proud people. The museum is built on the belief that tribal histories should be told by tribal nations in our own words and in our own ways.

The story of our people is built on the triumphs of our ancestors and the resilience of our people.

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must see

2022 Overview of

Native Cultural Events

An Evening with Joy Harjo

Native American Midwest Tournament of Champions

Haskell Indian Market

Humanities Kansas, in partnership with Haskell Indian Nations University, the Lawrence Public Library and the Hall Center for the Humanities at the University of Kansas, presents an evening talk with 23rd poet laureate of the United States, Joy Harjo (Mvskoke/Muscogee [Creek] Nation). humanitieskansas.org/grantsprograms/initiatives/an-eveningwith-joy-harjo

April 29–May 1 | Wichita

Held every second weekend in September, the Haskell Indian Market highlights Native American artists from all over. Visit online or follow their Facebook page for 2022 event updates. haskell.edu/hiam/

Smokii Sumac

May 13 | Lawrence

February 23 | Lawrence

April 6 | Lawrence (possibly online) Hall Center for the Humanities hosts poet Smokii Sumac (Ktunaxa / Ktunaxa Nation). hallcenter.ku.edu

Angeline Boulley April 8 | Lawrence (possibly online) Paper Plains Literary Festival hosts New York Times bestselling YA author Angeline Boulley (Anishinaabe /Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indian). hallcenter.ku.edu

KU FNSA Powwow & Indigenous Cultures Festival April 9 | Lawrence Experience and learn about Native American cultures. Kansas First Nations Student Association (FNSA) presents the Powwow and Indigenous Cultures Festival. This event is free and open to the public. fnsa-powwow.blog.ku.edu

Natalie Diaz April 20 | Lawrence (possibly online) Hall Center for the Humanities hosts talk and readings by Pulitzer Prize winner Natalie Diaz (Pipa Aha Macav/ Fort Mojave Indian Tribe). hallcenter.ku.edu

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Tribe Athletics Indigenous Exposure Basketball presents the Native American Midwest Tournament of Champions: Exposure Series I at the Farha Sports Center. All boys & girls teams who enter must be Native American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander to participate. tribeathleticsports.com

Haskell Spring 2022 Graduation Celebrate Haskell Indian Nations University spring 2022 graduates with a celebratory powwow open to the public. haskell.edu

Bring the Bosins Home: The Journey Continues June 5, 2021–June 5, 2022 | Wichita The Mid-America All Indian Museum presents Bring the Bosins Home: The Journey Continues. This yearlong exhibit highlights Gáuigú and N m n (Kiowa and Comanche) artist Blackbear Bosin, creator of the iconic Keeper of the Plains and gives viewers an inside look at more of Bosin’s artwork. theindiancenter.org/Pages/ Exhibits.aspx

Lead Horse Open Powwow July 19–21 | Lawrence Competitive circuit powwow event leadhorsellc.com

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Charity Golf Tournament August Date TBA | Mayetta Annual golf tournament to benefit Boys & Girls Club of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (mshkoteni bodwewadmi) at Firekeeper Golf Course.

September 10–11 | Lawrence

Medicine Lodge Intertribal Powwow September 23–25 | Medicine Lodge The Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Association presents the Intertribal Powwow. Experience the dances and ceremonies that play an integral part of Native American culture. peacetreaty.org/events/powwow

Indigenous Peoples’ Day October 10 | Across Kansas Across Kansas, celebrate and honor the rich and diverse cultures of Native Americans while bringing attention to the injustices perpetrated against them.

Look for educational events and celebrations honoring Native Americans sponsored by organizations such as Haskell Indian Nations University, Humanities Kansas and your local colleges and art museums.

Veterans Powwow November Date TBA | Wichita Wichita Kansas Inter-Tribal Warrior Society hosts powwow to honor military veterans.

Warrior Society ICT on Facebook

Big Bear Moon Powwow December 31 | Mayetta Prairie Band Potawatomi (mshkoteni bodwewadmi) hosts annual New Year’s Eve powwow celebration. pbpindiantribe.com

Opposite A dancer performs in full regalia on the stadium grounds of Haskell Indian Nations University.

PHOTOGRAPH Ryan Coody

KANSAS DETAILS

NOTE: Because of pandemic conditions at time of printing, dates and details of many events remain under consideration.

Be sure to contact organizers or otherwise confirm information before finalizing plans.

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Morning Light Kombucha As a Native-owned business scales, so does its ability to support causes and partners in Kansas and beyond

Story by Jared Nally (Myaamia/Miami Tribe of Oklahoma) Photography by Nick Krug

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t’s about taking care of yourself and your community. Melinda Williamson (mshkoteni bodwewadmi/Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), the founder of Morning Light Kombucha, has built a business with that philosophy in mind. Williamson makes and sells kombucha, a fermented tea, flavored with fresh local produce and full of probiotics. Williamson’s Hoyt-based company has grown out of important foundational values. She knew early on that she wanted a business that would make a difference, be sustainable, source locally, and give back to Native communities.

Williamson says, “The day I decided to start a business I didn’t know what I was going to do; I just knew that whatever I was going to do, I wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives.” For Williamson, this could be done by sharing kombucha.

Williamson has found that kombucha and other probiotics, beneficial bacterias and yeasts from fermented foods, have helped her manage symptoms of an autoimmune disease for over 10 years. Probiotics are now being studied for their potential to reduce inflammation and boost the immune system and energy levels. As scientific studies continue, Williamson says, “It’s really cool to hear those [success] stories and talk to people it’s helping.”

Left Morning Light Komubcha has released a range of flavors and size options.

Opposite Melinda Williamson, founder of Morning Light Kombucha, stands on land near her headquarters in Hoyt.

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As her business has grown, Williamson has managed to hold on to her values of sustainability. She makes a conscious effort to reduce her impact by using compostable gloves and infinitely recyclable aluminum cans. “Since I was young, my mom, parents and family, always instilled the importance of taking care of our Earth and making sure that we’re doing our part,” she says, adding, “As I got older, it was just my lifestyle, and it was how I raised my daughter.”

As part of maintaining a sustainable business, Williamson regularly works with 10 regenerative farms in Kansas—farms who’ve made commitments to low environmental impact or net-positive farming. She says, “The most important thing we’re looking for when we partner up is how they are running their farm. We go out and visit, and we have close relationships with them.”

Sourcing from multiple farms means extended gathering times for ingredients like strawberries, but it also means working with variations in produce due to changes in soil types, plant varieties, and other growing conditions that make each batch of kombucha a little different. “We don’t always have this perfectly consistent product that you get off the shelf,” she explains, “[but] I think our customers really enjoy the uniqueness of every flavor.”

Central to every batch of Morning Light Kombucha is a blend of green and black tea from Teatulia. “It took us a while to find a tea company that we felt really aligned with our values, and they were incredible,” says Williamson.

When she needs ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, Williamson still works to remain sustainable and true to her brand. Teatulia’s tea gardens use regenerative and organic farming practices like planting neem trees for shade and pest control. The company has even started the Kazi Shahid Foundation to support Bangladeshi women through enterprise. “The work that they do there is really helping the community,” she says.

Williamson’s own work gives back to Native American communities, starting with her own. Even as her business grows, she continues to work for the Potawatomi Nation Language and Cultural Department. “I continue to work for the language department because the work we do is so important for our people and our community. Having the opportunity to learn and teach language has been a blessing for me and my family, and it is hard to walk away from,” Williamson says. In addition to the work in her community, 10% of her sales go to support Native American organizations and community efforts. “We have donated to several different organizations, including Native American rights fund, Native Women Lead, our local boys and girls club,” she says. “We’ve sponsored several different youth sports teams; we’ve donated money to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and the National Native

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Green Kombucha Smoothie

Recipe courtesy Melinda Williamson, Morning Light Kombucha

Ingredients • • • • • • • • •

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk ½ cup kombucha 1 scoop MRM plant-based protein powder 1 tablespoon maca root dash of cinnamon 3 cups greens (kale, Swiss chard, or a combination) ¾ cup pineapple a few cubes of ice water, if needed

Directions 1. Layer ingredients in blender—coconut milk and kombucha first, then protein powder, maca root and cinnamon, followed by greens, pineapple and ice.

2. Pulse, then blend ingredients until it reaches your desired consistency. If the smoothie is too thick, add a bit of water and blend again.

3. Pour into a glass and enjoy.

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spaces “The day I decided to start a business I didn’t know what I was going to do; I just knew that whatever I was going to do, I wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives.”

–Melinda Williamson

American Boarding School Healing Coalition just to name a few. Eventually as we grow, what I really want to do is start partnering up with Native farmers, and as we get into more Native-owned businesses across the US, I would love to partner up with someone from their community,” she says. Williamson is already working with her local Native community to grow and forage ingredients for small batches of kombucha that celebrate the flavors of Kansas’ native plants like mulberries, chokecherries, sumac, and pawpaws. “Our goal for the future is to eventually create signature flavors that include [Native American] traditional foods for small batches,” Williamson says, “because we’re already doing that here, and it’s a real treat for people.”

Morning Light Kombucha is on tap in 17 retailers across eastern Kansas and now offers shipping following the launch of a canned kombucha line. Williamson says it only takes 4 to 8 ounces of kombucha a day to start seeing natural health benefits, and there are multiple ways to enjoy the taste. “Sometimes it just kind of grows on you, [and] sometimes you can make it more palatable by throwing it into a smoothie or something really simple [like orange juice],” she says.

Williamson hopes that more Kansans will start to enjoy the taste and benefits of kombucha. For her, it’s had a tremendous impact on her health and has allowed her to have a tremendous impact on her community. morninglightkombucha.com

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The Language of Land Acknowledgments

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spaces Addressing erasure and responsibility by acknowledging Indigenous peoples’ relationships to land Story by Rhonda LeValdo (H’akum’ee/Acoma Pueblo) Illustration by Lana Grove (Oceti Ŝakowiŋ/Oglala Lakota)

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and acknowledgments are statements that recognize the history and presence of Indigenous peoples and their enduring relationships to their traditional homelands.

Land acknowledgments create awareness of the cultural erasure of Indigenous peoples and the processes of colonization and subjugation that have contributed to that erasure.

The state of Kansas is known to have many Indigenous nations residing here. A great way to educate people about Kansas tribes is for cities to admit that their land was originally inhabited by tribal nations, says Dr. Eric Anderson (Bodéwadmi/Citizen Band Potawatomi), who teaches history of American Indians in Kansas at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence.

“I think it’s a step in the right direction. There are so many people, non-Natives, who 2022 ISSUE 2 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

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spaces don’t have any real understanding or appreciation of the depths of that history and about the people who were here before and are still here, and that’s kind of the orientation of the class I teach. A lot of students take the class, some who are Kansas Native Americans and some who are not, and just want to know more about the history of the area.

With that lens, with Native people, I do think it’s important to raise awareness in the same way that it is being done with [Native American] boarding schools. I know obviously it doesn’t have a lot of force behind it and it tends to be university settings or institutions like museums, but I do think it’s important to recognize that history, that depth of cultural influence. But yes, on the other hand you know it doesn’t give that land back.”

The Native American Student Services (NASS) is working with the Lawrence school district on posting a land acknowledgment on their website. The acknowledgment would bring visibility to Indigenous presence, both historically and now, to the land the schools occupies. A push came from school board member Carole Cadue-Blackwood (Kiikaapoi/Kickapoo), who, in 2019, was one of first Native American women elected to the USD 497 board. She has been at the

forced removal of tribes that served as a foundation to the university’s history and recognizing the four sovereign immigrant tribes that remain in Kansas. The land acknowledgment is significant since the university was founded in 1863 as the first land-grant institution in the nation. The last part of their statement reads: “We remember these truths because K-State’s status as a land-grant institution is a story that exists within ongoing settler-colonialism, and rests on the dispossession of Indigenous peoples and nations from their lands. These truths are often invisible to many. The recognition that K-State’s history begins and continues through Indigenous contexts is essential.”

For too long, many Kansans have bought into the “vanishing Indian” stereotype that Native Americans no longer exist. The Salina Indian Burial Pit, for example, perpetuated that myth. As a 20th century tourist attraction in Salina, it displayed 146 Native bodies for over 50 years until the Pawnee Nation (Pâri) pushed to close it and inter the remains of their ancestors according to tribal customs. It was finally accomplished, in part, by a push from Haskell Indian Nations University holding a forum to address the issue. It was shut down in 1989 with the signing of a memorandum of understanding called the Treaty of Smoky Hill. The Native American Graves and Repatriation Act of 1990, signed the following year, helped return Native American remains to their own people instead of being displayed in museums.

“We are still here,” says Cadue-Blackwood; “as Natives we honor our people while we are still here. We were here long before Kansas was a state, and why are we begging for our history to be taught? This is the cornerstone and will trickle down to the community to know.”

With land acknowledgments, more Kansans will know their state’s rich history and recognize that Indigenous people are still here and contributing to their communities.

“We have to re-educate [the communities we live in]... I want our kids to be proud of who they are and have better self-esteem.”

–Carole Cadue-Blackwood forefront of making sure Native American students are being served in her community.

“We have to re-educate [the communities we live in]... I want our kids to be proud of who they are and have better self-esteem.”

Two years ago, Kansas State University issued a land acknowledgment recognizing the university’s occupation of the traditional lands of the Kaánze (Kaw/Kanza), 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟 (Osage), and Pâri (Pawnee), recognizing the

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Scott Bean Photography K A N S A S L A N D S CA P E A N D N AT U R E P H OTO G R A P H S

7 8 5 - 3 4 1 - 1 0 4 7 | S C OT T @ S C OT T B E A N P H OTO . C O M

www.scottbeanphoto.com

Proud Past – Brilliant Future Come Visit Eisenhower State Park Pomona State Park 785-528-3714 (Osage City Hall) 2022 ISSUE 2 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE 37 www.OsageCity.com

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New Mascots Offer New Beginnings Kansas public schools see benefits for their students and their relationships with Native communities after adopting new mascots Story by Jared Nally (Myaamia/Miami) Photography by Ryan Coody (ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ/Cherokee Nation) and Jason Dailey

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n 2021, at least three Kansas high schools, a middle school, and four elementary schools underwent mascot changes following decisions by Wichita Public Schools, Atchison Public Schools, and the Shawnee Mission School District to remove problematic Native American mascots.

“I’m really happy with how our district has gone about changing our mascot just because … [there have] been some times when cheering for our past mascot didn’t seem necessarily correct—it felt odd, and I feel like a lot of students at [Shawnee Mission] North were hindered from participating just because of what we knew was wrong about our mascot,” explains Connor Bell, a senior at Shawnee Mission North and president of the PEP Club.

Above Shawnee Mission North’s new Bison mascot now appears with the school’s cheer squads and pep bands to support their teams.

Left Members of the Atchison High School basketball and cheer teams show off their new uniforms and gear promoting the new Phoenix mascot.

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Districts had to listen and respond to Native American and allied concerns regarding the negative impact of racialized mascots. North High School principal Terrell Davis says one of the Wichita school board’s biggest struggles was navigating the nostalgia of their previous mascot, which used a racial slur. “Getting people to understand that there are positive intentions, [but] the word is derogatory and that is why we would discontinue the use of it, was just one of those hurdles we faced; [it] was just getting people to understand that we’re not calling them racist or trying to erase the rich history of North High School,” Davis says. Understanding that good intentions don’t justify negative outcomes has been an important result of centering Native American perspectives and experiences in conversations about racialized mascots.

“Sometimes, we hear that Indigenous people don’t care either way, but our experience at open forum was the opposite,” says Renee Nugent, superintendent of Atchison Public Schools. At open forums, events, and committees, Native Americans overwhelmingly supported the push to adopt new mascots by sharing how racialized mascots harm Native communities. The North High Mascot Committee relied heavily on Native community members—alumni representative Jeff Watkins (ᏣᎳᎩ/ Cherokee), North High School teacher J.J. Lawrie (ᏣᎳᎩ/ Cherokee), local spiritual leader Mark Brown (Oceti akowi /Lakota), Native American Indian Education Program Lead Dal Domebo (Gáuigú/Kiowa, Póⁿka/Ponca and Ogahpah/Quapaw), and Mid-America All-Indian Museum representative Michelle Conine (Saawanooki/ 2022 ISSUE 2 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

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spaces Shawnee, Lenape/Delaware and ᏣᎳᎩ/Cherokee). Native American speakers were also an important part of the process for Atchison and Shawnee Mission, who invited Alex Red Corn (𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟/ Osage), coordinator for Indigenous partnerships at Kansas State University and Kansas Association for Native American Education executive director, and Saawanooki (Shawnee Tribe) Chief Ben Barnes, respectively, to speak to their districts.

“I think before [the mascot change] there was no relationship possible. I think now, there are relationships possible,” Chief Barnes says. For Barnes, a relationship required schools to understand and address their impact on the Native American community.

“This conversation isn’t really about mascots … [i]t’s about the commodification of Indian people… it’s about the dehumanizing behavior that comes along with it,” Barnes adds. This conversation isn’t new. Barnes is using his voice to support generations of Native voices before him.

In 1968, the National Congress of American Indians established a campaign against harmful stereotypes in media, which included mascots. In 1998, the Kansas Association for Native American Education issued a resolution calling for “the elimination of use of American Indian mascots and logos in all public and private schools in the State of Kansas….”

By 2005, multiple academic studies on Native American mascots supported decades of

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‘The Time Is Right’ Harmful school mascots no longer have any place in public education according to a special state commission. “The time is right for the state of Kansas to take intentional steps to remove the use of Native American mascots and related imagery in public education settings,” states the 2021 report from the Governor’s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice.

The report details ways in which local action can be taken to review and eliminate Native American mascots. Kansas school districts are recommended to engage with the Kansas Office of Native American Affairs (KONAA) and the Kansas Association for Native American Education (KANAE) to “identify resources and to educate and assist in assessing [schools’] Native American representation.” Schools are also encouraged to connect and build relationships with local federally recognized tribes. Legislation, like that passed in Nevada prohibiting racially discriminatory mascots, is recommended for review, and could encourage districts to act more quickly.

As part of the guidance to remove Native American mascots, the report also recommends that schools address the impact mascots have had on Native American students.

“School districts,” the report says, “should re-examine their anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies and should include culturally-relevant instructional resources [that] are inclusive of all groups and present culturally, historically, linguistically, and socially accurate information and representations.”

Native American activism, and the American Psychological Association called for the retirement of Native American mascots. “The use of American Indian mascots as symbols in schools and university athletic programs is particularly troubling because schools are places of learning. These mascots are teaching stereotypical, misleading and too often, insulting images of American Indians. These negative lessons are not just affecting American Indian students; they are sending the wrong message to all students,” wrote former APA president Ronald Levant, EdD. Today, many Kansas Schools still have Native American mascots that continue to harm Native American communities, but change is possible.

Education is an important part of combatting harmful stereotypes created by racialized mascots. Schools aren’t just retiring their mascots; both North High School and Shawnee Mission North have developed resources to correct misinformation and misrepresentation perpetuated by past mascots. “There was a freshman curriculum developed and implemented that every freshman now learns about the rich tradition of North High School, the land that it was built on, what the architecture actually means, who developed it and designed it ... it’s intentional for them to understand their history and understand the importance of the Native American culture on that campus…,” Davis says.

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spaces “Where the real pushback came was determining a new name; that’s when people got very passionate,” says Nugent. But the community has quickly embraced its new mascot, the Phoenix, which unifies Atchison’s high school, middle school, and grade school because each previously had its own mascot. “The elementary school is so excited to be a part of the culture of a district-wide mascot,” Nugent says. Every Friday, students at Atchison Elementary wear Phoenix gear and meet in the gym, where they sing the Soar Chant. The new tradition makes “Fridays better than Disneyland, because it just makes your whole day to go there and watch these kids cheer,” says Nugent.

North High School in Wichita is choosing to forgo a mascot at this time and simply go by its name. The school is choosing to highlight its strong student legacy as it makes changes to remove their previous nickname throughout the school. In December, the school dedicated its new gym floor in honor of North High School alumni Lynette Woodard. The star basketball student won two state basketball championships while at North High School, graduated in 1977 to become a four-time AllAmerican at the University of Kansas, represented the US on the 1980 and 1984 Olympics teams, and played for both the WNBA and the Harlem Globetrotters.

“There are a lot of things and images that we can use to reflect the best parts of ourselves,” Chief Barnes notes. “When [Shawnee Mission North] decided to use the bison, I thought, man, what a great conversation piece, the Bison. Because there are probably some folks in Kansas that don’t even realize how important the bison was to the early plains of Kansas and what it did for the first Kansans. I love the idea of the Bison being at Shawnee Mission North,” Barnes says.

Above Basketball legend Lynette Woodard attends the Wichita North High School dedication ceremony renaming the court in her honor.

Shawnee Mission North High School building principal David Ewers agrees. “We’re excited about it, and so excited to be able to rally around our mascot now, and have one that we can all support, that we can all be proud of, and that is not offensive,” he says. Even graduating seniors are embracing the new Bison mascot during their last year at Shawnee Mission North. “He’s kinda fun! We get really loud actually, and I think at points it’s like we can just chant random chants, instead of trying to focus on our [past] mascot,” says Krystal Montoya. She adds that the new mascot is freeing.

“Bison—I don’t know what sound they make; I’ve tried YouTubing them making the sound. The student section cannot make that! So, we just chant ‘North!’—‘Brick House!’—we chant our home here!”

While communities are already embracing their new mascots, some changes are going to take time. “We are in the process of transitioning … as you can probably see in our building. We’ve been able to make some changes right away that we can. We didn’t adopt this new logo until late September, so some of our uniforms and some of the items in our gym still have some of the components of our previous mascot because we are just in a transition era of rebranding,” says Ewers.

“Change is hard, but when change is done for the right reason, and in our case, it’s the students we serve; when we say our mission of Atchison Public Schools … [is] to identify and remove all barriers to promote equal opportunities for success by all students, … for us, all means all, and removing a barrier in this case happened to be a mascot,” says Nugent. According to her, the questions schools need to ask themselves are, “Is what we’re doing good for kids, and in the end is it going to be good for the community?

And if it is, then it’s worth every ounce of effort.”

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spaces

‘We Are Still Here’ A more appropriate and accurate understanding of Native peoples and nations begins with education

Story by Alex Red Corn (𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟/Osage) Illustration by Lana Grove (Oceti Ŝakowiŋ/Oglala Lakota)

A

few years ago, I was discussing my Osage (𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟) citizenship and family history with someone I had recently met in the Johnson County area. When she found out I was Osage, she furrowed her brow and said, “Oh, I thought the Osage were extinct?” No. We are not. We are still here. This interaction resurfaced an important question for me as a Native educator, “What are people learning about Indigenous peoples of Kansas?”

We have a systemic issue in Kansas curricular infrastructures and teaching norms. We need to understand the problem. Research about the representation of Indigenous peoples in curricula across the nation tells us that a key issue with our state standards is that 87% of all standards about Native peoples are set in a pre-1900 context. Our Kansas social studies standards fall into this same trap. Many people in Kansas today do not realize that the Kaánze (Kaw/

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Kanza) people, for which the state is named, are still a nation and community headquartered in Oklahoma where they were forcibly removed in 1871. The removal of Native nations—both physically during Kansas statehood and again in Kansas curricula—has removed important Indigenous contexts from classrooms, and these erasures are problematic for student learning. Most students leave Kansas schools entirely unaware that there are four separate nations in their state who have federally

recognized authority to self-govern: the mshkoteni bodwewadmi (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), the Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas), the Ne ma ha ha ki (Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska), and the Baxoje (Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska). In a 2021 study published in Theory & Research in Social Education, Kansas is named among 14 states that do not include any standards about Indigenous nationhood in their government and civics curricula.

Moving Forward There are a number of states modeling how to improve learning about, for, and with Indigenous peoples, such as Washington, Montana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota, among others. These states have passed new laws or developed policies that overhaul their state curricula, mandate learning about Indigenous peoples in educator training programs, engage in education partnership-building 2022 ISSUE 2 | KANSAS! MAGAZINE

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spaces with Native nations, and more. Long term, Kansas can follow their lead, but educators do not need to wait for massive change at the state level to improve their teaching and learning about Indigenous peoples. Here are some initial practical strategies that most Kansas educators can address easily.

Connect to the Present When teaching about Indigenous peoples, educators can connect lessons to how Native peoples and nations still exist in the present. Organizations such as IllumiNative offer resources for teachers to help make these connections, but they can also find the current website of relevant nations, click on their “Government,” “History,” or “Culture” tabs and connect lessons to the content provided, some of which includes lesson plans. This practice of recognition also means that, as educators, we need to be conscious of our language, especially how we often refer to Native peoples in the past tense. Our goal is to fight erasure and provide Native and non-Native students with relevant, current information about contemporary Indigenous nations and peoples. We can do better.

Start Local There are over 570 federally recognized tribes, and no educator can become an expert on all of them because each American Indian nation represents a unique government, history, language, etc. Kansas teachers and administrators can begin to educate themselves on local Indigenous peoples by focusing on three layers: the original Indigenous peoples of Kansas, those who moved through during Indian removal, and those still here. Specifically, this would mean visiting the websites of the Kaánze (Kaw/Kansa), 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟 (Osage), and Pâri (Pawnee) nations who were in the Eastern part of the state, and the Tsistsistas and Hinono’ei (Cheyenne and Arapaho), Gáuigú (Kiowa), and N m n (Comanche) from the West, among others. Then, there were more than 15 nations that were moved through Kansas during Indian removal in the early to mid-1800s from the eastern United States, including the Saawanooki (Shawnee), Waⁿdát (Wyandotte), Myaamia (Miami), Lenape (Delaware), Adawe (Ottawa), and Peewaalia (Peoria), among others.

After these forced removals in latter half of the 1800s, mostly to what is now Oklahoma, four Native

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nations remain in Kansas (mshkoteni bodwewadmi, Kiikaapoi, Ne ma ha ha ki, and Baxoje), and many diasporic citizens of previously mentioned nations still reside in Kansas. In other words, while many Native nations with history in Kansas are now headquartered in Oklahoma, there are many citizens of those nations—and even some remaining land allotments— that still reside in this state. While all Indigenous nations deserve visibility as part of the statewide curriculum, teachers and teacher training can focus on Native nations most relevant to the particular land base of their school. For example, in Manhattan, USD 383 is on land ceded through the Kaw Treaty of 1825.

Recognize Governments A third strategy is to affirm the sovereignty of Native nations by including them in any lessons about local, state, and national governments. Once again, details can be found on the websites of Native nations, and many educators might be surprised to know that many of these nations share similar government structures as our local, state and federal governments, such as a council systems or three-branch constitutional systems with legislative, executive and judicial functions.

Move Beyond Plymouth Rock and Thanksgiving A fourth educational strategy is to expand when and what we teach about Indigenous peoples and nations.

While teaching a more accurate version of events such as Thanksgiving should be a priority, we also need to create lessons beyond and outside Plymouth Rock, Thanksgiving and Native American Heritage Month.

Relatedly, we can also think beyond cultural exhibitions, museum exhibit lessons, and what I refer to as “drum and feather” contexts in which Indigenous people are seen only in the past or, if in the present, dancing in regalia in the school gym. This is not to critique such integrations of cultural awareness, which are still a positive, but we need to build on these efforts and think more broadly about educational content focused on Indigenous peoples. To challenge the status quo, we need to introduce students to substantive topics related to the complex lived experiences and current issues facing Native peoples. This can be done by exploring the story of Iⁿ ‘zhúje ‘waxóbe, the big red sacred prayer rock in Lawrence that is being returned to the Kaw Nation,

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spaces or by looking at how McGirt v. Oklahoma is unfolding in the wake of such a landmark Supreme Court decision.

Educators should also consider teaching about missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW), creating lessons that creatively unpack short video clips found in Rutherford Falls or Reservation Dogs, or reading children’s books written by native authors from Kansas who represent various tribal backgrounds like Jimmy Beason (𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟/Osage) or Sharice Davids (Hoc k/Ho-Chunk Nation). All of these strategies move us past outdated and narrow learning contexts.

Examine Sources While there is much to suggest, the final strategy I offer is to be mindful of your sources. Look at the dates of secondary material and ask critical questions about who is representing Native people in books, media, guest appearances, etc. Debbie Reese’s American Indians in Children’s Literature blog is an excellent resource to help choose appropriate American Indian– themed books for children and young adults. There is

a long history of non-Native people misappropriating, misrepresenting, and profiting from Indigenous peoples’ customs, stories, and traditions. Thus, as we move toward better inclusion, we need to carefully reflect on what Native-themed content is being brought into student learning environments and who created it. For example, prioritizing books by Native authors such as Beason and Davids helps address this issue. In other words, teachers must become critical consumers of media while reflecting on many of the points I have outlined, and do more than just grab a Native-themed book off the shelf and read it to the class.

Overall, we can do better, and these are logical starting points for educators to explore as we work to improve learning about, for, and with Native peoples and nations.

—Alex Red Corn, EdD, is the executive director for the Kansas Association of Native American Education, an assistant professor of educational leadership, and coordinator for Indigenous partnerships in the College of Education at Kansas State University.

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Ric Dunwoody and Mona Cliff talk contemporary Native art and the futures they envision

“W

hen it comes to Native artwork, to me, I’m Native, so anything I do is Native artwork, whatever it is,” says Ric Dunwoody (Pâri/ Pawnee, Jiwere/Otoe, and Waⁿdát/Wyandotte), a visual artist from Wichita. Native artists like Dunwoody continue to redefine the boundaries—if any—on what it means to be a Native artist and what they create.

For Lawrence artist Mona Cliff (Aaniiih/Gros Ventre Tribe of Montana), that journey is tied to the ingenuity of ancestors who have continually adapted to new mediums and made them their own. Beadwork and ribbonwork are great examples. “The women in our communities, and in all different tribes along the Plains and just everywhere, they really took those materials and ran with them and took

Story by Jared Nally (Myaamia/Miami Tribe of Oklahoma) Photography by Aaron Patton and Jason Dailey Opposite Untitled painting by Ric Dunwoody Above Artist Ric Dunwoody

Left to Right A beaded gas mask from Mona Cliff’s Past/Presence/Future series; HaHou, beaded work with wood, commissioned work by Mona Cliff

them to new places that they weren’t even intended for,” Cliff says. That same drive exists within her. “How far can I push this whole bead thing? That’s the work that I’m doing now. I’m working on a 7-foot piece, using seed beads, and how far can I push this material?” says Cliff.

Dunwoody also finds inspiration from the past and includes visual references in his work. “That’s just another nod to past heritage … especially with it being expression and artwork, it’s just kind of like a slight homage to how we were using artwork to tell stories … to share with other people,” he says. “What I appreciate about making artwork is that it gives me an opportunity to make people step outside themselves and look at other cultures,” he says. “I do play on that quite a bit in my artwork.”

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For Cliff, the dialogue with Native heritage is represented through projects such as her Past/ Presence/Future series. “I started visualizing that future and where we’re kind of heading now when it comes to just the steps we’re taking as humanity and how we’re relating to the earth that we live on and what is going to be the consequences of that,” she says. One of the pieces, a beaded gas mask, serves as a symbol for passing cultural knowledge on to the next generation. “How do we still retain teachings? We’ve already gone through that transformation as a Native people. We’ve already been through it. We are kind of living right now in a dystopian future from our ancestors’ perspective and this huge shift in who we are as a people. We’ve managed

Left to Right Cliff continues to create beadwork and other art from her home studio.

to hang on to a lot of teachings and reshuffle [them], like reimagine, by taking the things that they used for trade and then reapplying that and making something even more beautiful…”

One challenge contemporary Native artists face is the public perception of Native Americans only as historic peoples. “Gatekeeping Indian identity is really important [to talk about], and it’s a conversation I actually have a lot with people who are Native,” Dunwoody says.

Contemporary Native art moves beyond what Dunwoody calls “charcoal drawings of Sitting Bull,” and focuses on what it means to be Native today. That often means exploring multiple contexts surrounding Native identity.

For Dunwoody, that exploration is an opportunity to

share his culture as an “urban Indian.” From 1953 through 1969, dubbed the Termination Era, the US terminated the status over a hundred tribes and used relocation programs to move Native peoples from reservations to cities. The goal was the assimilation of Native Americans and the abolishment of tribal reservations and federal obligations. It has been through the resilience of individuals to retain their culture and the formation of Indian Centers in cities that communities have held together and developed urban Native cultures and identities. Today, nearly two thirds of Native Americans, including Cliff and Dunwoody, live in cities.

The complexity of Indian identity means that there is no one way to be Native and there is no one way to

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be a Native artist. These artists bring visibility to that diversity. Despite Lawrence being home to Haskell Indian Nations University, Cliff says, “There isn’t a lot of representation in our city that represents Native people, and especially when it comes to art.”

Cliff ’s recent public mural projects in Lawrence address this need. “I felt that with that public art project I wanted to uplift Native people and culture and make art that reflected the vibrancy of our culture and make art for us first,” she says. “That was my goal. I wanted to make art where we saw ourselves in the city, and if that spoke to non-Native people and they wanted to make inquiries about what this art means—or just kind of connect to Native people—that was the goal of my project.”

Ultimately, how people view art is up to them. “Even if someone has seen [my work] and it made them uncomfortable, I like that. If it made them feel a way—in any way, even if it’s a bad way—then you’re still looking at it, and it’s making you think,” Dunwoody says. “I’m real big on leaving it up to interpretation because I’d like each person to look at the art and whatever they take from it, I love that.”

Cliff is currently working as a diversity, equity, and inclusion field representative for Indigenous communities for the Kansas Creative Arts Industry Commission. “Part of my role in that capacity is to try to bring non-Native entities and organizations and connecting them to Native organizations,” she says.

According to Cliff, many of the businesses might have one Native organization they go to, but that can eclipse working with a variety of new or diverse Native organizations. The grassroots organizations and small artists also need support because they are the people doing the work in their communities.

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Artist to Artist We asked artist Mona Cliff to name three other contemporary Native artists who inform and inspire her own creations.

She shared her admiration and thoughts about the work of three artists with the 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟/Osage nation, the people whose territory covers what is now much of eastern Kansas.

Anita Fields 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟/Osage textile and visual artist anitafieldsart.com “What I admire about Anita Fields is how she incorporates Osage culture and mythologies into her work.”

Yatika Starr Fields 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟/Osage visual artist yakitafields.com “What I enjoy about his art is the energy and dynamic application of paint. His work through the Tulsa art fellowship is inspiring.”

Norman Akers 𐓷𐓘𐓻𐓘𐓻𐓟/Osage visual artist normanakers.com “His work is inspiring and thoughtful. I am intrigued by the symbolism he uses in his paintings.”

Cliff believes part of the hesitancy for people to engage with contemporary Native art is that people may not understand the history behind the work.

Tribal websites, local centers, and organizations provide information, opening possibilities for nonNatives to access the context behind Native art. “I really think a lot of non-Native people should take on the responsibility of educating themselves instead of expecting Native people to do the work for them because we already have a lot we are hanging onto. We’ve already got a lot of responsibility on our shoulders and continuing our future and continuing to uplift our own people. We really need support by non-Natives doing the work for themselves and educating their communities,” Cliff says.

“You just have to look for the [artists],” Dunwoody says, “because [they’re] there, and there is a lot of cool and new things happening that just might not have that public venue to be shown. That is where I want for it to go. That anybody creating in this Native atmosphere would get better opportunities to showcase and grow without having to get a big deal from corporations.” Visibility is important. “I’ve had people reach out to me and tell me I was a positive influence on their kids—just seeing me as a Native doing stuff in that Native art world. Those shows a lot of times aren’t huge shows. It’s kind of just a small community situation, so if those kinds of shows were to get a lot more publicity, it could turn into a really big thing. Instead it’s kind of just us doing our own thing in our own lane and our own people showing up. It should be the city that comes and celebrates. That’s where I think it should lead to—a broader audience.”

Above An Uneasy Welcome, by Norman Akers

Clockwise from top left Mona Cliff in her studio; Cliff; untitled painting

by Ric Dunwoody; Ric Dunwoody holding his painting Someone’s Uncle

Story and photographs by Ryan Coody (ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ/Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma)

A Herd, Once More The Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas works to care for and grow its herd of bison as a practical and symbolic bridge between its past and future

We’re in a four-seat utility vehicle, bouncing over the packed soil and tufts of grass on the land of the Kiikaapoi, recognized in Kansas as the sovereign territory of the Kansas Kickapoo Tribe in the northeast section of the state near Horton.

In particular, we are riding across the home fields of the 12 bison in the Kickapoo herd, who start moving toward us when they recognize the vehicle and the familiar movements of Jason Whitewater, the tribe’s farm and ranch manager, as he scatters food pellets across the ground.

Whitewater has been working with these bison since their arrival in May 2020. At that time, there were five pregnant heifers and one bull.

“In our language, there is no word ‘buffalo’ or ‘bison,’” explains Lester Randall, chairman of the Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas. “We have always known them as ‘Miisiikwaaha,’ and they have always been symbolic to our tribe. We have always believed they have a spiritual and healing power. We have used them for not just food, but for clothes and so many other things. These animals

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were almost extinct at one time, and a lot of Native tribes believe that we are close to them because we have been through a similar experience.”

The bison came to the tribe from a ranch in the Flint Hills. Randall says the tribe chose this particular group of bison for their calm temperament and ability to adapt to a new land and to proximity to people.

“Before they arrived, our tribe had a cow herd,” Randall says, “but bison are entirely different. We wanted to start small and with this group so that we could learn as we grew the herd.”

One of the key differences between bison and cattle, Randall notes, is how quickly the herd can move and how connected they seem to the land.

“I can’t believe how agile they are,” Randall says. “They can just run and run and then stop and turn on a dime.

Opposite Farm and ranch manager Jason Whitewater (left) and tribal chairman Lester Randall stand among the Kickapoo bison herd.

And when there is a thunderstorm, they gather in a herd until the thunder hits, and then it is like someone threw a firecracker into them as they all split off into different directions, prancing around like deer. They love the rain.”

Other tribes in Kansas, such as the Prairie Band Potawatomi (mshkoteni bodwewadmi) and the Sac and Fox of Missouri and Kansas (Ne ma ha ha ki), maintain herds of bison through the Intertribal Buffalo Council, a group of 69 tribes that collectively manages and cares for more than 20,000 bison as part of a mission to restore the animals to Indian land.

The Kickapoo don’t formally belong to this organization, but they often consult with the program

and other experts from tribes within it. The Kickapoo share the council’s goal of reestablishing buffalo herds on Indian lands in a manner that promotes cultural enhancement, spiritual revitalization, ecological restoration, and economic development.

Part of caring for the bison involves providing them the appropriate land. The Kickapoo keep their herd on an area that is rich in native grasses and free from pesticide.

They also recently completed building a second pond for the herd that opens up an additional 50 acres for the bison to roam.

Eventually, the plan is to have a herd of 25 to 35 bison.

For now, the smaller herd is thriving, with five calves born

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over the past two years. As they assemble around the feeding area, one of the bison places herself between us and her herd, as if to stand guard.

Whitewater and Randall identify her as Bison #34, named for her tag number. She isn’t the largest bison in the group, but she is unquestionably the leader and protector.

“If a coyote or even a turkey shows up on their field, she will race over and chase them away from the herd,” Randall says. “She is the boss. Where she goes, the herd follows.”

Whitewater says he makes sure to keep an eye on Bison #34 and does what is needed to keep her content so that the rest of the herd follows suit.

Working with this herd daily allows Whitewater and Randall to notice different personalities and traits of individual bison. But the bison are most significant in what they collectively represent, a return of the Miisiikwaaha. Randall says the presence of the herd has brought some hope and peace to the tribe during the pandemic, with some members coming to visit the bison or to take advantage of other benefits such as using their hair for crafting or collecting manure for fertilizer.

“I see people just stopping all the time to look at the bison. Visitors will stop as they drive by, and tribal members will often get out and talk to the bison. The sense of hope they have brought to us is amazing.”

Dominique Brown | Diné (Navajo Nation)

A photo celebration of recent Haskell Indian Nations University graduates and their thoughts on Kansas and community with other Native students Story by Jared Nally (Myaamia/Miami) | Photography by Nick Krug

H

askell Indian Nations University in Lawrence is recognized as one of the nation’s leading centers for Native-led education.

Its existence as a flagship university in the tribal college/university system is a testament to its ability to survive past practices aimed at eliminating Native cultures. Founded in 1884, the school was one of many off-reservation boarding schools that removed children from their homes and tribal communities and forced a foreign religion and culture on them. The trauma inflicted by boarding schools has had generational impacts on survivors, both mentally and physically. Recent efforts to locate children’s remains on federal boarding school sites confirm something Native families have known all along: family members were lost at these schools in great numbers.

In the past decades, beginning with student-led cultural revivals in the late 1960s—and particularly since Haskell’s full accreditation as a four-year degree-granting university in 1993—the institution has focused on Native scholarship to serve Native communities. Haskell is the nation’s only four-year college specifically for students from federally recognized tribes and boasts a student diversity of over 140 tribal nations and Alaska Native villages.

Dan Wildcat (yUdjEha/Yuchi member of the Muscogee Nation of Oklahoma), a professor at Haskell for almost thirty years who has also served as the university’s interim president, has characterized Haskell as the “United Nations of Indigenous Education in North America.”

“There is no educational institution like it in the world,” Wildcat says. “For nine months every year, Haskell constitutes the most diverse Indigenous higher education learning community in the USA, a place where inevitably every student experiences the diversity and richness of the

First Peoples of this land and in the process acquires or strengthens pride in their own Indigenous heritage.”

For the past years, more than 750 students from Kansas and across the nation arrive to study at Haskell, with approximately 70 students receiving bachelors’ degrees and over 100 students receiving associates’ degrees each year.

During the past pandemic year, enrollment and oncampus classes have decreased, but studies and immersion in an inter-tribal environment continue. In these next pages, we honor some of the university’s December 2021 graduates and share some of their thoughts on being in Kansas with Native peers from across the United States.

Skyla Bunch | ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ (Cherokee Nation)

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“I grew up on the Navajo Nation for most of my life before coming to Haskell. I have known about my tribal identity all my life, but I was told to hide it so that people wouldn’t judge me or be discriminatory. Coming to Haskell made me realize that this is a part of me. It’s who I am. Attending Haskell made it possible for me to be more appreciative of who I am. It also makes me more proud of my Indigenous side … I’m no longer scared to show or share it with others.”

–Delilah Begay | Diné (Navajo Nation)

Broderick Roberts | Sisitunwan Wahpetunwan (Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation)

Jacierra Liston | Semvnole Etvlwv (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma)

Justice Nez | Ne ma ha ha ki (Sac and Fox Nation) and Diné (Navajo Nation)

Teshawna Martinez | Diné (Navajo Nation)

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“Different tribal nations coming together shows our resilience.

From survivors of genocide to victims of generational trauma, we persevere.

Boarding schools were institutions that were meant to strip us of our cultural identity, but in suffering we found friendship, often with members of other tribes and that foundation of friendship enabled us to grow stronger together, which ultimately helps us all remember our ancestry and enables us to rebuild our heritage.”

–Jerome Staab | Oceti akowi (Santee Sioux Nation)

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“I first came to Haskell in 1975 and received my associate’s degree.

At that particular time, meeting students from other tribal nations was quite shocking, especially students from reservations.

Being Cherokee from Oklahoma, we saw poverty and heard about how other nations had to live but did not experience it firsthand.

I was shocked at some of the stories my friends would share. This taught me to appreciate my tribal heritage. I had the opportunities to be on different reservations and saw how the conditions are. Coming back to the university in 2020, I have lived in Lawrence, Kansas, participated among the Native community for over thirty years and I feel I have a wonderful understanding of my tribal identity.

I am teaching my grandchildren as well.”

–Jeanetta Buzzard | ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏰᎵ (Cherokee Nation)

FROM THE

Poet Laureate

Huascar Medina

Art students of Haskell Indian Nations University joined with Leslie Evans and earthworks artist Stan Herd in 1992 to create this site in the wetlands of the Wakarusa River, on the Haskell campus.

Directional stones help visitors to remember the four seasons and their spiritual qualities.

Offerings show the continuing life of Native traditions.

by Denise Low

The hearth in the middle smolders. Cedar limbs spark lava-red.

To the East stands a limestone marker tilted to equinox sunrise.

Offerings cover the grainy surface—red-cloth tobacco ties, brass keys, eagle fluff, a silver dollar.

To the West another stela marks end of day.

A stone to the North is covered with quartz crystals, quills, a bear claw, pine.

On the Southern marker are robin feathers, buffalo nickels, corn, an obsidian arrowhead.

Smoke drifts east, where stretches a thunderbird outline in grass.

Bluestem ripples in its earthbound wings.

From a jack oak whistles a brilliant Redbird. ( from Shadow Light, Red Mountain Press)

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Denise Low, the second poet laureate of Kansas, won a Red Mountain Press Award for Shadow Light. She and Ramon Powers coauthored Northern Cheyenne Ledger Art by Fort Robinson Breakout Survivors (University of Nebraska Press), which was named a 2021 Kansas Notable Book. She taught at Haskell Indian Nations for more than 25 years and founded the creative writing program.

Artwork by Astrid Mier y Teran See more work by this Kansas-based artist at kunturwarmi.com. This painting was originally commissioned as part of the Parks and Green Spaces project; see similar creations celebrating Kansas parks and green spaces at parksandgreenspaces.com.

ILLUSTRATION Astrid Mier y Teran

Haskell Medicine Wheel

About Denise Low

Prairie Bachelor The Story of a Kansas Homesteader and the Populist Movement Lynda Beck Fenwick Named a Kansas Notable Book by the Kansas Center for the Book “Prairie Bachelor is a welcome contribution to the chronicles of challenges faced by Kansas homesteaders at the end of the nineteenth century and the resulting emergence of Populist politics as a serious challenge to the two-party system. Fenwick vividly transports the reader to the plains of central Kansas and describes the foundation of a pioneer spirit defined by industriousness and care for neighbor and community that exists to the present day.”—US senator Jerry Moran, Kansas “Fenwick has done a noble thing: rescued a person—and his time—from oblivion. Prairie Bachelor gives us a peek into the rich and complicated life of a thoughtful man who gave back to his community, and the book is filled with fascinating details of the day-to-day experience of late nineteenth-century Kansas.

Unassuming Isaac Werner is both a striking individual and a symbol of all the people whose daily labor and political engagement made the Great Plains we know today.”—Andrew Jewell, coeditor of The Selected Letters of Willa Cather

286 pages, 36 photos, 3 maps Cloth $55.00, Paper $26.95 Ebook edition available from your favorite ebook retailer.

“Historians will find much to admire in how this biography treats Populist politics (both on the state and national levels), agrarian history and Werner’s efforts to professionalize farming, and the struggles of women’s suffrage in the Sunflower State. But all readers will find the elements of an engaging story, a narrative surprisingly full of suspense (including betrayal, robbery, and murder), a whisper of thwarted love against a backdrop of loneliness, and the moving portrayal of a man of character.”—Evelyn I. Funda, professor and associate dean of graduate studies, director of the Mountain West Center, Utah State University

University Press of Kansas Phone 785-864-4155 • www.kansaspress.ku.edu