we sing our songs

In Progress proudly present

We Sing Our Songsa collection of photographic works by emerging artists from Indigenous

communities throughout Minnesota

The works speak to the rich diversity that exists within every culture.

It calls for everyone to watch and appreciatethe traditions, values, aspirations and fears

of the young artists that produced the contents of this book.

These works were all created through the use of digital cameras and computers and were then printed, framed and presented publicly by the following artists

Phyllis Nicole Isham ~~ William Robinson Stately ~~ Nicole Staples

We thank all of the artists that have lent their work to the production of this exhibit

Imagine something so beautiful, so enchanting yet so obvious, that you take it for granted,

and you never miss it until it's gone. These precious things are our reservations. In my

photo-work I see the inner-beauty, and capture it. Sure it may be beautiful for just a brief

moment, yet within that moment, you see colors so vivid, so clear, it's like your eyes have

just been opened…and it makes tears, its that beautiful. You feel the sunlight hit your face,

the children laughing, the elders talking, even feel the wind playing with your hair. You

might say "wow I've never noticed that in my neighborhood" yet it is there, every waking day and every starry night. That is what I do. I see the inner beauty of the reservations, cap-

ture it and show my people what we take for granted. I have seen the world like this all my

life, and over the past few years I have learned to capture it through the art of photography.

Thanks to my friends and mentors, I now see the many possibilities within my work. I am

able to show the hidden treasures that all reservations possess, be it landscapes, children,

elders, dogs, or even cars.

Tarah Jean Jackson

Ogichidaakweg Founding Mother

OUR TRADITIONS

OGICHIDAAG

Royal Rock is

a young warrior

a father

a brother

a son

a marine

Cheyenne WhitefeatherCass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

THE MOON SHINES BRIGHT

The moon shines bright in the night

I shine too. . . .

When I dance in the light of the sun

my jingles create a storm of beautiful sounds

I dance for the sun and the moon

and the sun and moon shine back with their thanks!

Shania ReddayS Lake Village / Leech Lake Nation

JUNIOR PRINCESS

This is a picture of Amanda Crane. She resides in the little town of Ball Club, Minnesota! This

young girl is Leech Lake’s Junior Princess. I have had the privilege of getting to know her from all

the Pow-wow’s that we traveled to. If you have ever gone to the surrounding community Pow-

wows, you might have seen her. I hope someday, you have the privilege of knowing her!

Yodi Georgianna Morris CloudCass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

KEEPERS OF OUR FUTURE

Please remember our young ones.

Take a few minutes out of your day to teach us our culture.

Mii-Gwetch.

Dedicated to the keepers of our future

Yodi Georgianna Morris CloudCass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

NATIVE PRIDE

It’s important to be proud of who and what you are and that’s exactly what I am, proud! It

makes me feel good to see the elders dance even more so when I watch my brothers sing. I

like to see young children learning how to dance and sing. In that way, our language and

culture should never disappear. Remember, always be proud of who you are and never let

anybody tell you differently!

Karen JourdainCass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

BLUE BUTTERFLY

I really like dancing because it's who I am as a person. It feels good to me. When I am

dancing, it feels like I am a beautiful Native American and that my dancing is also very

beautiful. When people see this I want them to see me as a blue butterfly.

Jenna Lee PorterNett Lake Village / Bois Forte Nation

HONORING OUR FAMILY TRADITIONS

I often think of the many generations that have honored my family.

So much has been passed on over the years and now it is all coming to me.

I will honor the dresses and the great lives they were attached to.

I will remember the paddles that took me to the island of my ancestors.

When I dance I will feel the grace of my ancestors.

I will never forget the past.

Marissa MasonNett Lake Village / Bois Forte Nation

MAHNOMEN

Ricing is one of our favorite traditions here in Nett Lake Village. It is one of many ways

that connect us to the history of our people.

My ancestors riced.

My grandparents still rice.

My sisters and brothers are learning to rice.

I will teach the next generation to rice.

This is how we hold on to the traditions that make us Anishinabe.

Jeanette LongNett Lake Village / Bois Forte Nation

IMPARTIAL THOUGHTS

so sad that you don’t judge me by my loveI’m not as Indian as I look nor am I white, nor black

I’m simply me, no moreDon’t be discouraged when you find I’m not as Indian as I lookThere are people just like I, not knowing there are prejudices

Caring not of the world aroundI’m not as dumb as I look

Tarah Jean JacksonInger - Leech Lake Nation

JINGLE DRESS

The jingle dress dancers in the picture are Yodi Morris and me. My mother made my

dress in 4 days, while Yodi had hers made by a lady from Nay-Tah-Waush, Minnesota. I recently learned how to make my own dresses just by watching my mother. One of

these days I hope to make one of my nieces a dress, although I made one dress already.

Jingle dress dancing makes me feel proud of who I am and where I come from, and

hopefully everyone else does, too.

Karen JourdainCass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

That was a beautiful day when the scales fell from my eyes and I first encountered pho-

tographic sovereignty. A beautiful day when I decided that I would take responsibility to

reinterpret images of Native peoples. My mind was ready, primed with stories of resis-

tance and resilience, stories of survival. My views of these images are aboriginally based,

an indigenous perspective, not a scientific Godly order, but philosophically Native.

Hulleah TsinhnahjinnieOgichidaakweg Mentor

RE-WRITING OUR HISTORIES

BY THE LAKE

As I stand by the lakeI can see into the mountains

I see a light shining so brightit reflects upon me

I can feel myself getting stronger and stronger

It’s my ancestors telling me to be strong because life gets harder as life goes on

Nicole AuginashMinneapolis/Red Lake Nation

DRINK FROM THE WATERDavid Sam

Minneapolis / Bois Forte Nation

WAITINGAngela Sage

Minneapolis / Leech Lake Nation

RICINGAshley Sage


LAKOTA HOMEThorne LaPointe

Minneapolis / Rosebud Nation

THEY SAYKristina Graham


CHIEF JOSEPHKameko Graves


BY THE LAKE

They are waiting for their people. They are waiting for their families.

They are the chiefs of the Native people. They are waiting the sun to rise and the moon to go down.

They are telling this man about their reservation on their horses.

Zenaida SotoMinneapolis/Leech Lake Nation

WHAT IS A TERRORIST?

Terrorism has been around forever. Native Americans first encountered terrorism with the meeting of Columbus. But who is the terrorist? It will almost always be seen differ-ently by those whose ancestors have had to live in terror. For Native people, terrorism is not an act of an individual but instead an act of many – of government, military, conflicts between those with different color of skins and different ways of thinking and believing. Never forget the past because it is our future.

Martin MendozaMinneapolis/Red Lake Nation

A revolution in thought, where young Native Americans can become more than just what others expect them to be, where they can reach goals because of a support system that encourages them to attain more than just their own dreams, but to help the ones behind them as well. A thought, which includes those who are not afraid of mingling with the young Aborigines within the community. It has been a discussion amongst we Ogichidaakweg that we will become more inde-pendent, and more responsible for the younger ones in the program.

Although we have very busy and very irregular lives, ones which involve poverty as well as what society calls “dysfunctional families”, we have endured all, sur-viving on one thought alone, we can do anything we want. This main thought was created within the first year of the Ogichidaakweg Program. Here we were allowed to use our minds, nothing was right, nothing was wrong. Yet some cre-ated photos that were pleasant to look at, while others said what they thought our instructors wanted to hear. Some stood out by speaking out right away. This has been Sisters In Leadership, this has been Ogichidaakweg.

Tarah Jean JacksonOgichidaakweg Founding Mother

OUR BROTHERS & SISTERS

THE WORLD IS HERS

Maylyna is having fun with her balloon

on her second birthday because she likes birthdays!

It looks like she owns the world!

Ashley AndersonS Lake Village / Leech Lake Nation

ME & MY REZ DOGS

This is me and the family of animals that I am constantly around. I really have fun just

playing with them. I know that they like to be around me too. That’s why they never

get bored following me around.

Danielle WhiteKego Lake Village / Leech Lake Nation

GROWING WINGS

Everyone has experienced something in their lifetime that they have grown to regret. I

have tried my best to make the wrong things I have done in life right. However, some-

times there is no repairing a bad decision. With every bad choice you lose something

important, like trust. I lost my mom’s trust as the result of one really bad choice I made.

It took more than two years for me to get just a little of that trust back. But now that I

have it, I feel as if I can fly again like the butterfly I am.

Cheyenne WhitefeatherCass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

HANGIN’ OUT

I like hangin’ out in the woods. My first photograph shows me sitting on a tree that had

fallen down. It looked like something was behind me. My background is light red and

on the ground it is dark purple.

I like the photograph where I was upside down. My background was done in dark red.

The woods are scary sometimes but they can also but fun.

Derek MorrisonNett Lake Village / Bois Forte Nation

LIKE A KID AGAIN

When I swing

I feel like a kid again.

If I can swing high enough

someday I might fly

right back to my childhood.


GLAMOUR

A young girl

living the life

in the

enchanted forest

Jessica WhiteKego Lake Village / Leech Lake Nation

WHEN I LOOK AT THIS FEATHER

I am in my own world

safe from harm

I glow like this feather

we beat as one

it is a part of me

now and forever

Nicole AuginashColumbia Heights / Red Lake Nation

BLUE & GREEN

Maylyna is sweet and happy almost all of the time,

but sometimes she can get mad.

That’s when her world gets dark and blue and green!

Ashley AndersonS Lake Village / Leech Lake Nation

As you were growing up your mother always told you if you didn't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. With today's political issues it's hard to keep that saying in mind. My goal is to teach people to have a strong voice. In this day and age, we've come along way from where we started at, When I think about the way things were for my elders, one word comes to mind; HARDSHIPS. Our elders sacrificed and were put through a lot to pave the road for us today. For that I'm very thankful. . . . . I know it takes more than one person to change the world, but if enough people begin to speak to what they believe – to what they know, we as a whole, can all make the world a bet-ter place. I now know my mission in life, I want to teach people how to voice their opin-ions, how to speak up for themselves. We can all do something to make this world a bet-ter place for our children and our children's children.

Sommer MitchellOgichidaakweg Founding Mother

OUR RESILIENCE

IS THIS WHAT WE WANT THEM TO BE?

When we are young, we look up to older people to teach us things. And the people that

we look up to the most are our parents. But many kids have to watch their parents drink,

and more than likely fight. As the kids grow up they learn that drinking is a way of life

and is an exciting way to live. But its not! We need to realize that kids are smart. They

watch and listen to things as well as people. So sometimes WE have to watch what we

say and do. Kids don’t need alcohol in their life, they need a role model!

Tia MichaudCass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

INVISIBLE

I know a lot of people have felt invisible or unnoticed before. It is a horrible, painful,

and depressing experience. You fill yourself up with anger, trying to get others to notice

and appreciate who really are, only to realize that you will always be invisible to them.

Airlea DefoeNett Lake Village / Bois Forte Nation

PREJUDICE

There is prejudice everywhere. Even though you may think you are not prejudice, you

can be in several ways. Many people are prejudice. They stare at you, point and even

call you mean names. These actions make you want to fight back. It makes you angry.

People who are prejudice can cause a neighbor to move away, to leave. To be prejudice

is to be mean and those that are prejudice should learn how not to be.

Some people think they can act like they’re prejudice, laughing around, making bad

jokes and that it’s okay because after all "they’re only joking." But it’s not funny! These

people need to learn that prejudice is no joke. Prejudice ruins lives. It hurts us all. It’s

time for prejudice to stop!

Regina WalkerBoy RIver / Leech Lake Nation

I AM STRONGER . . . .

I have been through much in my life. I have been through many good things and just as

many bad things. There are times when I am incredibly happy and times when I am in-

credibly sad. And yet, the worst and best of times I know are not behind me. They are

yet to come.

With what I have been through I have become strong enough to handle what will come

next. I’ve taken some bad paths in my life but now I’m on the right path.

During those bad times, I found the few things that could make me bigger, faster, smarter

and stronger. I discovered with these skills that I could pull myself up and start over. For

me, my light in the darkness was basketball and how I could apply this to other aspects

of my life. Now I’m able to tell the difference between right and wrong and I am on the

right path in my life. I am stronger . . . .

Aaron VillebrunNett Lake Village / Bois Forte Nation

PLAIN HUMAN

There are times I feel I am going to cry. The tears of anger are always there.

There is no one to talk to. Maybe this is the only way I can get by.

My anger to me seems unfair. Maybe one day I’ll get a clue.

I’ve got to learn to control this rage within me. It is what I’ve got to accomplish.

I’ve got more things that need my attention and I feel I’m going to flee.All I know is this is like trying to hold a slippery fish and now I’m feeling allot of tension.

Why are the feelings always so confusing?

Why do I feel them all the time?

Is it because I’m weird?

Or just plain human?

Freda LittlewolfCass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

TO TELL

With these pictures…the ones soon to come, I will be telling of my past, the past no one

knows about…no one but the people who have done the harm, and myself. Having To

deal with things by myself, for fear of people thinking ill of my family, which people

think highly of, is a big scare to me. I know not what or how much to tell or even what

or even if I should. But I know that because of what happened in my past, it has trauma-tized me so much, I have lost my memories of my childhood.

Tarah Jean JacksonInger / Leech Lake Nation

LIFE

Please take my hand and guide me through the dense foliage of condescensions, I have

adopted on my own. These do not belong to me. Give them back so I may see myself

shine like I once did. I want to keep the pain though because it reaches me that I am

ALIVE. That I have ENDURED. That I have risen to new heights and that I can go higher.

Kiss me and breath wisdom and knowledge into my soul so I may be whole and not in-

significant to the BEHEMOTH that is LIFE”

fei.III.

Phyllis Nicole IshamCass Lake/ Leech Lake Nation

WHERE AM I?Julie Isham

Nett Lake Village / Bois Forte Nation

HULKPhyllis Nicole Isham

Cass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

DEADAirlea Defoe

FRYBREADJulian Weyaus


PHOTOGRAPHERBraenne Porter


soaring above

the spirits whispering

it all means just one thing

BEAUTY

Marissa MasonOgichidaakweg Artist

THE NATURE OF OUR MINDS

MAGIC WOODS

She looked as if

she would never

be ruled by another

or

leave the home she had known

forever

Tiffany SkinawayNett Lake Village / Bois Forte Nation

ROAD HOMEMarissa Mason


BENCHJonathan Connor


SHADOW TREETiffany Skinaway


FREEKristen Bryan

S Lake Village / Leech Lake Nation

SUNSETAnnette Lee Johnson


DEAD BUTTERFLYJonathan Connor


NATURE’S BEAUTYMarissa Mason


NEVER FORGETTiffany Skinaway


I've seen so much and what I have seen has taught me that there is beauty here in this place I call home. Some say that our community is lost, but I disagree. I just think that we need more people to care about what the youth do, then maybe our community will see hope and not a dead end road! Parents need to talk to their kids let them know someone loves them.

While I was growing up I always wanted to get off the reservation but I now realize that you can't run from your home no matter what. You’ve got to face it with full force and never give up. If we can believe in each other, we can change our reservations for the better.

Nicole StaplesOgichidaakweg Founding Mother

THIS PLACE CALLED HOME

FALLING TO PIECES

Every day you see things that you don’t notice.

These things may be broken, rusted, old, etc.

They are practically invisible to most people.

I saw these things and took in their beauty.

Breanna MiettInenS Lake Village / Leech Lake Nation

FALLING TO PIECESBreanna Miettinen


MIKE’S HOUSEWilliam Robinson Stately


OLD CASS LAKEElaine Greenleaf


BOY RIVERRegina Walker

Boy River / Leech Lake Nation

DRIVING SCENESNicole Staples


I always seemed to remember things as momentary flashes, or when I had seen things that maybe I would have preferred not to see at all- the image, the moment has been forever burned into the visionary recol-lection part of my brain. When I remember something, the scene plays in my head like a sequence. Some call it a photographic memory, or play-by-play-playback. Either way, this strange sort of thinking led me to grow into an image saver, a video artist, a bit of a manipulator, and as of now, a philosopher.

I remember wanting to be able to accurately describe to someone something truly amazing, to advocate for a feeling or a belief. To SAY SOMETHING in a way that could make eyes open and ears listen. To in-spire others to embrace the chance to do the same.

Phyllis Nicole IshamOgichidaakweg Artist

WELCOME TO OURPOW-WOWS

SCENES FROM OUR POW-WOWS

The pow-wow represents for most Indigenous people a time to gather and join in dancing, visiting,

sleeping-over, renewing old friendships and making new ones. This is a time to refresh thoughts of the old

ways and to preserve a rich heritage.

The following images were taken by Ogichidaakweg artists while attending local pow wows. Communities represented in this book are from

Cass Lake Pow Wow

S Lake Pow Wow

Onigum Pow Wow

Nicole Staples


NATE KING & LARRY STILLDAYBreanna Miettinen


DANCERSimone Greenleaf


PRINCESSESNicole Staples


SHAWLElaine Greenleaf


GUY CLOUDKristen Bryan


MOTHER’S MOCCASINSSimone Greenleaf


BUSTLEIvie Roberts


DRUMSKaren Jourdain


MARGARETBreanna Miettinen


READY TO DANCEElaine Greenleaf


TAKING PICTURESTarah Jean Jackson

Inger Village / Leech Lake Nation

Through many years of lack of motivation, equipment problems, feuds between relatives, co-issues, schedule conflicts, (the list just keeps on going), Ogichidaakweg has tackled many of the issues that have "popped up" through out the years we have been a "fam-ily."

We all have our moments and our stories, and I personally can say that I will remember them & pass them on to the next generation of artists and storytellers. When I first started Ogichidaakweg, I was a youth, learning & absorbing as I went along. All the hours is just now beginning to pay off & I can see the road I am destined for.

I'm very eager to pass on what I've been taught & what I have learned to the next gen-eration.

Yodi Georgianna Morris CloudOgichidaakweg Founding Mother

OUR MOMENTSOUR STORIES

AUNTY FIXES CARS

I watched my Aunty Kelly tear her Subaru apart from the inside out; then put it all back together after she was done. It took her three days and three nights, plus she got battery fluid all over her hands and they were numb for a month. Her hands are always dirty, little spots of black speckle her worn out workers hands…it doesn’t bother her, neither do her crusty bare feet. When I showed this photo to her, she laughed really hard and said “look at my feet! Ish, look at my toes, my one toe is longer than my big toe…”

When men come to see what she’s doing in the garage, they laugh at her.They don’t think she’s any good at fixing cars. They offer to help.They give her advice on what she can do “better.”

I remember one guy was making fun of her, like she was going to ruin her car.

My Native Aunty never needs a man’s advice. My Aunty fixes cars.

Phyllis Nicole IshamCass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

ODDITY

I believe that it’s like this: what I was not able to see was there either way.

There will be folks that do not approve of this picture,

They might call me disrespectful.Who knows.

My intentions were good.I like it,

It gives me shivers down my spine.

My intentions are good, even though I cannot explain exactly what has been captured-or why it was there.

Phyllis Nicole IshamCass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

EVENING GAMEGary Charwood Jr.


WHAT ROAD TO TRAVEL?Shoshanna Beauchamp


REZ SKATERAlexa Goodsky


HER SADNESS

Her sadness is seen in thebeauty of her eyes.


CHOICES

they see our choicesand from those

they learn to make their choiceswhat will we show them?

will they make the better choice?

Nicole StaplesCass Lake / Leech Lake Nation

FOR THE LOVE OF THE YOUNG ONES

you give me strengthyou teach me loveyou show me hope

you help me understand my purpose

for this I will always fight for youprotect youcare for you

love you

Margaret CharwoodS Lake Village / Leech Lake Nation

Cass Lake TownshipYodi Georgianna Morris Cloud Elaine Greenleaf Simone Greenleaf Phyllis Nicole IshamAnnette Johnson Karen JourdainFreda LittlewolfTia MichaudSommer Mitchell Ivie RobertsWilliam Robinson StatelyNicole StaplesCheyenne Whitefeather

Boy RiverRegina Walker

Inger VillageTarah Jean Jackson

Kego Lake VillageRegina WalkerDanielle White Jessica White

S Lake VillageAshley Anderson Kristen BryanGary Charwood Jr.Margaret Charwood Breanna MiettinenShania Redday

Nett Lake VillageShoshanna Beauchamp Jonathan Connor Airlea Defoe Alexa GoodskyJulie Isham Marissa MasonDerek Morrison Jenna Lee PorterTiffany SkinawayAaron Villebrun

Four DIrections Charter School

Nicole AuginashThorne LaPointeKristina Graham Kameko Graves Martin MendozaAngela SageAshley SageDavid Sam Zenaida SotoJulian Weyaus

LEECH LAKE NATION BOIS FORTE NATION MINNEAPOLIS

WE SING OUR SONGSDIGITAL ARTISTS

AcknowledgementsThe WE SING OUR SONGS exhibit would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts and

contributions of the local community. With that we would like to thank the following:

Families - parents, spouses, siblings, children and friends that supported these artists while they took time

to plan and prepare this exhibit, and that continue to support their artistic development with kind words

and guidance.

Curators & Organizers for giving many extra hours of your time and effort to this project.

Mentors for seeing the extraordinary gifts that exist within the young artists they taught.

Partners for giving In Progress a home during its workshops and bringing us new artists to work with each

year. Special thanks to Gary Charwood Sr., Nadine Chase, Elaine Fleming, Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie, Gary

Rosato, Paula Krueger, Roxanne Drumbeater, DeDe Drift, Wendy Drift, Theresa Strong, Toni Wakemup,

Billie Mason, Juanita Espinosa, Carrie Estey

Contributors for providing In Progress with a financial base that allowed for the expense of workshops,

mentorships and exhibits. We would like to specifically thank:

The Rockefeller Foundation

The Minnesota State Arts Board - Arts In Education Program

The National Endowment for the Arts - Arts In Education Program

The Blandin Foundation, Ruth Taylor & Denise Mayotte

Visitors who came and witnessed the work, spoke encouragingly to our artists and shared what they saw

with others. To everyone that supported this exhibit, in Progress would like to say Migwetch, thank you!

we sing our songs

Documents

young artists

young children

young girl

young ones

emerging artists

culture sho

inner beauty

nicole staples