Arts & Entertainment Archives - Page 89 of 109

21st Annual Hibulb Powwow May 11 at EvCC

Source: Everett Community College Press

EVERETT, Wash. – “Keeping Our Traditions Alive” is the theme of the 21st annual Hibulb Powwow May 11 at the Everett Community College Fitness Center, 2206 Tower St. in Everett.

“The powwow honors cultural survival and the perseverance needed to celebrate and maintain Native identity into the 21st century,” said Paula Three Stars, EvCC’s 1st Nations Club advisor.

The Hibulb (pronounced hee bulb) Powwow features traditional Native American dancing, drumming, singing, arts and crafts. Grand entries are at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. The Powwow is free and open to the public.

The event will honor the foster care program “Our Shared Children and their Caretakers,” Native American children who are in the foster program and cared for by non-Native families.

“It’s our hope and the hope of the state Department of Social and Health Services employee Lisa Powers that we keep our shared children in touch with their tribal affiliations and encourage them to participate in cultural activities,” Three Stars said.

This year’s head dancers are Reuben Twin Jr. and EvCC student Christine Warner. The master of ceremonies will be Arnold Little Head. Tony Bluehorse will serve as the arena director. The host drums are Young Society and Eagle Warrior.

The Hibulb Powwow was founded in 1990 to honor Native ancestors who once lived near the mouth of the Snohomish River. Hibulb was of the stronghold of the Snohomish peoples that thrived in the site just below Legion Park in Everett. Hibulb had an estimated population of 1,200 and was once the largest trading center in the Pacific Northwest.

Descendants of the people of Hibulb live today in the neighboring community of Tulalip as well as other nearby tribal reservations representing many different tribal bands.

For more information, contact Paula Three Stars at 425-388-9281 or Matt Remle at 360-657-0940.

Dine Nation Member, Kansas Begaye, Crowned Miss Indian World

Source: Native News Network

ALBUQUERQUE – Kansas Begaye, 24, from Rio Rancho, New Mexico, and member of the Navajo Dine Nation was crowned Miss Indian World at the 30th Annual Gathering of Nations, the most prominent American Indian powwow in the world.

Miss Indian World Kansas Begaye is crowned. (click to enlarge)

Kansas Begaye received the honor out of 16 American Indian women representing their different tribes and traditions who competed in the areas of tribal knowledge, dancing ability, public speaking, and personality assessment. The new Miss Indian World graduated from the University of New Mexico in 2011.

“Miss Indian World is one of the most prestigious honors in the Native American and indigenous world and the winner will serve as a role model for all Native Americans. Begaye will travel the world educating others about tribal and cultural traditions, and bring together native and indigenous people,”

said Melonie Mathews, coordinator of the Miss Indian World Pageant.

Begaye will travel to many native and indigenous communities around the world on behalf of the powwow. She is the daughter of Dorothy and Leonard Begaye. As Miss Indian World, she will represent all native and indigenous people as a cultural goodwill ambassador for one year.

Brittany Clause, 22 years old from Six Nations, Canada, and a member of Cayuga Nation of Iroquois Confederacy was named first runner-up at the pageant. She is currently attending Buffalo State University in Buffalo, New York.

Yonenyakenht Jesse Brant, 25 years old from Six Nations, Canada, and member of the Mohawk and Turtle Clan tribes was named second runner-up. She graduated from George Brown College in Toronto, Canada in 2009.

In the case that Miss Indian World cannot fulfill her responsibilities, the first runner-up will take her place. If the first runner-up is unable to fulfill her duties after having taken over for Miss Indian World, the second runner-up will take her place.

Apache Superhero Warpath to be in New X-Men Movie

By Steve Mohan, Native News Network

LOS ANGELES – James Proudstar, better known as Warpath is a superhero from the Marvel Universe that grew up on an Apache reservation. “X-Men: Days of the Future Past” director Bryan Singer tweeted out a video(see below) showing that Warpath will be featured in the upcoming movie.

Apache Superhero James Proudstar known as Warpath

The short video shows chairs from the movie set with the character names on them. One of those chairs shows “James Warpath Proudstar” as one of those characters. Although not confirmed it is assumed that Booboo Stewart from the “Twilight” franchise will be taking on the role of Warpath.

In the comics, Warpath plays the younger brother of Thunderbird, a former X-Men who died in the line of duty. Warpath started off as a villain who blamed the X-Men and Charles Xavier for his brother’s death. He eventually becomes a hero and has been a major character in many Marvel titles since then.

In the Marvel Universe, mutants are humans who have evolved and are born with super powers that manifest during puberty. Warpath’s powers include superhuman strength and agility.

It remains to be seen how Warpath will be used in the movie. In the comics, “Days of the Future Past” is a storyline in which Kitty Pryde comes from the future to warn the X-Men of a future where mutants are imprisoned and hunted to the brink of extinction. How much the movie version of this story stays true to the comic is up for debate at this point

One thing is for certain, Marvel has always been at the forefront in Native American heroes and villains with over 40 taking up residence in the Marvel Universe. With Warpath in “X-Men: Days of the Future Past” it might not be long until we see more and more of these characters finding their way to the big screen

Book Review: The Story of Two Unsung Heroes

The Last Great Battle Of The Indian Wars
Henry M. Jackson, Forrest J. Gerard And The Campaign For The Self-Determination Of America’s Indian Tribes
by Mark Trahant | Cedars Group | 182 pp | $13.00
ISBN: 9780982758106

By Levi Rickert, Native News Network

It has been said that the federal government has never really known what to do with American Indians. Furthermore, the relationship between American Indian tribes and the federal government has always been quite complex.

The Last Great Battle Of The Indian Wars

To Self-Determination

During the course of American history, the federal government developed what is called Federal Indian Policy. As time evolved, there have been various shifts in Federal Indian Policy, in accordance to how the federal government dealt with us. These shifts evolved, because the federal government discovered they could not kill our ancestors all off – Indians are both resilient and survivors. And, they still had to deal with us.

There reached a point when the federal government decided to terminate its relationship with certain Indian tribes, thus there was a Federal Indian Policy called the termination period, which was in essence a point of attempting to force assimilation on American Indians.

The termination period did not work.

Today, American Indians live under an era of Federal Indian Policy labeled self-determination.

How American Indians got to the self-determination period is examined by veteran journalist Mark N. Trahant in a book entitled, “The Last Great Battle of the Indian Wars: Henry M. Jackson, Forrest J. Gerard and the Campaign for the Self-determination of America’s Indian Tribes.”

The book’s title alone is daunting, but do not despair. Trahant (Shoshone-Bannock), the former editor of the editorial page for the “Seattle Post-Intelligencer,” has been covering Indian Country for more than three decades, describes the shift in Federal Indian Policy in laymen terms that can be easily understood.

Henry M. Jackson was United States senator from Washington state, who is considered one of the greatest US senators of the past century because of his legislative skills in writing environmental policies that are still in place today.

Forrest J. Gerard, a Blackfeet, who grew up in Montana, flew a B-24 missions for the Air Force during World War II, came home and got a college education and landed in Washington DC, where he became a legislative aide to Senator Jackson.

Senator Jackson and Gerard formed a formidable team that went on to develop and write American Indian legislation that shifted Federal Indian Policy from the termination period to the self-determination era.

Trahant, who knows his way around Indian Country and Washington, supplies the backdrop to the various Washington players involved in the process from President Richard Nixon, John Ehrlichman, Senator Edward Kennedy, President Gerald R. Ford, Senator George McGovern, Senator James Abourezk, among others.

“The Last Great Battle of the Indian Wars” provides interesting historic information that provide context as to why things happened the way they did in history. For instance, Trahant inserts a major reason why President Nixon was motivated to help move from the termination period to self-determination. Nixon’s coach at Whittier College, Wallace J. “Chief” Newman, who was an American Indian, who greatly influenced Nixon to keep trying to win even after you lose. But, please do not blame Watergate on Coach Newman.

“The Last Great Battle of the Indian Wars” is well written and provides the background to the bridge between one Federal Indian Policy to the next. Trahant’s story of the Jackson and Gerard allow the reader to see two of the most two unsung heroes that helped to bring American Indians to where we are today.

Bird-watching at Nisqually is worth a drive right now

U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceWood ducks are among the many birds you can see at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. — U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Wood ducks are among the many birds you can see at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.

By Sharon Wootton, The Herald

If you haven’t done any recent bird-watching in the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, now’s a good time. Birds of all sizes and stripes are passing through, and you can watch them from an excellent boardwalk.

One birder reported seeing a great egret, a great horned owl family and a rufous hummingbird chasing a Northern shrike. Look for wood ducks, coots, yellow-rumped warblers and wrens, and expect cliff swallows to be building nests on the refuge buildings. About 175 species of birds have been recorded here, so it’s worth a trip.

To get to the refuge, take exit 114 off I-5 between Olympia and Fort Lewis.

One physical highlight of the estuary is the Twin Barns Loop Trail, which includes a mile-long boardwalk through woods, grasslands and freshwater marshes.

There are several trails that include viewing platforms, towers and mounted viewing scopes. Several places on the boardwalk have railings that are lower than usual so that wheelchair-bound birders have better views.

For more information, go to www.fws.gov/refuge/Nisqually.

Trail to Turtleback. The Washington Trails Association is hosting a Volunteer Vacation from May 4 to 11 on Orcas Island as well as several events on May 10.

The San Juan Preservation Trust has planned a new trail to the Turtleback Mountain Preserve with stunning views that have been inaccessible. The preserve protects the entire ridgeline.

Although the weeklong vacation is full, May 10 options include working with the trail crew, hiking a 3-mile round-trip section to the turtle’s head, or meeting the volunteers for a barbecue dinner.

For more information, go to www.wta.org. While you’re there, check out the other vacations; some are already full.

Octopus protection. Hunting can occur in the water as well as on land. The giant Pacific octopus is one target for divers. Current rules allow someone with a valid state fishing license to harvest one giant Pacific octopus a day in most of Puget Sound.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission has agreed to consider four options to provide more protection to that population, and those options, as well as no change and a total ban, are open to public comment.

Petitions signed by hundreds of scuba divers and others sought protection for octopuses from recreational harvest. For more information and to comment, go to www.wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/octopus, through May 31.

Mushroom Maynia. It’s that time for Seattle’s Burke Museum of Natural History’s annual fungi event. Attend talks, bring mushrooms for identification, take part in fungi crafts and learn how to cultivate edible mushrooms.

It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 11. The day is included with museum admission, $10 general, $8 senior, $7.50 youth. The Burke is at NE 45th St. and 17th Ave. NE.

Reserve your spot. A new reservation system for wilderness camping in Olympic National Park has started. Requests for wilderness camping areas with overnight use limits now are being accepted by postal mail or fax; no phone reservations are allowed.

Permits are required for the following high-use wilderness camp areas: Ozette Coast, Royal Basin/Lake area, Grand Valley and Badger Valley area; Lake Constance, Upper Lena Lake, Flapjack Lake, Sol Duc/Seven Basin/Mink Lake area, Hoh Lake and C.B. Flats, Elk Lake and Glacier Meadows, and group and stock camp sites along the Hoh River Trail.

Paddle to Quinault 2013

The Quinault Indian Nation and the Quinault Canoe Society will proudly host the Paddle to Quinault 2013 during the dates of August 1st-6th, 2013.

Back in 1989, Emmit Oliver, a Quinault Tribal elder organized the “Paddle to Seattle” as a part of Washington State Centennial Ceremony revitalizing a tradition that was lost for many years, and that is canoeing. We now know this as the Canoe Journey. The Canoe Journey has become symbol of cultural revitalization on a national level; we can expect anywhere from 90 US tribes, Canadian First Nations, and New Zealand to join the celebration.

The Canoe Journey creates opportunities for tribal members to re-learn, strengthen and reinforce their canoe traditions. There are many cultural values that are learned from the canoeing some include: pride, cultural knowledge, learning how to paddle, respect, and sense of achievement.

ATTENTION: canoe families
Saturday May 4th will be surf training at Point Grenville!
12:00pm the Bring your canoe, our May-ee will be available as well. Lunch will be provided

For more information visit, www.paddletoquinault.org

10th Anniversary Native Voices Film Festival

Celebrating and Honoring Native Voices at the University of Washington, and Pacific Northwest Native filmmakers. Meet the filmmakers, free and open to the public.

May 1-3, Beginning Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00 PM, University of Washington campus, Kane Hall 220
This event is in partnership with “The Living Breath of Wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ: Indigenous Ways of Knowing Cultural Food Practices and Ecological Knowledge,” hosted by the UW’s American Indian Studies Program, and the 12th Annual Symposium of Native and Indigenous Graduate Student Research, “Reminds Me of Home: The Cultural Shaping of Our Senses,” where Native and Indigenous graduate students, staff, faculty, and community members will present on how their research, analysis and presentation of data has been shaped by their culture and communities.

https://www.facebook.com/events/423295094430917/

http://depts.washington.edu/native/wordpress/?page_id=299

Strawberry Festival Talent Show auditions May 8-9

Source: The Herald

MARYSVILLE — The Marysville Strawberry Festival Talent Show will return to the Marysville-Pilchuck High School auditorium on Thursday, June 13, starting at 6:30 p.m., but in order for the doors to open at 5:30 p.m. to let the audience in, the Talent Show will need some talent to showcase.

That’s why Strawberry Festival organizers will be holding auditions for the 2013 Talent Show on Wednesday, May 8, and Thursday, May 9, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. both days, in the M-PHS auditorium.

Marcy Giesler, who’s directing the Talent Show yet again, explained that organizers are looking for solo and group entrants of all ages, in performance categories such as vocal, dance, instrumental and comedy.

Awards will be given out at the June 13 Talent Show to the first, second and third place performers in each category.

The deadline to enter the May 8-9 Talent Show auditions is Friday, May 3.

Application forms are available online at http://maryfest.org.

The M-PHS auditorium is located at 5611 108th St. NE.

Call Giesler at 360-653-6584 for more information.

South Asian community gathers to fight violence against women

By Adnan Ali Syed and Sumit Karn, The Herald

EVERETT — Comcast Arena was awhirl with flashing lights, fog and the pounding rhythms of the most popular songs coming out of Bollywood’s biggest movies.

Most Bollywood films are about love, so the crowd was treated to a four-hour concert featuring hits such as “I Will Love You 12 Different Ways in 12 Months (Barah Mahino Mein Barah Tareekon se),” “Desi Girl,” and “Hit On Me While Dancing” (Dance pe Chance).”

It was all for a good cause: To raise awareness about a Seattle group that is working to fight domestic violence against women in Washington’s South Asian communities.

The event last Sunday was the result of a partnership between the non-profit API Chaya, of Seattle, and concert production company Krazy2Seattle, of Federal Way.

“The first goal was to come out in the open and talk about (domestic violence),” said Arun Sharma, of Bothell, one of the organizers. “The intent was to raise awareness, raise some money and bring the South Asian communities together.”

Horrific incidents in Pakistan and India spurred the local groups to action. The Pakistan Taliban shooting of 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai for speaking publically about the right to education for girls and women, and the gang rape and killing of a 23-year-old college student on a bus in New Delhi, Sharma said.

In the South Asian community, which includes immigrants from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, rape and domestic abuse are not spoken about openly, or even easily discussed within families, Sharma explained.

API Chaya, formed in 2011, provides advocates who work directly with South Asian women and families who have experienced abuse, and others who work in the community to educate and organize support for survivors and ways to end violence, said Sarah Rizvi, the group’s program manager.

“We provide direct advocacy and supportive services to survivors in crisis and raise awareness of domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking,” Rizvi said.

The concert started coming together in January, with about 50 volunteers working “to address cultural-based incidents of domestic violence that are prevalent in communities in Washington State,” Sharma said. “Part of the concert’s aim was to create awareness among people as well as overcoming religious barriers to serve our communities.” Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Buddhists all came together for the event.

Although the amount of money raised is still being sorted out, those in the audience — estimated to be about 3,000 — were happy for the opportunity to help raise awareness.

Nedhal Ahmed, of Everett, said the event was an opportunity for him to support the cause. “I have come here to chip in my share to help stop any kind of crime against women,” Ahmed said. The same issues exist in other countries, said Ahmed, who is from Yemen.

“I am here to support suffering women,” said his friend Nasr al Mahshi, also of Everett. “Some women are denied their fundamental rights.”

Rakesh Maini, the runner up in Indian Idol season 5, was the night’s first singer. He hopes that in India the culture will change, and people can begin to openly address rape and domestic violence.

“I am happy to perform for a social cause. I have sisters, mother, and family like everyone does. I therefore would do whatever it takes to hand women justice and basic rights,” he said.

Weekend Activities at the Burke: Coast Salish Art

Burke Museum
Sat., Apr. 20, 2013 – Sun., Apr. 28, 2013
11 am – 3 pm
Included with museum admission; FREE for Burke members

Saturdays and Sundays in April, 11 am – 3 pm

Photo (c) Jack Storms/Storms PhotoGraphic.

Every weekend in April, enjoy Coast Salish art activities at the Burke. See Coast Salish artifacts not normally on display, and try your hand at a large weaving loom. Also join us for guided exhibit tours every Saturday at 1 pm.

The Burke Museum offers weekend activities throughout the year with themes changing monthly. Check our events page for updates on other upcoming weekend activities.