Through White Eyes

This is my journey through the world of Native American culture using words and pictures. My perspective is based on coming in to these situations and meeting these people as an outsider open to learning their place in the world.

[throughwhiteeyes]

A successful opening of Indian Country

When it comes to art, especially art with a specific cultural theme, you can never be sure how it will be received by the general public.  You have your family and friends who will always give you the warm support you expect but those strangers who have no reason to go easy on you are the great unknown for an artist.

On June 6, the 34 photographs of Indian Country: modern images of an ancient people, opened at the Second Story Gallery in Camas, Washington. Thanks to a couple of nice stories in the local newspapers and a strategic scattering of flyers, emails and phone calls, nearly 200 people attended the opening. 

Folks from both sides of the Columbia River showed up. As someone more used to having their photos and stories show up in print with little direct contact with the public, this public show of emotion was new for me. People were very supportive and thankful that a light was being shone on the legacy of native culture in the Pacific Northwest. I was glad to hear it because that's basically why I've started this project.

The great surprise of the night was the arrival of Sam Robinson, the acting leader of the Chinook Nation. He sang two songs, including a blessing of the exhibit. I am an outsider to tribal life, hence the name of this blog, so it meant a lot to me that my work was being accepted by a member of the nation that once counted this little town of Camas as being within its domain.

As I continue with this project, the exhibit will be a landmark for me to demonstrate what is possible with a little patience, determination and support of family and friends. Please follow along as I continue the trek and thanks for being a part of the beginning.

[throughwhiteeyes]

Indian Country Exhibit - June 6 - Camas, Washington

The postcard above is part of the exhibit that contains more than 30 of my photographs displayed along with a number of post cards, books and other ephemera that shows an odd and sometimes horrific view of native culture. The falls in the post card is now submerged after a hydroelectric dam was built on the Columbia River. I made the bottom photograph on the Klickitat River near Lyle, Washington. The fishermen are mostly members of the Yakama Nation. Please join us for the opening reception at 5 p.m. on June 6 at the Second Story Gallery, which is located in the Camas Public Library Building, 625 NE 4th Ave, Camas, WA 98607. We are still accepting sponsors for this and future exhibits of this work.

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The opening night for our new exhibit, Indian Country, will be June 6, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thirty-four prints will be displayed as well as ephemera related to the skewed vision much of the U.S. has had of tribal culture and native people from the 1800s to the present. The exhibit will be hosted for the month of June. Sale of some prints will benefit the Lelooska Foundation, in Ariel, Washington.

NOTE: Sponsors for the event and ongoing documentary project are still needed. Please contact me if you are interested. Sponsors will be noted in all press material, posters and future events. 

The exhibit will be in the beautiful gallery located on the second floor of the Camas Public Library building. I thought it was appropriate to bring the exhibit to this area because of its largely forgotten ties to the native people who lived here for thousands of years before Lewis and Clark paddled along the Columbia River, directly past the current location of Camas.

The town is also named for the camas lily, which was an important staple for the native people.

These images are toned in the style of Edward S. Curtis, the Seattle photographer who spent three decades documenting tribes in the western half of the country. My photos, however, show traditional practices but also reflect the modern influences that have become attached. My intent is to show life now, not what it was or may become. 

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Billy Frank, Jr., fighter for tribal fishing rights, dies at 83

The man who led a modern day battle with the federal government to retain fishing rights for American Indians has died in Washington State.

Billy Frank Jr., was 83, and his death was announced by the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and the Nisqually Tribe near Olympia, Washington.

"Billy was a champion of tribal rights, of the salmon, and the environment. He did that even when it meant putting himself in physical danger or facing jail," Gov. Jay Inslee said in a written statement.

Frank's lifelong fight for what had first been guaranteed by earlier treaties began in the 1940s and resulted in the 1974 decision by a U.S. district judge that the old treaties should be honored and the tribes had the right to one half of the fish harvest.

White society's image of the native people was improved by the work of Frank during his fight, although he was arrested more than 50 times while staging events to make their case.

Generations of people have benefited from his efforts and he will be remembered as a successful leader for what is right. His passion for the cause continued and recently had been pushing for a cleaner river environment to protect the health of those who eat locally caught fish.

[throughwhiteeyes]

Upcoming Photo Exhibit

The premier of the "Indian Country" photography exhibit is June 6, 2014 at the Second Story Gallery, in Camas, Washington. The photos will be accompanied by a group of printed material showing a variety of Native-focused books, pamphlets and other items from the mid-1800s to the 1950s.

More details will be posted as they become available.

[throughwhiteeyes]

Gifting - honoring those in your circle

In our consumer-driven world, we get things because we can buy things. During holidays, we are almost guilted into getting the most and the best for the people we love and work with. The true spirit of giving, of presenting something of value to you to someone else has been packaged, posted, and perverted.

Among many Native American tribes, the concept of gifting has been an essential part of their daily life. It is a way to honor and show your gratitude for the people in your community.

Personally, this is a practice which needs to be more embraced by all cultures. The concept of mutual respect can sometimes be seen as a sign of weakness in a world where power is touted as the key to success.

In business, company leadership must embrace the world which allows it to thrive. The balance of checks and balances is not always measured in dollars. Your support of community groups or people in need may never translate into an expanded bottom line directly but you will secure your place as a true member of society. Pride derived from goodness is priceless.

Seek out ways to gift to those whom you respect. Find those fellow members of your community who may need something; maybe a good word, a handwritten note or a bag of the sweetest apples you can find. It is an investment that will enrich you.

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As I venture along this path of creating a library of images and video of individuals from different tribes in the Pacific Northwest, I am faced with centuries of history, bad information, prejudices, serenity, new friends, and self-awareness.

Every person I've met during the year or so I've been working on this obviously embodies their own unique experiences and beliefs. But there is a common thread soaked with whatever percentage of native blood they possess. They were here first. Some tribes grew crops, some fished, some traded, some didn't. Some expanded through war parties, others stayed quietly close to home.

The complexity of native societies is not much different than any other matrix of similar groups living in a closed system. But in the case of the U.S., the Spanish from the South, French and English from the North, and the Americans from the East caused a compression of cultures that time may or may not have instigated in the coming years. That any remnants of tribal life remain after concerted efforts by all of these outside groups to eradicate the Indian culture is a testament to their innate strength and ties to their core beliefs.

Right now there is no deadline for completion of this project or even a final form of the content although I am hoping to create a book, a gallery and obviously a website which displays the images and films. I am hoping for comments and suggestions from inside and outside the tribal communities as well as ongoing financial or material support.

More photos from the project can be found here: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjJRiG5Y