We are here to observe Native American Heritage Day here on the unceded Tribal land of the Nisenan people. If we may make a few recommendations:
– Read Robin Wall Kimmerer’s incredible essay, “The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance” at https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/the-serviceberry/
– Listen to the essay read by the author on the Emergence Magazine podcast at https://emergencemagazine.org/podcast/
– Make a contribution to the California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project’s (CHIRP) Ancestral Homeland Reciprocity Project at https://chirpca.org/ancestral-homelands
– Make a gift to Sacramento Native American Health Center (SNAHC) at https://www.snahc.org/give-now/
The art in this post is “Story of Oak” from artist Jennifer Rain Crosby, displayed as part of CHIRP’s 2021 Visibility Through Art exhibition. The artist’s description is as follows:
“
2022 – AB3121 Interim Report Executive Summary
The Nisenan lived in harmony with the land for thousands of years before settlers came to California. They cared for the oak groves whose acorns provided a substantial part of their diet. When gold was discovered, immigrant miners and settlers flooded the Nisenan territory, cutting down the trees for lumber, flumes, and for building towns. The loss of the land and the oaks was devastating for the Nisenan. It is my hope that in the near future the Nisenan will regain Federal Recognition, revive their Culture and restore harmony with the land. Special note: The paint and ink in this painting was collected locally and prepared by the artist. The gold and purple-grey tones were made from oak galls. The orange tone was made from earth pigment from the ‘diggins’ in an egg tempera paint. The iridescent gold was made by adding powdered mica to the egg tempera. “
– Find more about the exhibition at https://chirpca.org/visibility-through-art-2021
– Follow Jennifer Rain Crosby at https://www.instagram.com/jenniferraincrosby/ and https://www.jenniferraincrosby.com/
#NativeAmericanHeritageDay