Shinnecock Powwow 2013

Labor Day weekend 2013 my tribe the Shinnecock Indian Nation will be having our 4 day annual powwow on the Shinnecock Indian reservation...Everyone is welcomed. Our powwow has over several hundreds of dancers from across the country and award winning craft artists. Intact we have close to 100 vendors. If you are looking for something exciting to do come to the powwow. Every year there is a concert with NAMMY ARTISTS.

Aponi's Wind hits Lumbee Powwow

Every weekend since the first weekend in March I have danced and set up a booth at a powwow. Traveling and creating brand awareness for my line of accessories for Aponi's Wind. This past weekend, I was set up at Lumbee Powwow, which was such a memorable experience. I am looking forward to attending their powwow in the fall.
Be sure to follow me on instagram @K_aponi for photos of my accessories. And email me at aponiwind@gmail.com for information on ordering.

Walk the Walk Tribal Retreat

Walk the Walk Tribal Retreat
Held on Friday May 10th to Sunday May 12th at the secluded and beautiful Whispering Pines Center in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, the Walk the Walk Tribal Retreat expects to host 55 young adults, space is limited for this gathering.

One of the barriers to Tribe’s moving forward and effectively protecting and maintaining the well-being of Tribes against outside interests are conflicts within the Tribe, its government, its communities and families.
Some of the most common ways these conflicts appear are as the impacts of:

•Alcohol & Drug Use/Abuse
•Verbal Abuse
•Suicide
Bullying

Tribes have many ways of attempting to overcome these harms, and from a tribal operations point of view these can include the work of:

•Tribal Health
•Tribal Police
•Tribal Education
•Tribal Natural Resource
•Tribal Education
Listening to strengthen the work of Tribal governments to help tribal people .
The Walk the Walk Prep2Rep Retreat will provide a place and a way for participants to share, listen, envision, build leadership skills and begin to practice unique strategies to help tribal communities:

•Tribal professionals from Health, Police, Education and Natural Resources to share outreach and education to the next generation of young tribal leaders.

•Young tribal adults (18 – 27) to share questions, ideas, and visions with Tribal professionals.

•Young tribal adults to have hands on learning opportunities to learn how to develop surveys and quantify data to support the priorities they come to identify during the retreat to further help their communities

•Young tribal adults will also receive the benefit of Prep2Rep’s tips to presenting to help strengthen their abilities to represent their communities in diverse situations and acquire the necessary tools to represent in all social arenas.

Tribal Sponsorships for 4 participants: $5,000.00 provides for 4 people to attend and covers all accommodations, food and materials costs, with your Tribe and/or Tribal Department being recognized as a Retreat Partner on all Retreat materials. Tribal sponsors will be acknowledged and represented proudly on the complimentary t shirts.
Additional individual participants are welcome! Registration is $1,250/person, all accommodations, foodand materials costs included.

For more information email aponiwind@gmail.com

It is time!

Danny Menihan and his vision of unity

 

The Northeastern region has been throbbing with energy our young adults. Danny Menihan is a Mashantucket Pequot tribal member, and is also descendant of the surrounding tribes. Two years ago he came to me with a vision he had to unite ALL North Eastern Tribes. It was then we founded the NEW Alliance (Northeastern Woodland Alliance). NEW ALLIANCE is established to bring together the North-Eastern Woodland people of the Northeastern Region. The intent is to reconnect family members of the individual tribes; as well as, connect the historical and cultural resources, opportunities and communities that make up these Nations. The goal is to use social networking to establish cultural opportunities (youth programs, social gatherings, unity fires, cultural classes and demonstrations, as well as social opportunity (youth sport tournaments, huge cookouts, etc).

 

The first event held was in the fall of 2011. Danny held a Unity Fire of the Sister Tribes at the Mashantucket Pequot cultural grounds. He invited elders, sachems, and spiritual leaders to share words of wisdom. With his own funding he gave away coloring books, crayons, and puzzles for children of all northeastern tribes. I loaded up my car with boxes of gifts from Danny to gift to the Shinnecock children.
 

In the Fall of 2012 we held a Healing Fire for the Woodland Nations. The purpose of this gathering was to wipe the tears of family members who were grieving and in mourn of the passing of loved ones. Our sister tribes during the year of 2012 experienced a rapid number of deaths. When one sister tribes has a death all of our tribes feel it. It is a tradition among tribes to burn a fire when a loved one passes. The fire burns until they are put to rest. Family members from all tribes come to give gifts, share songs, share stories, and give love and comfort. We also held talking circles for our youth and our young adults. It is important for young people to speak and be heard. We wanted our families to come together as one for one another.

The heart the Danny has is so huge. Most people who know Danny can say he is very reserved and carefully speaks when he does. His actions are mighty and with N.E.W. Alliance his vision will become reality.

For generations the Wampanoag, Narraganset, Pequots, and Shinnecocks have sustained close relationships with one another as sister tribes. The tribes in the Northeastern region are also known as the “forgotten tribes” When most people think of Native Americans their first thought is not the tribes that live on the oceans, near the largest cities in the country—New York City, and Boston. It is our responsibility to teach those who are unaware of our existence and our way of living. Danny has such an old soul. When speaking with him one can gather knowledge of how our tribes are connected. He is passionate about his people.

In addition to his activism, Danny is an exquisite artist. Using the knowledge of his lineage he created a fishing scene for the doll exhibit at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, it is on display until mid April.




Check out the Doll Exhibit http://www.pequotmuseum.org/Home/MashantucketGallery/CurrentExhibit.htm
 

 

I just wanted to take this opportunity to say Danny you’ve become family to me and am strengthen the more and more we communicate. Thank you for pouring your heart into helping to heal our people. Keep up the good work!

 

Check out Danny Menihan on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/danny.menihan?fref=ts 

Nahaan Speaks Up

Tattooing is a tradition that our people have been practicing for generations. Indigenous people from all four directions have many traditional ways of tattooing.  These tattoos represent different clans, tribes, and even individuals’ status in their communities. Today there are still traditional tattoo artist that perform tattoos. I got the opportunity to vibe with a Tlingit tattoo artist!  At the Northwest canoe journeys there can be over 10,000 natives in one location. So many people were holding raffle ticket signs, selling amazing cedar work from carving to weaving. My homeboy Keet Dayeen was walking around holding a sign that said "Tlingit Tattooing by Nahaan". Tlingit Tattoo and Design by Nahaan https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/TlingitTattoo I got the chance to meet Nahaan from the Tlingit nation.

Tattooing has been a large part of the Tlingit culture since time began. It is ceremonial to give and receive tattoos whether it is done through tapping, sewing, or gunning.

Keet Dayeen, Nahaan, and myself--Paddle to Squaxin Island 2012

Not only is Nahaan a tattoo artist, but he is a carving and a design apprentice under Nathan Jackson. He paints, draws, craves, sculpts, sings, writes and speaks on many issues that he is passionate about. 

 I am so ecstatic about Nahaan’s work!  From being an Eastern Algonquin native I can say that the coastal designs in the west are very different from our traditional coastal designs here in the east. Our traditional designs were found near the edge and border of our garments and even pottery. Sometimes designs would be found in the center of mantels, bags, and breech cloths. They were also abstract and had minimal detail. Sometimes when looking at a eastern Algonquin design you can see many different types of things in one design. That could also depend on who was viewing the design.

Nahaan’s designs are so lively with so much consistency. It is artist like Nahaan that helps to keep our traditions alive. The exsposure of his work we will become relevant in today’s society because it will intrigue people to look further into what not only native artist are doing but what is happening in Native America!

He is an active vigorous advocate for native rights. My Facebook newsfeed floods with the current work in his movement. I know many people have the perception of Facebook being a negative platform; however, I think it depends on who you choose to follow and who follows you. The posts that Nahaan includes on his page, creates awareness in the social media network for Native America. The content of the posts that he projects is an artistic outlook on important issues from our native languages to our fight and struggle in standing for our rights.

You know how people use the phrase “ A man of many hats”?  LOL…Well I would say Nahaan seems to be the artist of many hats!

I just want say to Nahaan--keep the fire burning because your work provides our people with the enlightenment that we need to prosper. Specifically our youth! Role models and mentors seem to be short in numbers these days. However, people like you and many others I have blogged about are those role models and mentors that our youth need to lead our nations.

              Be sure to check out Nahaan’s work

Instagram @nahaan206

Facebook:

Nahaan Speaks Up https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/nahaan?fref=ts

Tlingit Tattoo and Design by Nahaan https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/TlingitTattoo

The Inspiring Keet Dayeen

    

Last summer I got the awesome opportunity to vibe with +Keet Dayeen at the annual Northwest canoe journeys “Paddle to Squaxin Island 2012”.  He is from the Tohono O’odham Nation. We spoke about the power of unity and how our people are progressing towards coming together. As young adults it is our job to be as active as we can right now to continue to pave the way for the younger generations to follow. 

 

Dayeen is surely one of those young adults that is paving a road to success. From being a lyricist to being an activist for native rights, Dayeen sends out the good energy we need to help in the betterment of our communities. He is moved and inspired by music. Right now he is continuously working on his own artistic progression through hip-hop, poetry and music. He has his own recordings and production.  Check him out on Sound Cloud https://soundcloud.com/#keetdayeen

It’s natives like Dayeen that deserve recognition for the work that they do. Through my blog I hope I can show the world the great work Native Americans are doing not only in Indian country but in the country period. For some reason there is still a foot over our backs stunting our growth to breach the mainstream conversations alone. I encourage ALL of you—native and non-native that when reading my blog you begin think about ways to bring light to what Native Americans are doing.  Whether it is the work a Tribal elder has done for their people throughout their entire life or a young leader in a youth organization, we demand to be “Idle no more”! http://bflybiz.blogspot.com/2013/01/idle-no-more.html  If we can bring Native Americans to a relevant place in today’s society then the struggle will become less painful in our communities.

The conversation that Dayeen and I had on unity is what we need others to be discussing in BOTH worlds. When I say BOTH worlds I am sure all of my native followers know what I am referring to. However, to the non-native followers it means that as a Native American today we literally live in two worlds at the same time. Being Native American is not just an ethnicity; moreover, it is a way of life. With that said I KNOW if you listen to Kent Dayeen’s work you will be more than in encouraged to do something about this movement of being “Idle No More”.

Just giving a shout out to Dayeen, I am a fan of your work and appreciate your dedication to our people! Keep the tradition alive and keep working hard.

Check out Keet Dayeen on Sound Cloud https://soundcloud.com/#keetdayeen

 

Introducing Ahna Red Fox Smith

Meet Ahna (Red Fox) Smith. She is a 17 year old Native American photographer. This young and gifted photographer is from the Shinnecock Indian Nation. The inspiring idea of Ahna's work is that she represents all youth. There is so much enlightenment in seeing the perspective of our youth. The importance of the vision of our youth is that their vision is our future. Youth need more and more verbal encouragement than ever because our world needs change, and it’s encouragement that will give our youth the power to lead and be that change. I have to say Ahna’s work is definitely moving! Photographers from all over the world are inspired by Native Americans. On a larger level Native American photographers see things in our culture that other photographers cannot capture.

Through the uplifting photography by Ahna  the world can begin to understand that photographers help to bring change in our communities. It allows people to see things in ways they may have never thought of seeing. Ahna continues to rise with her gift. A gift is something to be shared so be sure to follow Ahna.
Follow her INSTAGRAM @ahmckeyz_x

NDN Skateborders & Artist meet WAMPUM NY

The Skateboard has a carving of David Pharaoh
a Montauket Native

WAMPUM

    I finally got the chance to stop through the WAMPUM  shop in Bridgehampton, NY which was a great experience!!!!!  WAMPUM was named the best skate shop by New York Magazine in 2012. They are doing BIG things. Talk among different natives here in the eastern region has had curiosity on any collaborations between WAMPUM  and Native Americans.

Bridgehampton Wampum Skate shop

      To my surprised they seem to be heavily native inspired. I know I can echo the voices of all natives when I say this--there are so many native inspired businesses that have not a clue the truth about us. It's businesses such as WAMPUM that we as Native Americans should be working closely with to help to create awareness on our issues and movements.While in the shop we were able to vibe on creating platforms such as skateboard festivals and tournaments to educate non-native on who we are today. We even discussed involving native youth in many ways. It's so unfortunate to know that we still remain the highest in statistics as far as high school drop out and teen suicide rates. It's businesses such as WAMPUM that help to give our youth positive alternatives. As a native artist myself its empowering to know that even non-natives are for indigenous rights.It's now 2013 and we NEED to begin working together to move this world to a better place!

       So all my Natives skateboarders and artist check them out. I have been following them on instagram @wampumny for a while now and its cool to put a face to the name...LOL...Hope to be working with them soon! So definitely stay in the network for more! The Wampum stores are located in Bridgehampton NY and New York City.

 

WEBSITE: http://www.wampumny.com/

BLOG: www.wamppumny.blogspot

FACEBOOK: www.facebook/wampumny

TWITTER: www.wampumny.blogspot.com

INSTAGRAM :@wampumny

NDN Music

A TRIBE CALLED RED

       I had the awesome opportunity to meet with the group A Tribe Called Red at the American Indian Community House (AICH) in NYC. DJ’s NDN, Bear Witness, and DJ Shub gave a presentation on what it is that they do and what inspires them. As natives music lives in our culture and we are proud of our culture. These guys are creating new tradition for our culture. It's allowing the younger generations to be inspired through their culture. They have blended traditional music, dance, and other forms of art with today's digital art forms. When it comes together it makes you just want to dance and feel proud to be native! Bear Witness explained that he wanted to figure out a way how to take the stereotype that people have on us as natives and make fun of it! I know it sounds kind of twisted but when you twist it with digital sound it sounds uplifting--talk about change! Natives today have taken digital and social media to the next level in our culture! So if you haven't experienced the sounds and visuals of A Tribe Called Red check them out!

Follow them on twitter @atribecalledred

Website http://www.electricpowwow.com

Like them on facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/A-Tribe-Called-Red/181642381882640

 

 

Scott Vladislav Abraham

 

I was surfing through Youtube and multiple times Scott Vladislav Abraham came across my recommendations. I gave him a listen and I have to say he definitely has talent. It's always good to hear some new round dance songs from a new artist. I am sure I am not the only one who can say this but on those long pow wow road trips its fun to jam out to some round dance tunes on the way with a car full of natives. LOL there has been times when we even had battles on who knows the best round dance jams. I am sure I may win this pow wow season with the sounds of come Scott Vladislav Abraham! LOL Now you can all add him to your playlist. Keep the songs coming Scott!!!!!

 

Subscribe to him on YOUTUBE http://www.youtube.com/user/iygsinger4life

Add him on FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/#!/VladislavAbraham

 

IDLE NO MORE!!!!!!

Members of Shinnecock at the Flash Mob in
Washington Square NYC

Become apart of the movement
Spread awareness!

IDLE NO MORE
is an indigenous movement to raise awareness on indigenous issues by gaining attention through rallies and social media. What sparked this movement was Theresa Spence, the chief of the Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario, who ended a six-week hunger strike on 01/24 The goal of Spence’s protest was to gain a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor-General David Johnston to discuss how to improve the conditions on native reserves. Through facebook, twitter, instagram and other platforms of social media almost every indigenous community in the nation has been involved in this movement. I was able to participate in this movement in New York City early January! The average “American” is clueless as to what Natives endure today let alone even know we still exist. The more awareness we can spread on indigenous issues the more we can continue to sustain our culture for the betterment of our future!!!!!!!!