Student Arts & Entertainment

The Snotty Nose Rez Kids are a hip-hop duo from British Columbia. Even though they are from Canada, they tear down the imaginary border between the United States and Canadian indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest. What I love about the SNRK is their ability to keep their ties to the culture in their music. Hip-Hop is not a traditional form of music for us as Native People, but it can serve as a voice for us to be heard. Maintaining who you are and how you live is very prevalent in the Snotty Nose Rez Kids music. Being proud of who you are and not being what you are not is one of the strong messages that their music carries.

“we speak back to the stereotypes that present us as untamed, ill-mannered and vulgar savages, reclaiming ourselves as the 7th generation on the rise.”

https://snottynoserezkids.com/

Wind River will always be one of my all-time favorite movies. It takes place on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. To me, it promotes a voice of awareness and a call for action. It makes me reflect on the great people and things I hold dear to my heart and it’s a continual reminder of the importance of improving the quality of life in Native country.

Frank Rides At The Door is an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Nation and he’s also my uncle. He started making traditional miniatures as a tribute to our people, and his grandmother, Annie Rides At The Door, was also an artist. Frank’s inspiration came from a childhood filled with traditional crafts and stories shared by his own grandmother and other elders of the tribe.

Frank interprets Blackfeet oral history through his miniature dolls. Fancy dancers, chiefs, medicine men, jingle dancers, and more are put on a small base of cut antler and rocks, measuring about 2-4 inches in height. Frank also creates miniature rattles, pipes, painted animal skulls, drums, spears, and clubs. He prepares and collects all of his own raw materials, using animal hides given to him by friends and family.

In the early 1940s, Elbowoods was a thriving town on the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara reservation. But it came to an abrupt halt when the Garrison Dam was constructed in 1953. The purpose of the dam was to prevent flooding, provide irrigation, and control water levels. Instead, it took a devastating toll on the people of Elbowoods when it flooded their town and forced them to relocate to higher ground. The water from the Garrison Dam continued to flood the flatlands and eventually the city of Elbowoods became what is now known as Lake Sakakawea. While the lake is now known for its beauty and recreational fun, for my people, it represents loss. Loss of a city, the best farming land in the world, and of a way of life.

The movie, Basketball, Water, and the Lost City of Elbowoods, which was produced by PBS and the three affiliated tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara), relives the excitement of a basketball team who made it to the North Dakota State Class “B” Championship that ended in controversy. It also covers the devastation of their hometown and the historical outcome of the lost city of Elbowoods.

I dance at powwows every year and there’s so much that goes into it. It’s such a fun experience for all ages. They really do have something for everyone. You can dance, observe, play the drums, shop, etc. They’re such a powerful way to feel connected to our roots and help us preserve our culture. I’ve been going to them since I was a child, and it was really those experiences and the way they made me feel, that made me want to pursue a degree in Native American studies. I want to help preserve our language and culture for generations, and powwows are such a fun way to do that.