Thru Dec 15
Rosy Simas Danse
Rosy Simas Danse’s “she who lives on the road to war”, is an immersive installation and performance on global loss, grief and community healing. Rosy Simas, Haudenosaunee (Seneca, Heron Clan), is a choreographer and film/visual artist based in Minneapolis. Closing Reception: Dec 15 from 6 – 8pm. For info, see: https://allmyrelationsarts.com/rosy-simas-danse-she-who-lives-on-the-road-to-waroctober-6th-2022.
Thru Dec 24
George Morrison, Traversal
Borrowing its title from a 1958 painting, the exhibition traverses George Morrison’s works across time, style, and media. Inclusive of varying sizes of painting, drawing, prints and sculpture, Traversal spans Morrison’s first years in New York with the Art Students League and emergent Abstract Expressionists to his Minnesota homecoming and horizons of Lake Superior and beyond. Bockley Gallery, 2123 w 21st St, Mpls. For info, see: https://bockleygallery.com.
ONGOING in Dec
Dakota Sacred Hoop Walk
Twin Cities Digital Artist Marlena Myles, a member of the Spirit Lake Dakota Tribe, has created an augmented reality art exhibition at the Arboretum, which will begin in the Harrison Sculpture Garden. Visitors will use their cell phones to download the Revelo AR app from Pixel Farm Creative Studio to view digital images and audio at stops along the walk to learn about Dakota culture. 9am – 5pm. This ongoing exhibit is included with Arboretum membership or daily admission of $15 for ages 16 and older (free for ages 15 and younger). Indigenous peoples will receive waived general daily admission to the Arboretum when making a reservation by calling 612-301-6775. For info, see: https://arb.umn.edu/sacredhoopwalk.
Thru Jan 8
Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend
The narwhal, with its unique spiral tusk, has inspired legend in Inuit society and fascinated people across cultures for centuries. Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend dives deep into the narwhal’s Arctic world to explore what makes this mysterious animal and its changing ecosystem so important. Activities & Special Programming: Test your knowledge and learn more about teeth, tusks, and how animals use them at a new hands-on gallery cart, Tooth vs Tusk; and Take a closer look at the narwhal’s Arctic neighbors with special specimens, such as a walrus skull, polar bear skull, and bowhead whale baleen, on display in the Touch & See Lab. The exhibit showcases the way Inuit communities and Smithsonian researchers have come together to help us better understand both narwhals and the changing Artctic impacted by climate change. (The Bell Museum waves general museum and planetarium show admission for all Indigenous peoples.) For more info see: https://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/narwhal-revealing-an-arctic-legend. Film Screening and Discussion:
• Dec 14 – Amazing Creatures in D/Lakota Perspective, from 7 to 7pm.
Ongoing: Mondays
Men’s Support and Smudge
Men’s Support and Smudge: Join American Indian Family Center’s Father & Men’s Outreach Specialist, Rich Antell, for a virtual men’s group Mondays from 6pm – 8pm. Don’t miss this chance to gather with other American Indian men to explore your identity, participate in culture, and support each other. Register: https://bit.ly/MenSmudge. American Indian Family Center, 579 Wells St, St Paul. For info, contact: info@aifcmn.org.
Circle of Strength
This group is open to young people of all genders, ages 13-20 who have been impacted by sexual assault, exploitation or trafficking. Every Monday from 2 – 3pm. In the Healing Journey Room at MIWRC, 2300 15th Ave S, Mpls. Use the drop-in center entrance on the east side of the building. For info, contact An Rouch at arouch@miwrc.org or 612-728-2020.
ONGOING Mon – Thursday
MIGIZI’s CLAW for youth
Inviting all 8th-12th grade students to join us at our temporary location every Monday – Thursday from 4pm to 6pm for MIGIZI’s CLAW After School Program. The CLAW (Culture, Leadership, Academics, Well-being) program integrates cultural practices with academic studies to provide Native youth with a relatable and engaging time of learning. We provide a safe space where students can enjoy a meal, focus on culture, learn about educational and career opportunities, and get their homework/projects done! Our fall program will feature moccasin making, Tutoring Tuesdays, field trips to Severs Corn Maze and the UMN, financial wellness and more. All after school activities are free. MIGIZI, 2610 E 32nd St, #200, Mpls. Register at https://form.jotform.com/203485829759069. For info, see: https://www.migizi.org.
ONGOING: Tuesdays
Khunsi Onikan Well-Anon (Native American Al-Anon)
The AIFC’s Khunsi Onikan Program will be held on Tuesdays at 7pm for a Native American culturally-based, one-hour meeting to help build healthier boundaries and relationships with your loved ones suffering from addiction. American Indian Family Center, 579 Wells St, St Paul. For info, contact: info@aifcmn.org.
ONGOING: Wednesdays
Sexual Assault Survivor Group for Native Women
Sexual Assault Survivor Empowerment Group for Native Women, at MIWRC. Use the drop-in center entrance on the east side of the building. A support group for Native women, where we will discuss weekly topics and engage in teaching culturally specific crafts. Every Wednesday from 1:30pm- 4pm. In the upstairs Conference Room at MIWRC, 2300 15th Ave S, Minneapolis. For info, contact Angela Barnes at abarnes@miwrc.org or 612-472-2445.
Imnizaska Family Drum
Join us every Wednesday between 6–8pm to sing and drum. All singers and families interested in learning and sharing are welcome. This drum event has been created to bring families together to learn and share around the drum. All singers and families are welcome. We will share a meal and practice learning songs. Location may vary, call 651-560-9700 for location. Elders Lodge/ Indigenous Roots, 788 E. 7th St, St Paul.
ONGOING: Thursdays
Wellbriety/Medicine Wheel 12 Steps Meeting
Khunsi Onikan Wellbriety/Medicine Wheel 12-step virtual meetings are every Thursday at 7pm. These meetings are designed to help you find safe, confidential healing, and support in your recovery journey and are open to anyone wanting to work on recovery from any addictions. Sponsored by the AIFC Khunsi Onikan program. American Indian Family Center, 579 Wells St, St Paul. For info, contact: info@aifcmn.org.
Dec 3, 10, 17
Create your own Winter Gift Box
Mnisota Native Artists Alliance’s Create Your Own Winter Gift Box. Choose from several specially curated items from Native artists to create your own beautiful Winter Gift Box (Your gift box can range from $50 – $100). Noon – 4pm. Northrup King Building, Studio 456, 1500 Jackson St NE, Mpls. For info, contact: Pamela at 218-850-8364 or Graci at 505-463-9732.
Dec 5, Jan 9
Public Speaking for Native Professionals class
Presented by New Native Theatre. Calling all Native professionals who find their career paths lead them to public speaking on behalf of their organizations, communities, and for professional duties. Learn some basics to improve your presentation as a speaker, voice quality, and delivery of information to give more engaging speeches and to feel more confident in your role as a spokesperson. We’ll also walk through protocols of introducing yourself in your Native languages. 6pm-8pm, Division of Indian Work, 1001 E Lake St, Mpls. For info, contact: noreen@newnativetheatre.org.
Dec 8 thru Feb 18
Gaa-miinigowiziyang “What We were Given”
The exhibit Gaa-miinigowiziyang “What We were Given”, created by the artists and allies of the Bemidji-based grass roots organization Manidoo Ogitigaan (Spirit Garden), opens Dec 8 in Watermark Art Center’s Miikanan Gallery. The exhibit features the work of community members from various backgrounds who have participated in their artist collective activities. Artists gather and process materials in a manner akin to the original inhabitants of the land with the mindset of protecting the land and its resources. The exhibit runs through Feb 18. Watermark galleries are free and open to the public. Watermark Art Center, 505 Bemidji Ave N., Bemidji. For info, see: WatermarkArtCenter.org.
Dec 8 – 10
Waniyetu Art Market
The annual Waniyetu Art Market returns to Hoċokata Ti on December 8-10. The three-day event is open to the public and features artisans and vendors offering Native American handcrafted items that are perfect for the holiday gift-giving season. The market will take place from 10am-6pm daily. Here’s just a sampling of items that attendees will find at the market: Beadwork, artwork, body care products, clothes, jewelry, pottery, home decor, woodworking designs, star quilts and more. Attendees can also check out the public exhibit, Mdewakanton: Dwellers of the Spirit Lake, for just $8. For info, see: https://visitshakopee.org/events/waniyetu-art-market.
Dec 8
Education for All in the Age of Racial Reckoning (Virtual)
Racially predictable disparities persist in our schools across the country in spite of decades of concerted effort to combat them. If greater effort hasn’t yielded the result we all want to see, maybe it’s time for a different approach. Join celebrated racial equity educator and Indigenous scholar Anton Treuer (Ojibwe) for a deep dive into new tools for your classroom, school, and system. The tenor of racial reckoning is full of hope, though rarely comfortable. Let’s lean in together to examine how we all do better when we all do better and make that mission a reality. Hosted by the Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement. 2:30 – 3:30pm. For info, see: https://antontreuer.com.
Dec 9 – 10
FDLTCC Holiday Celebration
The annual Holiday Celebration sponsored by the Human Services Club at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College returns. On Dec 9 the event takes place from 5:30 – 7:30pm in the FDLTCC commons. The event will include food, games, drawings for great prizes and much more. Plus, every child in attendance will receive a fun gift from Santa! On Dec 10th, from 10am to 7pm discover great gifts for family and friends at the Arts and Crafts Holiday Market where more than a dozen artists, bakers, and craft makers will be sharing beautiful beadwork, healing soaps and creams, Native American artwork, and much more. All events are free and open to the public. For more info, visit https://link.fdltcc.edu/HolidayMarket or contact Roxanne DeLille at
roxanned@fdltcc.edu.
Dec 10
Acting & Spoken Word class
Spoken word poetry has long been a popular and effective form of expression for Native voices, and here at New Native Theatre, we want to uplift those voices. Join guest artist Ramón Esquivel, a playwright and theatre educator, as he leads a one-day workshop on spoken word and how you can utilize acting techniques to perform it. All ages welcome. Division of Indian Work, 1001 E Lake St, Mpls. For info, contact: noreen@newnativetheatre.org.
Dec 10, Feb 25, Apr 22
Upper Mississippi Academy Open House
Your student will thrive here. Find out how by visiting us during an Open House. A public charter school located in St. Paul, Upper Mississippi Academy is a collaborative community engaging lifelong learners in active, authentic experiences. If you’re looking for a vibrant, pioneering, experience-based charter school with a growing student body, UMA could be for you. UMA will be hosting open houses for prospective students, their families and the community on December 10th, February 25th, April 22nd and June 3rd. 9am – 3pm. For info contact: recruitment@umissacademy.org.
Dec 11
Vision 2023
Go into 2023 with intention. Join Jefas and Homegirls for a powerful vision board creative experience. We will be putting our goals, and manifestation for this coming year on paper, in a community setting. All supplies will be provided, but feel free to bring anything special that you want to include on your visionboard. $25. 1 to 4pm. Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center, 788 E 7th St, St Paul. For info, see: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vision-2023-tickets-473083745217.
Dec 13
Joshua Whitehead: Making Love with the Land
Canadian author Joshua Whitehead will present his newest work of nonfiction Making Love with the Land: Essays at a virtual event with Birchbark Books in Minneapolis. Joshua Whitehead is an Oji-nêhiyaw, Two-Spirit member of Peguis First Nation. Whitehead’s previous books include Jonny Appleseed, Full-Metal Indigiqueer, and Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction. He is assistant professor in the English and International Indigenous Studies departments at the University of Calgary. 7pm. This event will take place on Zoom. Registration is required. To register: https://birchbarkbooks.com/pages/events
Dec 14
Amazing Creatures in D/Lakota Perspective
With its striking tusk, the narwhal is one of the Arctic’s amazing creatures. What about amazing creatures closer to home? Like other Indigenous peoples, the Dakota and Lakota have stories about amazing creatures that recount everything from how they came into creation to why they are important in everyday life. Join C̣aƞte Máza (Neil McKay) and Rocky Makes Room For Them to learn about amazing creatures such as the horse and bison, and their importance in D/Lakota language and culture. C̣aƞte Máza (Neil McKay) is a senior Dakota language specialist in American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota. He is a member of the Spirit Lake Nation of Dakota people. Rocky Makes Room For Them is coordinator of the Medicine Wheel Mental Health Program at the Center School in Minneapolis. He is a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. 7pm – 8:30pm. Recommended for adults & children ages 8 and over. Register through Eventbrite to receive a secure Zoom Webinar link. For info, see: https://www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/event/amazing-creatures-in-d-lakota-perspective.
Dec 16 & 17
Celebrate the Holidays, Support Area Artists
Watermark Art Center is joining the Anishinaabe Artisan Market and Headwaters School of Music and the Arts for a special weekend of holiday festivities.
• Anishinaabe Artisan Market Holiday Sale at the historic Carnegie Library from noon to 7pm on Friday and 9 to 3:30pm on Saturday. Featuring 15 local artists showcasing a vast array of artistic styles and mediums: homemade soaps, beadwork, candles, acrylic paintings, dish towels, and woodland style Ojibwe paintings and more.
• Watermark galleries and SHOP 505 will open on the 16th at 10am for a special day of shopping featuring extended hours for the Holiday Night Market until 7pm. Visitors are invited to enjoy holiday music, hot cider and treats from 4pm – 7pm. On Dec 17 families can drop in at Watermark’s Make-and-Take holiday family activity tables from 11am to 3pm. Three special holiday themed projects will be available for children of all ages. There is no charge for either of these events. The public is welcome both days.
• Headwaters Music & Arts will feature the Headwaters Bell Choir performing at 7pm Friday and on Saturday. The First City Singers present an afternoon of caroling starting at 1pm with an indoor performance at Headwaters then on to Watermark at 2 pm. At 6pm, enjoy the young musicians of Headwaters Rock Band as they close out Saturday. Hot chocolate and cookies will be provided at each performance at Headwaters. Watermark galleries, 505 Bemidji Ave N., Bemidji, Minnesota, 218-444-7570. For info, see: https://watermarkartcenter.org.
Jan 21st (deadline)
Crazy Horse Memorial Cultural Programs Opportunities
The application process for Native American artists, performers, and culture bearers looking for opportunities to exhibit at the Crazy Horse Memorial in SD, and share their artistic talents and cultural knowledge for the 2023 season, is open. There are five different cultural programs that can be applied to: Artist in Residence, Gift From Mother Earth Native and Western Art Show and Sale, Living Treasures, Performers & Storytellers, and Talking Circle. The Cultural Program applications are due January 21st. See website for other deadlines and opportunities. For info, email: culturalprograms@crazyhorse.org. Or see their website at: https://crazyhorsememorial.org/visit/special-events.
