sʔabalikʷ Indigenous Youth Teachings

About the Project

Where: Alma Mater, 1322 Fawcett Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402 / SAM Olympic Sculpture Park, 2901 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
When: August 2019 - February 2020
Connect: samblog.seattleartmuseum.org

sʔabalikʷ Indigenous Youth Teachings was a workshop series designed by youth for youth. Native young people gathered for talking circles to identify topics they were passionate about, including: history, Two Spirit identity, beading, music making, mental health, trauma healing, activism, printmaking, and more! Next Indigenous community members (youth focused, ages 13-24) were invited to participate in free workshops led by guest artists. The title of the series - sʔabalikʷ - means "give away" in Lushootseed. Inspired by the Potlatch tradition of Coastal Salish tribes, the objectives of the group were to gather, give and receive knowledge.

Our first workshop was on Native American History and Two-Spirit identity, led by one of our youth planners - artist Nataanii Nez Cottier (Oglala and Sicangu Lakota). Participants engaged in an art activity using collage and found objects to reflect on the knowledge shared. The workshop was hosted at Alma Mater in Tacoma. All tribal affiliations and experience levels were warmly welcomed, with snacks and supplies provided.

ʔulal/ da xika/ Hupatokike Community Weaving

Lead artist-in-residence at SAM’s Olympic Sculpture Park Kimberly Deriana, in collaboration with sʔabalikʷ, led youth in the creation of cattail mat weavings. One session was hosted in Tacoma at Alma Mater, and subsequent open studio days took place in Seattle each weekend in January and February at the park - including special workshops led by Tina Jackson and Kippie Joe of the Suquamish Tribe, as well as Kayla Guyett (Jicarilla Apache). sʔabalikʷ youth apprentices were paid $20 an hour for their time and participation. The community constructed mats were then used by Deriana to form a sculpture displayed for two public events Jan. 31 and Feb. 27, 2020 in the ArtLAB space in Paccar Pavilion at the Olympic Sculpture Park.

About the Winter Residency with Kimberly Deriana

Each year, the Seattle Art Museum presents an artist residency that activates the Olympic Sculpture Park throughout the winter and helps to grow the artistic practice of contemporary Pacific Northwest Indigenous artists. Architect and artist Kimberly Deriana (Mandan / Hidatsa) took residence at the Olympic Sculpture Park in 2020 to research, workshop, and realize a site-specific project. Deriana’s residency project studied how mother nature’s abundance transforms through cultural sharing and arranges spaces for reflection, recharging, resilience, empowerment, and strength.

Kimberly Deriana (Mandan/Hidatsa) is an architect and artist specializing in sustainable, environmental Indigenous architecture, housing, and planning. Deriana’s methodologies focus on incorporating Indigenous lifestyle practices in relationship to past and present, designing for the 7 generations. Deriana strives to achieve exceptional design by weaving together respect for individuality, honor for cultural identity, and appreciation for contemporary quality manifested in the shape and structure of sustainable forms and communities.

Thank you to all who contributed to Kimberly Deriana’s residency project:

Tina Jackson
Kippie Joe
Kayla Guyette
Marianna Harvey
Elise Krohn
Mariel Belanger
Barb Marchand
Asia Tail
Sara Siestreem
Chief Leschi Schools
D’Viek Washington
Shea Dailey
Aiyanna Jade Stitt
Jo Kiser
Joseph Aleck
Nataanii Nez Cottier
Erin Tail
Raven Two Feathers
Jordan Remington
Jaylen Strong
Payton Counts
Roldy Aguero Ablao
Roquin-Jon Quichocho Siongco
Hillel Echo-Hawk
Colleen, Matt, True & Zoey Echo-Hawk-Hayashi
Catherine Cross Uehara
Phong
Julius Lloyd
Maggie O’Rourke
Olympic Sculpture Park Staff
Satpreet Kahlon

The Winter Residency at the Olympic Sculpture Park was funded by the Seattle Art Museum.

sʔabalikʷ Indigenous Youth Teachings was funded through a City of Tacoma Innovative Grant.