Redbird

09/20/2026

Words. Words that to date had not meant anything. That is what I recalled as this gentleman spoke passionately about having gathered another proclamation from a local municipality. He had devoted himself to the work - and it was work, plenty of it, to getting these proclamations signed and seen. I cannot recall his name but found myself both impressed and perplexed. His was very focused work. And he understood its value whether others did or not.

Every tribal treaty ever written has been broken. This gentleman was starting over with the acknowledgment of the existence of tribal nations, and of their names, as best as we knew them or know them at the moment. This particular conversation I had with him took place about 17 years ago.

This year, billboards are going to reach a couple million people. Because the art community came into the fold in a big way. Because billboards in South Dakota don't cost hundreds of thousands of dollars like the do in Los Angeles. Because humor. Because we are looking to heal, not to hurt.

Words. Do they have power? They do. Most profoundly, they resonate with their own people. The artist who created these billboards is from the community. The creator of this project is from the community.

https://wordsaremonuments.org/welcome-to-he-sapa/?link_id=4&can_id=0baa4c4979bdbec44e1f7f96a8961002&source=email-4-section-21px-font-34px-line-height-3&email_referrer=email_3404537&email_subject=welcome-to-he-sapa-youre-on-stolen-land

Each billboard directs viewers to a He Sapa essay authored by Oglala Lakota organizer Taylor Gunhammer for The Other 250, our community-sourced counter-atlas of American history told through the names on our maps.

There are a lot of things about Words Are Monuments that make this project one worth exploring. Naming is the beginning. Naming is the start of all that follows.

On July 3, 2026, speaking at Mount Rushmore in He Sapa—the Black Hills—President Trump condemned the assertion that “we live on stolen land”, warning that those who teach this history are “slandering our past” and “attacking our future.”  The White House reinforced that message in a...

08/30/2026

It has been many years since I visited this work (this edition with an introduction by Vine Deloria Jr.). I forgot that this is not just the interpreted in english vision of a holy man's vision for all the earth and all of its beings, but it is also all the story of the years and the battles and the realities in between. Classical music played softly in the background, as indeed it would have in Europe at the time, while the landscape of turtle island was ripped apart again and again as I read. The traditions of indigenous people are primarily oral traditions, meaning there are few written manuscripts of real significance to turn to. This is one of those works.

08/20/2026

Redbird powwow photos.

08/19/2026

Last December at Redbird's blanket drive and mini powwow, the daughter of Viola Burnette approached me. She was soft spoken and kind. But I'm not going to lie. I was scared. I'm always nervous meeting new people. Because I know just some little bit about the often strained negative history between native and non native people, and its very complex relationship with "charity."

We talked a little bit and I tried to explain that our attempt is to meet a need with gifts, not charity. And so to do that we work with people who are willing to take the blankets that we gather and gift them. Over the years I've realized that while as a non profit it's customary to use this kind of thing to boost awareness of and donations for your group, in our case, the correct and more traditional thing to do is to not call any attention to ourselves. To give the gift, unassuming, not looking for the media exposure but just to do the thing and claim as little from it as possible.

So I tried to explain that distinction. These are gifts. Someone else - someone's relation - is going to gift them. And then she gifed me with this, her mother's autobiography. The book got tucked away for the trip home. I found it right before the powwow. It goes with me now when I have my infusions. I will be close to finishing the book when this round of infusions is over. And every sentence, every revelation is such a clear, honest and very real look into the internal experience of being native...or part native. As I near the half way mark in the pages, I cheated a little, and read a few sentences from later chapters. This story is going to come full circle, back to the people, to the work still ahead. I am eager to keep reading.

This is an important, searching story that will enrich your understanding; and if you already know the reality all too well, there will be so much here to relate to. What a wonderful gift to be entrusted with.

06/20/2026

Introducing our Head Youth, Robbi and Steven Gonzales, Tejon Nation

It is an honor for Robbi and Steven to have been selected to be this year’s head youth. Robbi is a jingle dress dancer and recently started dancing fancy shawl. Steven is a grass dancer and has said his favorite part of dancing grass is being asked to bless the arena. Robbi just completed her freshman year in High School and Steven is headed to 7th grade in Jr High this fall. When they aren’t at a pow wow, Robbi plays softball for her school and Steven plays rec flag football.

Robbi and Steven know it is a big responsibility each time they set foot in the circle. To carry themselves in a good way and set an example for all the youth they cross paths with. Dancing to honor their ancestors, representing their family, and being ambassadors for their tribe is first and foremost the reason why they dance.

They are excited to see family and friends this weekend. They would like to thank Redbird’s 2026 Children of Many Colors committee and Corina Roberts for selecting them both as head youth. They hope you can all come out and dance with them this weekend.

06/19/2026

Good morning. Powwow vendors, I will be arriving Saturday morning around 7 AM with the book that has your application and payment information in it. That's what we'll use to get the vendor spaces marked. If you have arranged to make payment Saturday morning, come find me so we can make a space for you. Vendor spaces are full. We are not allowed to drive on the grass but there are parking lots or driveways adjacent to all but one side of the vendor circle.

06/18/2026

Introducing our Head Man for the 2026 Redbird powwow...

Wolf McMasters
Cherokee/Choctaw/Creek

Osiyo Nigadawu (Hello everyone)

Wolf and his family have spent their whole lives as active members of the California Native American community, as well as the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma At-Large Communities of Central and Southern California.

Wolf has been a grass dancer for over 15 years. Learning and speaking his Tsalagi (Cherokee) language is very important to him, along with dancing, drumming and singing. Wolf enjoys working and sharing his knowledge with our local indigenous youth.

Presently Wolf attends Antelope Valley College, pursuing a certification in welding, and works as a personal trainer. In his free time Wolf loves spending time outdoors, caring for animals, and working on his classic car.

Wolf and his siblings have also been students of Martial Arts since a very early age. He is a member of the BKF (Black Karate Federation) and holds a Black Belt in Karate. He has won numerous awards for tournament fighting, and katas.

Wolf is honored to represent the 2026 Children of Many Colors Powwow as Head Man.

06/15/2026

Introducing our 2026 Head Woman...

ya numuac tamet niuvuiham Gracie Hernandez akikitamnu. (Goode day my relatives, my name is Gracie Hernandez, I live in Bakersfield and I'm Kitanemuk from the Tejon Indian Tribe. My grandparents are Juana and Octavio Escobedo. My parents are Sandra and Jesse Hernandez. I am the youngest of six siblings. I'm a California traditional dancer and enjoy traveling to powwows and gatherings. I'm invested in learning my language and representing my heritage through my dance and regalia. I have learned from and with my family. I thank the community for honoring me with this responsibility to be head woman of the 2026 Redbird's Children of Many Colors Powwow. nihuna numuac miyik puyu.

06/15/2026

Funding opportunity for cultural heritage projects.

https://www.facebook.com/nadiya.littlewarrior/posts/pfbid02UUPthDmTN7fnSBMupt55rjZs4gHVas5qcQH7m5kzALXiqRERK41DwCyQzz4E5dsFl