Traditional Representations: A Visit to Yo Nuweekan, We Dwell Here
I attended the first opening of the exhibit Yo Nuweekan: We Dwell Here, an exhibit put together by the Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum (TIMM) to support the curators and artists. I am a former Board Member of TIMM, and try to support when I can. This exhibit was curated by TIMM Executive Director Lorén Spears. All of the artwork featured in the exhibit was created by artists hailing from my New England Indigenous community, with many of them being my family members and tribal citizens.
After learning of this assignment, I revisited the gallery on Feb. 14, and to my pleasant surprise, new pieces of art were added by my husband’s cousin, Julia Marden*. Marden (who unacademically, I will further refer to as Aunt Julie because to be called Aunt [name], Grandma [name] is a sign of respect in my community) is from the Aquinnah community of the Wampanoag Nation (their federal acknowledgement being known as the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)). I am a long time collector of Aunt Julie’s work, and was excited to see her work featured on either side of the entry/exit of the exhibit. Aunt Julie is a well known traditional artist, who works in the mediums of painting, beadwork, sewing carving, quillwork, and most notably—weaving. Aunt Julie’s dolls are internationally known and recognized within in the American Indian art world with their unique style of hand painted designs reflective of the traditional paintwork of New England Indigenous’ people that adorns our clothing and accessories. Floral designs, corn mounds, and wild rice are featured prominently on the clothing of the dolls, with tradition tattoo designs adorning the arms and the face. Julia pays special attention to our customs of hair style, tattoo thickness and modes of personal adornment and those details are often reflected in her dolls. For example, in our traditional Algonkian societies, men mostly wear their hair in two braids, whereas women tend to wear our hair in one braid. This is exemplified in the dolls pictured.
Aunt Julie had multiple pieces in the exhibit. Her twined bags are the most recognizable throughout the Northeast, and she has taught many young Wampanoag people the technique and style of finger weaving and twining. Geometric patterning, as well as community representation are figured here prominently. My favorite pieces in the exhibition, however, are Julia’s bags. The larger bag being made of deerskin is intricately painted with black and red paint, likely made from natural pigment of graphite and ochre and set with fish eggs (many people today use acrylic paints). The smaller bag is made from a beaver tail, with hand painted floral designs, finished with sweetgrass edging bound with sinew with a fingerwoven strap finished with brass cones and red dyed deerhair tufting. All of Aunt Julia Marden’s pieces in this exhibit represent the materials, techniques and styles worn by the Algonkian people of southern New England, and specifically Wampanoag people prior to or at the time of European contact (1524-1619).
I was excited to see Aunt Julie at a community event over the weekend, and spent time talking to her about her experience with the exhibition. She will be traveling from her home and studio in Vermont to view the show prior to its close. Aunt Julie truly is a traditional culture bearer and knowledge keeper, and her work and her presence is vital in the continuance of our communities.
