Collective Spirit Podcast

In part two of our series on Food Sovereignty and its impact on Indigenous communities, we speak with Ikaika Bishop, a Kanaka Maoli leader whose work in education, film, tech, and farming is rooted in Hawaiʻi. Through Keanuenue Farm, Ikaika is restoring traditional foodways and strengthening community resilience.

In the first episode of our two-part series on Food Sovereignty and its impact on Indigenous communities, we’re joined by AJ Granelli, Farm Manager at Makoce Farm in Pine Ridge, South Dakota—an ally working in partnership with Lakota families to strengthen the local food sovereignty movement. As artists and culture bearers, we recognize the deep connection between food, land, and cultural survival.

We sit down with Terran Last Gun (Piikani Nation), a 2020 Artist in Business Fellow and multidisciplinary artist. Terran shares the roots of his creative journey, the influence of family and community, and how he's transforming the traditions of ledger art into bold, contemporary expressions. Tune in for a vibrant conversation on innovation, cultural continuity, and the ever-evolving power of Indigenous art.

This episode is the second part of our two-part series on Global Indigeneity and the role of art. We’re featuring a conversation with Shaarbek Amankul, a multidisciplinary Indigenous Kyrgyz artist and the founder and director of the Nomadic Art Camp. Established in 2011, the Nomadic Art Camp was created to connect artists from around the world with Central Asia's rich art, culture, and landscapes, with a special focus on Kyrgyz traditional nomadic life as a source of inspiration for contemporary, globally relevant art practices.

Joining Shaarbek in this conversation is Sicangu Lakota artist and scholar Clementine Bordeaux, who grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, holds a PhD from UCLA and is also involved with Racing Magpie, a Lakota-centered arts and culture organization based in Rapid City, South Dakota. And finally, you’ll also hear from Heidi K. Brandow, a Diné and Kanaka Maoli multidisciplinary artist and current Associate Director of Communications at First Peoples Fund. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite you to visit the companion blog, which highlights first-hand experiences from the inaugural cohort of Native American artists at the Nomadic Art Camp in Kyrgyzstan and support the Nomadic Art Camp GoFundMe campaign to ensure this critical engagement between Indigenous people continues.

This is the first of two episodes that will highlight the topic of Global Indigeneity and the role of art in these spaces. In these episodes, we examine the interconnectedness of Indigenous communities worldwide and focus on artist-run initiatives and residencies as powerful platforms for cultural exchange and collaboration. Moving beyond the Western and global Northern-centric narratives, the conversation reasserts the shared histories, values, and interests among Indigenous communities in regions like Central Asia, the Middle East, and others that have been historically marginalized.

Our first guest is Clementine Bordeaux, an artist and scholar, and an enrolled member of the Sičáŋǧu Lakótapi (Rosebud Sioux Tribe), who grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Clementine received a PhD in Culture and Performance from UCLA. In Fall 2025, Clementine will join the History of Art and Visual Culture department at UC Santa Cruz. Clementine is also involved with Racing Magpie - a Lakota-centric arts and culture organization in Rapid City, South Dakota. Clementine was also part of the inaugural group of Indigenous artists from North America invited to join the Nomadic Art Camp in Kyrgyzstan in fall 2024. The 12-day residency was founded by Shaarbek Amankul, a multidisciplinary artist and the Founder/Director of Б’Art Contemporary, based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

What if your craft could become your sanctuary and medicine? Join us as we sit down with 2024 Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award Honoree, Sheila Ransom, a master basket maker from the St. Regis Mohawk tribe, who shares her incredible 30-year journey into the heart of this ancient art. Sheila didn't start her craft until later in life, under the mentorship of her godmother and other master artisans, but her connection to basket-making has since become a profound source of healing and inspiration. Sheila's vivid storytelling reveals how the natural world and everyday objects can ignite creativity and lead to stunning, unique designs.

Have you ever wondered how art can be a powerful vessel for preserving cultural heritage? Meet 2024 Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award Honoree Golga Oscar (Yup'ik), who shares their profound journey from a childhood fascination with Inuit art to becoming a celebrated textile artist rooted in the rich traditions of the Yupik Nation. Golga recounts their awe-inspiring experiences at the Yup'ik dance ceremony, Kuvvigik, and how these cultural moments propelled them to create traditional attire that honors her ancestors. Discover the pivotal role their community and the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) played in shaping their artistic journey, and how their art becomes a bridge to her spiritual connection with nature.

Tiana Spotted Thunder, an Oglala Lakota musician, shares the rich tapestry of sound that weaves traditional powwow rhythms with the contemporary beats of hip-hop and R&B. Her voice, a conduit for heritage and healing, shares the complexities of her musical journey, revealing the personal joys and challenges she faces in the studio. Tiana's artistry is a surprising kaleidoscope, as she confesses her love for genres as diverse as grunge and alternative rock, which color her creative expression.The music Tiana crafts bears the weight of memory, the lightness of hope, and the colors of our deepest emotions. In a heartfelt discussion with Talon Ducheneaux (Cheyenne River Lakota), Program Manager of the Wicahpi Olowan Music Program and Studio, we uncover the sacred art of songwriting as a tribute to those who have danced ahead to the spirit world. Talon's conversation with Tiana delves into the intricacies of composing in Lakota, the language of her ancestors, and the delicate dance of self-accompaniment. Learn more about the First Peoples Fund - Wicahpi Olowan Music Program and Studio at https://bit.ly/WicahpiOlowan

Alison Bremner (Tlingit, '23 Cultural Capital Fellow) recounts the pivotal moments that led her to embrace her cultural heritage through art, like the sparks that flew at the Celebration dance festival in Juneau. Her words paint vivid pictures of her artistic evolution, from the early days of form line painting to her deeply respected mentorships. Allison candidly discusses the balancing act of a self-employed artist, from the thrill of commercial success to the profound duty of crafting traditional pieces for cultural ceremonies. She opens up about the support system that's crucial not just to survive but to thrive in this space, weaving a narrative that affirms the significance of community in an artist's life.

When Wakaya Wells, a two-spirit poet from the Choctaw Nation, speaks of the sanctuary they found in writing, it's more than just words on a page—it's a testament to the power of self-expression in navigating one's identity. Our latest episode invites listeners into Wakaya's inspiring journey, revealing how education at Dartmouth and the Institute of American Indian Arts became the forge for their transformation into a fiction writer and a voice within their respective communities. Their narrative is a beacon for anyone who's wrestled with inner turmoil, demonstrating how one can channel the chaos of conflicting ideologies and mixed emotions into a wellspring of strength and enlightenment.