Aytu’ Kannəŋ Pachenti’ – All My Relatives
Aytu’ Kannəŋ Pachenti’ – All My Relatives is a free, cultural event series centering and celebrating indigenous sovereignty as a part of RaceFoward’s Cultural Week of Action and Democracy. Activities and events welcome community members to participate and learn about contemporary tribal practices while also presenting documented evidence challenging the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ refusal to grant Federal Acknowledgment to the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation. This event affirms democratic ideals through the recognition and empowerment of Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination.
Schedule
Monday, September 30
‘allǝmǝksǝmaa — I’m listening: Panel Discussion on Tribal Sovereignty and Democracy
Details:
6pm – 8pm
Mariposa County Board of Supervisors Chambers
5100 Bullion St, Mariposa, CA 95338
Join Inter-Tribal representatives and leadership in an open discussion on Tribal Democracy and Sovereignty. Panelists will define and share their perspectives on Sovereignty, its importance, and current projects, followed by a facilitated Q&A session.
Tuesday, October 1
wǝkstii ‘etchammǝ’ — Let’s (You and I) Go Outside: Guided Walk on the Mariposa Creek Parkway: Learn about First Foods, Medicines, and Cultural Materials being reintroduced along the Mariposa Creek Parkway.
Details:
Mariposa County Art Park (5013 CA-140, Mariposa, CA 95338)
Meet at Arts Park for a presentation, followed by a guided walk to observe plant restoration along the creek. Elderberry Tea/Juice will be shared.
12 pm – 1 pm: Elderberry Tea Lunch Break Plant Walk & Talk
(Bring your own lunch and blanket for seating in the park)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm: Elderberry Tea After Work Plant Walk & Talk
(Bring your own dinner and blanket for seating in the park)
Wednesday, October 2
tinnǝy ‘enhǝsǝǝ — What Are You Making?
Cultural Arts Day: Inter-Tribal Arts Demonstrations & Workshops the Mariposa Creek Parkway
Details:
Mariposa County Art Park (5013 CA-140, Mariposa, CA 95338)
Cultural Art Workshops (10am – 12pm)
Sourberry Mash Making with Sandra Chapman
Guided Painting: Petroglyphs to Murals with Clay River
Cultural Art Workshops (5pm – 7pm):
Crafting Indigenous Games with Carson Bates
Medicine Pouches with Clay River
Children’s Traditional Song Learning Class with Acacia Coats.
Thursday, October 3
manako lee neeko ‘ok — Who Are These People?
Call to Action: Public Indigenous Cultural Education & Allyship
Details:
Mariposa County Library (4978 10th St, Mariposa, CA 95338) 5pm – 7pm
- National Tribal History 101 and Local Tribal History
- Reading of the Current Federal Recognition Narrative and Submission Letter
- Discussion on current efforts and projects
A community call to action will be held, encouraging participants to write letters to the Office of Federal Recognition, requesting that petition #82 (Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation) be granted recognition.
Friday, October 4
hǝyneynǝmaa ‘ikoyyo kalaanetoy — I Want to Watch Them Dance
Intertribal Dance & Cultural Arts Celebration (Public Event with Food)
Celebrate with an evening of intertribal dance and cultural arts.
Details:
Mariposa County Art Park (5013 CA-140, Mariposa, CA 95338)
6-8pm
This event is funded by RaceForward’s Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy 2024, and by Americans for the Arts, and is in partnership with The Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation and the Mariposa County Library.
About RaceFoward’s Cultural Week of Action
Race Forward and Americans for the Arts are excited to announce a new initiative, the Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy. This annual initiative, hosted in partnership with local communities, brings people of all identities and backgrounds together to spark action towards creating a just, multiracial democracy. The inaugural week of action will be held Friday, September 27 through Saturday, October 5, 2024, in towns, cities, counties, and states across the country.
Together with local arts and culture institutions and community-based organizations, these projects and activities will spark conversations that touch on history, how it shapes our present, and how everyday people are organizing to build an equitable and racially just future. Local events will also inspire action that community members can take together to create a truly, just, multiracial democracy—starting in their own neighborhoods.
This is what the Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy is about. It’s about bringing people together through arts, culture, and creativity, in order to:
- Learn about our history and how it shapes our present;
- Listen to the people most impacted by injustice in this country about how we advance a vision of a just, multiracial democracy;
- Elevate the work of local arts and culture institutions, particularly in communities of color, that can resonate this vision through truth-telling and creativity;
- Spark collective action to advance racial justice, so that we can make our vision into a reality.
Please contact Clay River with questions about this program (river@mariposaartscouncil.org) or call us at (209) 966-3155.
