HUMOUR
COVER:
Aboriginal
Gangs in Prairie Provinces in "Crisis Proportions"
BIOGRAPHY
Chad
Denny Makes Quebec Major Juniors
BUSINESS
Casino
Of The Rockies: The Casino Where Everybody Wins
CULTURE
Buffy
Honours Dudley George's Life with Music Concert
Vancouver's
Museum of Anthropology Strives To Accurately Represent First Nations Culture
ENVIRONMENT
Chippewas
of Nawash Defend Lake Huron and Georgian Bay
HUMOUR
Bee
in the Bonnet: Artsy Fartsy
Bee
in the Bonnet: Halls!
POLITICS
AFN
Leader Seeks to Reorganize National Body
Bee in the
Bonnet: Artsy Fartsy
By B.H. Bates
I'm
not only a writer, I'm a cartoonist and, as such, I supplement my income
by painting windows for different events and occasions. For example: annual
festivals and Christmas. And, on a regular basis I'm asked (by people
who are watching me work), "Do you carve?"
I'm never asked questions like: "Do you (also) paint portraits?"
or "Do you spin a mean potters wheel?"
No, it's always a wood carver. Never a glass blower, a
mural painter, a photographer, a jeweller or a water colorist, be it,
scenic or nudes.
And the reason is simple: I have black hair, brown eyes and a year-round
tan on my back side. Therefore, being native and an artist, I must carve
totem poles!
The thing that kind of rubs me the wrong way is, let's say, for instance,
I was a person of Irish descent. Would I still be asked the same question?
Not likely, but, more than likely I'd be asked, "Where's a good place
to hunt Leprechauns?"
And I am an artist! But, there's more to me than that . . . I'm not only
a cartoonist I'm also a writer, a poet and, among other things, I was
also an advertising manager for a newspaper, a professional bull rider
and I used to choreograph dance for a company called Knew York Productions!
But, sadly, all they see are the feathers!
Seeing that I'm on the subject of, "things that rub me the wrong
way!" Let's take a look at the government' support of "native
art!"
I've tried for years and years and years to get funding
so I could pursue my dreams of one day becoming a revered novelist, a
witty humorist, an insightful playwright and a noted poet. And time and
time again I was rejected (and as a writer I'm well aware that rejection
is just part of the game).
But, the one thing that really put a stone in my moccasin is the fact
that I was passed over (for funding), time and time again, in favor of
other artists that were getting the wampum just so they could carve another
#@%*ing eagle!
Now before I get a bunch of natives with sharp implements mad at me, I
just want it to be known, that I'm very much in favor of the traditional
crafts. I simply want the government to know that we natives have more
to offer, creatively, than the same old bird!
Multi-talented we are!
We have mastered other venues in the World of art. We can spin a mean
potters wheel, act, dance, write and sing as sweetly as anyone else on
the Great Spirit's planet! Some natives are even revered and considered
every bit the professionals of our given fields and not just a bunch of
ARTSY FARTSY goof offs! And we should be recognized and given credit for
our efforts to further our people, in the eyes of the World!
In a way, the boys' club of Ottawa, are once again trying to keep us down
on the farm (Rez). And by that, I mean, the government is providing some
natives with the resources to support the ever growing market for carved
wood, yet they rarely support other natives with worthwhile endeavors.
As long as natives are willing to carve and sell at a loss to greedy shop
owners, the Ottawa boys will just go on giving their support to the same
old, same old!
I mean, come on, now! How many times can the same old Thunderbird be re-carved?
It's just regurgitation for the masses as far as I'm concerned!
Why not a playor a musical about the Thunderbird? Maybe even a Rap musical
about the mighty Great Spirit! I'll even give some native Rapper out-there
the first few lines, just to get things started:
Brownish blues or war-hoops, you choose. Stop looking at your shoes and
raise your eyes to the skies and sing, "I will not melt into your
pot nor will I fade into your past. I am not the last. I am a child of
the Great Spirit!"
Just ask yourself, how many great native actors do you read about in the
STAR? How many writers of native heritage jump to mind when someone says
the words "bestseller?" How many other professions can you think
of, in which we're not represented? We natives, as a people, are very
talented when it comes to the arts. So why aren't there more natives standing
at podiums across this great land receiving trophies and kudos?
I do know this, if you want to grow a flower, you have to plant the seed
in a fertile soil and nourish it as it grows. And the reward you get is
not only in the beauty from that one flower, it's also in the seeds you'll
receive from that flower to grow even more beautiful, fragrant and eye
pleasing wonders of nature!