U.S (THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM) : WHALE PEOPLE and "SPIRIT OF THE WATERS" TOTEM POLE JOURNEY.

 

 

 

Dear friend,   Salmon are central to the identity of Indigenous Peoples in the Pacific Northwest. With the near extinction of keystone salmon species in the region, traditional cultures, economies, food security, and treaty rights are under threat.   But communities are fighting back, summoning the power of ancestral knowledge and practices to defeat proposed mega-mines and decrepit dams that stand as both monuments to colonialism and barriers to spawning salmon.     This May, The Natural History Museum will join Se'Si'Le, House of Tears Carvers, and other partners on the 'Spirit of the Waters' Totem Pole Journey, a touring program of in-person and online events and exhibits steeped in ceremony, art, science, and cross-cultural collaboration in support of the Indigenous-led movement to remove the Snake River dams.   Time is short to do the right thing for the Snake River, its salmon, and the 'salmon people' of the northwest. Treaties signed by the U.S. government affirmed the rights of Northwest Tribes to continue fishing as they have since time immemorial, but declining fish populations have created a trail of broken promises on the road to extinction.   You can join us online, in person, and by amplifying the message. Visit the journey site to follow along and take action to remove the dams and restore a free-flowing Snake River.   For the future,       The Natural History Museum.   Science in Ceremony Roundtable Wednesday, May 5th 2pm PT / 5pm ET At the University of Oregon, Eugene Online livestream   Join Se'Si'Le, House of Tears Carvers, The Natural History Museum, and the University of Oregon Philosophy Department for a roundtable discussion on the theme of The Science in Ceremony.    The roundtable takes as its point of departure the proposition that Indigenous ceremonial knowledge—with its protocols and practices—is a science in its own right and on its own terms. Traditional ceremonial knowledge has an internal order, criteria for truth, and standards of coherence that are rigorous, right, and appropriate and is part of an ancient, sovereign and inspirited world-making process. The aim of this Roundtable is not to debate this topic. Our aim, in this potlatch of ideas, is to bring to this conversation an engaging exchange that helps identify the questions that need be asked to further explore this proposition from an Indigenous as well as a non-Indigenous perspective. This event is part of the 'Spirit of the Waters' Totem Pole Journey and the University of Oregon Philosophy Colloquium series.   Art, Ceremony, and Activism Thursday, May 6th 12 pm PT/ 6 pm ET  At the University of Oregon, Eugene Online Livestream   Activism can bring us to a better world, art to new ways of imagining it, and ceremony to an understanding of the sacred space of relationality. The presenters will share their experiences in bringing together art, ceremony, and activism in some of the most significant environmental and social justice campaigns over the past decade within and beyond the Pacific Northwest.   Speakers Barbara Muraca, Professor of Philosophy, University of Oregon (Facilitator) Esther Stutzman (Yoncalla), Traditional Storyteller and Educator JoDe Goudy (Yakama), Vice President, Se'Si'Le Jewell James (Lummi), Master Carver, House of Tears Carvers Jay Julius (Lummi), Fisherman and President, Se'Si'Le Sequoyah Julius (Lummi), co-Executive Director, Se'Si'Le Robin Everett, Sierra Club Briana Meier, MIT, University of Oregon Beka Economopoulos, Director, The Natural History Museum Whale People Exhibit & IMAX-Style Film   Whale People : Protectors of the Sea is an outdoor exhibition featuring a 3,000 pound orca totem pole, salmon carvings, and an award-winning IMAX-style film projection that tells the story of today’s environmental emergency through the figure of the orca.   A seven-channel immersive video installation features spectacular underwater footage of the orca, and the voices of Indigenous elders communicate a message that is at the heart of the totem’s journey : what we do to the waters we do to ourselves. We are called upon to protect, restore, and pass on to future generations a respect for each other, the sacred waters, and all our relations.     Whale People : Protectors of the Sea is an award-winning exhibit and short film by The Natural History Museum and members of the Lummi and Tsleil-Waututh Nations   May 5th & 6th University of Oregon, ERB Memorial Green Eugene, OR Online livestream     7:30-8:30 program with speakers and blessing 8:30-9:30 film screens on 13-minute loop   May 14th Museum of the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute Umatilla Indian Reservation / Pendleton, OR   2pm 'Meet the Carvers' talk 7pm program with speakers and blessing 8:30pm film screens on 13-min loop Online livestream       Thank you !   The Natural History Museum leverages the power of history, museums, monuments, and movements to change narratives, build alliances, educate the public and drive civic engagement in support of community-led movements for climate and environmental justice. Our programs are made possible thanks to support from 4Culture, ATALM, Chorus Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Invoking the Pause, Myer Memorial Trust, National Geographic Foundation, NEH, Resource Legacy Fund, and countless individuals.   Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution today! Your support goes a long way.