In conjunction with the special exhibition, Minohsayaki ‘Painted Robes’: a Peewaalia and Myaamia Story of Reclamation, artist Michael Galban (Washoe and Mono Lake Paiute) presented a lecture entitled: “Requickening and Awakening the Dormant.“ The lecture presented on March 16th at the Richard and Carole Cocks Art Museum at Miami University (RCCAM), Oxford, Ohio, explored the histories of Woodland arts traditions, how these painted hide objects entered European and American collections. Galban has researched how these items were used and also documented over time, focusing on the significance and process of painted hides by Tribes of the Great Lakes region, particularly from the 17th-18th centuries. These painted hide robes have played an important role for Indigenous people – they were used for protection from the elements, and a place to convene with friends and loved ones, as well as tracing of history and culture over generations. Galban also discussed the significance of making the hides, painting techniques, usage of pigments, and sourcing of materials to create different colors. To find out more about the painted robes and the exhibition, please see this webinar hosted by the Miami University Alumni Association.
This program was supported by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation through the Humanities Without Walls Consortium, which is administered by the University of Illinois. The exhibition and program is part of the Reclaiming Stories Project.