Monday, August 11, 2008

RNR Radio; travels and writing

Since my last post much has happened. I have travelled to White Earth Reservation in northern minnesota to interview Ojibwe artists; i have most recently been in Boston and Portland Maine for other work; and the end of August I will travel to Bemidji, Minnensota to interview more Ojibwe artists.

It is interesting that going on to the reservation we arrive with a handful or artists names and then by the 2nd day we are up to 30 to 40 names of artists. It is true that we, as native people, are artists; and also true that we don't necessarily separate our art from our daily lives, Artists working at their kitchen table or garage is commonplace for their studio.

Native artists also comment frequently about their artistic ability being a gift; or a gift of healing - this is how they cope with hard times, hard lives, desperate situations - and the creator blesses them with a means to keep moving forward.

We have also started rehearsals for our first Raving Natives Radio play. Adventures at Camp KaKeeKwaSha and the Magic Musky Casino! Just the rehearsals have been great fun - with the exciting new talent of three young people doing radio theater for the first time. I am hoping to be able to post photos in the near future.

My play: Friends.... is being published in a women's anthology out of New Brunswick..

I have two poems in the book County Lines published by Loonfeather Press
and
a short story coming out in a Milkweed anthology
it is good to be published - especially when trying to make a living at this thing called writing.