September 3, 2024
Tribal Relations Resources
In this edition of NASAA Notes, we share resources on state relationships with tribal nations and hear from the cochairs of NASAA’s Strengthening State Arts Agency Relationships with Native Communities initiative.
Paġliuġipsi! (“We welcome you!” in Inupiaq)
Wɔɔhéíh nʔííínɔɔhɔ́baaanh! (“Hello, good to see you!” in Aaniiih)
Hello, everyone!
We are excited to share a new resource from NASAA: Strengthening State Arts Agency Relationships with Native Communities. This report is the culmination of more than 18 months of dialogue with Indigenous artists, elders, culture bearers, tribal liaisons, leaders of Native organizations, and individuals working inside the tribal relations offices of U.S. state and federal government agencies.
This project is important on many levels. All artists face challenges, but Indigenous artists face extra hurdles from the effects of fraud and cultural appropriation. Additionally, Indigenous artists confront generational trauma, fight against the loss of tribal lifeways and mourn the passing of their culture bearers. Support to Native organizations and artists represents only about 0.4% of state arts agency grant funding, and many tribes are not aware that state arts agencies even exist.
Our field has a wonderful opportunity to do better in this realm—and NASAA is helping! The Strengthening State Arts Agency Relationships with Native Communities report offers:
- insights about the life experiences and views of Native people,
- action steps state arts agencies can take to build connections with Native organizations and Indigenous artists,
- examples of tribal relations practices being adopted by state arts agencies, and
- resources to guide your learning about sovereignty, Native history and working with tribes.
We encourage all state arts agencies to read and reflect on this excellent toolkit. To help you apply these ideas, NASAA will offer professional development opportunities on this topic, starting with a session at the NASAA Assembly 2024 conference in October.
This work was led by an Indigenous Circle of Advisors. We are deeply grateful for the expertise and good guidance they have shared, along with input NASAA received from more than 70 interviewees.
The resulting report provides helpful information. But more than that, it captures the essence of experiences that many people in the Indigenous arts community have on a daily basis. It shares some courageous truths as well as hopes for the future. We’re honored that this project can help these voices to be heard.
Quyaana naalaktuasi (“Thank you for listening” in Inupiaq)
Kéneiʔihéiʔaanʔɔ nihkhʔáchéiʔaaʔ! (“Thanks for listening!” in Aaniiih)
Thanks for listening!
Alice Bioff, Inupiaq
Trustee, Alaska State Council on the Arts
NASAA Board Member and Cochair, NASAA Circle of Advisors
Sean Falcon Chandler, Aaniiih
Executive Committee Member, Montana Arts Council
NASAA Board Member and Cochair, NASAA Circle of Advisors
In this Issue
From the President and CEO
State to State
Legislative Update
The Research Digest
Announcements and Resources
More Notes from NASAA
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