Buy tickets here to participate in the live and silent auctions.

Featured artwork in our live art auction:

“Dolls”

Haskell Indian Nations University, originally called the United States Indian Industrial Training School, was founded in 1884 in Lawrence, Kansas. It was an Indian boarding school operated by the US Federal Government designed to forcibly assimilate Native American children into Western culture. Haskell, like the hundreds of other Indian boarding schools constructed by the US Federal Government in the mid-19th century, was designed to “Kill the Indian, save the man” (Richard Henry Pratt). Today, Haskell is a four-year university that serves students who represent more than 150 different tribes, each tribe possessing its own distinct culture, language, and history. Haskell holds powwows multiple times a year to celebrate tribal resistance, redefinition, sovereignty, cultural survivance, and hope. People from across the country travel to Lawrence to participate in these events where dozens of Native American vendors sell handmade food, artwork, and clothing. These Indigenous dolls were created by vendor Marty McKinney.

Starting bid at The Pageturner Fundraiser: $250

About Haley Rains and her Connection to the Midwest

My family is deeply connected to the Midwest. My great-great-grandfather, James D. Berryhill (Mvskoke), graduated from Haskell in 1931 when it was a high school. Almost 100 years later, I graduated from Haskell with my Bachelor’s in Native American Studies. I am deeply inspired by my family’s connection to Haskell and the amazing Indigenous people I encountered as a student there. I witnessed the beauty of a vast array of tribal traditions – each one unique. That experience inspires this photograph, which celebrates Indigeneity in all its diversity, color, and vibrancy. 

See Haley’s work in print in the Lightroom section of Issue 14 and for the feature “Ceremony is Protest, Protest is Ceremony” in Issue 07.

Personal hopes for art in the Midwest:

“…We are very much present, active, evolving, and living in full color.”

Historically, non-Indigenous photographers and artists have depicted Native Americans as members of a mythical and vanishing race; for example, early sepia tone and black and white photographs of American Indians portray them as relics of an unrecoverable past, frozen in time. Moving forward, I hope that art featuring Native Americans (particularly those whose traditional homelands are located in the Midwest) reflects the remarkable dynamism and triumphant courage that Indigenous people (past and present) possess. Indigenous people are the original stewards of this territory and not only survived but thrived here for thousands of years. It is essential that we recognize – and celebrate – their rich knowledge, experiences, and histories. Art has the power and influence to challenge historical misrepresentations and remind us that Native Americans and Indigenous people are not artifacts from the past — we are very much present, active, evolving, and living in full color. 

Buy tickets to The Pageturner here to participate in the live and silent auctions.

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