This program will be held in-person at the Newberry. Please register below.
Join us for performances by the Black Hawk Performance Company, introduced by Dorene Wiese, interspersed with a presentation by photographer Sharon Hoogstraten about regalia used by Potawatomi tribes across the nation.
This event is part of programming connected with our free exhibition, Indigenous Chicago, running September 12, 2024, through January 4, 2025. Programming for the exhibition and related programs is generously supported by Art Design Chicago.
Performers and Speakers
Black Hawk Performance Company provides an outlet for experienced American Indian talent to share native cultures with the general public and provides a venue for young native people to learn to celebrate the many tribal songs and dances that enrich the lives of tribal people. Members of the BHPC speak five different native languages and present oral history, storytelling, flute playing, and traditional as well as modern music in their presentations. Black Hawk, founded in 1984 by Carlos (Zeke) Peynetsa, is the oldest American Indian dance company in Chicago.
Dr. Dorene P. Wiese, an Ojibwe tribal member, is Chief Executive Officer of the American Indian Association of Illinois, as well as a political strategist, educator, organizer, artist, photographer, filmmaker, media agent, and leader in the Urban American Indian movement. She is a founding member of the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative.
Sharon Hoogstraten, a tribal member of Citizen Potawatomi Nation, is a photographer, filmmaker, and Emmy award-winning graphic designer and animator. For her book Dancing for Our Tribe: Potawatomi Tradition in the New Millennium, she spent more than ten years documenting members from Potawatomi nations across North America. Her large-format canvas portraits of Potawatomi Indians have been exhibited in numerous museums and institutions.
Cost and Registration
This program is free and open to all. Advance registration required.
Registration opens August 1.
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Past Public Programs
Check out video recordings of past Newberry public programs on our YouTube channel.