Bunnell Street Arts Center is situated within the sovereign tribal boundaries of Ninilchik Village Tribe,* lands that have been stewarded for thousands of years, since time immemorial, by the Indigenous people of this region– Dena’ina, Sugpiaq, Yup’ik and Kachemak peoples before them. Chin’an, Chiqinik, Quyana, Thank you! We are committed to resisting colonialism by partnering with Indigenous artists and supporting Indigenous-led practices.
Bunnell Street Arts Center’s Land Acknowledgement is a Living Document. We offer this statement with good intentions. It is not our intent to offend and we welcome feedback on how we can continue to improve our efforts on this journey.
*Learn more about the mission and history of the Ninilchik Village Tribe.
Land Acknowledgement Workshop on Zoom w/ Melissa Shaginoff, May 15, 1-3pm
“Land Acknowledgment is the public recognition of Indigenous peoples. The Alaska Native people have stewarded this place for thousands of years. Their acute knowledge of this environment created a sustainable and symbiotic relationship with the waters, plants and animals of…
Documentation and Installation of Land Acknowledgment Action, September 5, 2020
Melissa Shaginoff returned to Homer with videographer Hanna Craig to document and record experiences of Land Acknowledgment in Action with support from The Community Fund of National Performance Network and the Social Justice Fund of Alaska Community Foundation. We shared…
Part 1: “We Were Not Discovered. How Should Captain Cook Be Remembered?” July 10, 2020
Born in Fairbanks, Alaska to a Tlingit/N’ishga Mother and Hippy/American father, Da-ka-xeen Mehner uses the tools of family ancestry and personal history to build his art. his work stems from an examination of a multicultural heritage and social expectations and…
Part 2: Where We Begin: Tuggeht, At the Shore, July 17, 2020
Where We Begin: Tuggeght, At the Shore” Learning about Land Acknowledgement with Emily Johnson and Amber Webb. This is the second conversation in a five-part series of conversations on Land Acknowledgment with Indigenous Alaska artists in July and August. Amber…
Part 3: Marking Tuggeht, an Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Initiative with Argent Kvasnikoff and civic partners, July 24, 2020
“Marking Tuggeht: an Indigenous Land-Acknowledgement Initiative with Argent Kvasnikoff and civic partners.” This is the third conversation in a five-part series of dialogues with Indigenous Alaska artists as part of a community process of education and transparency in decision-making about…
Part 4: Indigenizing Monuments with Joel Isaak & Ruth Miller, July 31, 2020
Joel Isaak’s family is from the village of Ch’aghałnikt (Point Possession) and currently lives in Soldotna. His Dena’ina name, Łiq’a yes, translates to salmon skin which relates to his pursuits of learning fish skin sewing. Joel is an artist, educator…
Part 5: Acknowledgment in Action with Melissa Shaginoff, Sally Ash & Syverine Bentz, August 7, 2020
Melissa Shaginoff (Ahtna, Piaute) discusses an ephemeral land marking project, “Acknowledgement in Action,” With Sally Ash (Sugpiaq, Nanwalek) Alaska Native of the Chugach Region, Sugt’estun language teacher and Syverine Bentz, Education Coordinator Coastal Training Program, Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research…