Graphic by Melanie Ohm
Arts and cultural participation as individuals and in community provide us with a way of making meaning of our personal human experiences and the world around us. Deep inquiry through observation, dialogue, research, reflection, and art making ground learning in an intensely personal way. The focus of that inquiry may be almost anything: another culture, a global challenge, a social issue, personal development, or even a pursuit in science or history. Beyond knowledge is the power to create as an expression of understanding, individually and communally. Making meaning through performance and visual media has been practiced by humans since ancient times. The Cultural Arts Coalition continues this practice. Recent projects are featured below. For an archive of the coalition’s work since 2005, please see “Past Community Arts Events.”
The Hopi Kinship and Culture video series includes three videos designed for educational use told through the words of Judy Butzine, project designer, writer, and director with additional content from participating artists.
This is Video 1 of the story of Hopi community sustainability, seeing Hopi culture through the work of Hopi artists and teachers. Special thanks to Debbie Drye, Hopi Badger Clan Mother.
Hopi kinship with and stewardship of the earth reflect a way of living that honors and sustains the earth. In this video the life and work of Arizona Hopi artist and architect Dennis Numkena is explored in particular. The narrative is brought to life by Ben Boomer, who spent time traveling the Southwest and Mexico with Numkena.
- Music by Diné artist Michael D. Goodluck
- Hopi Artists: Dennis Numkena, Pliny Draper, Michael Kabotie, Coochsiwukioma-Delbridge, Dalawepi Ergil Vallo, Stanley Honahili, Duane Koyawena, Jean Sahmie
- Videography and Video Production by Financial Potion, Taylor and Eric Wellman
This is Video 2 of the story of Hopi community sustainability. The curriculum is designed by Judy Butzine, MSW, in collaboration with Hopi educators and artists along with other Native Peoples.
Hopi kinship with and stewardship of the earth reflect a way of living that honors and sustains the earth. In this video the life and work of Arizona artist and conservation activist Anne Coe are seen as an honoring of the earth and its inhabitants. Anne Coe founded the Superstition Land Trust and uses her artwork as a form of advocacy for the environment. Told through the words of Anne Coe and Judy Butzine and brought to life by Ben Boomer.
- Music by Artist Oliverio Balcells
- Artists Anne Elizabeth Coe and Dennis Numkena
- Videography and Video Production by Financial Potion, Taylor and Eric Wellman
This video revisits the work of Dennis Numkena and Anne Elizabeth Coe, and features an interview with artist Hector Gonzales, who discusses the meaning of two of his paintings. The narrative is brought to life by Ben Boomer and Taylor Wellman.
The Cultural Arts Coalition dedicates this third video in the series to Debbie Drye, Hopi Badger Clan Mother, with gratitude for her two years of research and documentation assistance with the Hopi Kinship and Culture video series. Ms. Drye is a Heard American Indian Museum educator of more than two decades. For further learning, she guides us to the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office’s Recommended Readings.
- Music by Artist Oliverio Balcells
- Artists Anne Elizabeth Coe, Dennis Numkena, Hector Gonzales, Pliny Draper, Michael Kabotie, Coochsiwukioma-Delbridge, Honanie, Duane Koyawena, Sarah Cordova, Reggie Casillas, Gloria Martinez, Stanley Honahili, South Mountain High School student Tyler
- Videography by Michael Butzine
- Video Production by Financial Potion, Taylor and Eric Wellman
This video series, Hopi Culture and Kinship, may be copied, downloaded and freely distributed in classrooms and for other noncommercial uses. No alteration of these videos is permitted.