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Featured Artist, Rabbett Strickland
Rabbett ‘Before Horses’ Strickland is an Anishinaabe member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of northern Wisconsin. Rabbett grew up in the San Francisco Bay area with art as his constant lifestyle. His work has been influenced by European Renaissance and Baroque masters, including Botticelli, Michelangelo, Titian, Velasquez, Rubens and Leonardo, as well as by Ojibwe mythology. His work has been influenced by European Renaissance and Baroque masters, including Botticelli, Michelangelo, Titian, Velasquez, Rubens and Leonardo, as well as by Ojibwe mythology
Rabbett’s paintings each tell an individual story of Nanabozho that take the viewer to new and unexpected realms of personal relevance and universally meaningful content. Rabbett Strickland's paintings introduce viewers to Nanabozhoo, who first appeared to the artist in his dreams. Nanabozhoo is a complex character from Ojibwe mythology, both of the Earth and a creator of all things and creatures on Earth.
Possessing supernatural powers, he creates medicines to heal the sick and give assistance to the weak and oppressed. But like humanity, Nanabozhoo has been "subject to the need to learn.” Sometimes he is an active participant in the painting; more often, he is a solemn witness.
The supreme being for Strickland's Nanabozhoo is the Earth - Gitchi Manitou. Nanabozhoo is an emissary from Gitchi Manitou. He did not come into the world but rather came from it. Both spirit (manitou) and human, Nanabozhoo embodies that which everyone must decide: Are you a part of the earth or did you come from someplace else?
What you might learn from this museum
History, Treaties, Culture, Civil Rights, Constitutional Rights, Science and how Change is Made. This museum is intended to share these stories with you and allow us all to have these discussions.
Treaties and Covenants: Please view and think about some of the Indigenous treaties and thinking about these agreements, not only between people, but between people and the land, and the animals.
Language: You will see different forms of writing and different languages. We are proud to offer some of our Anishinaabemowin, and we are proud to share some of the ways that our people write not only our language, but our names, in old times and in new times.
Art: You will see several styles of Ojibwe and Dakota art featuring the original Dodaemag (the clans) mural and work of Brian Dow, Red Lake Anishinaabe, and also original art piece of the Sweet Corn Treaty by Inkpa Mani (click).
Water: You will learn about the water- the water of here, the water of our ancestors and descendants is the same water. You will have an opportunity to learn about how water is central to life, and also to learn about what challenges we face in protecting water.
History: You will learn about Minnesota history, in a way that is rarely shared, an Indigenous narrative. Some of that will feel unfamiliar to you, and maybe uncomfortable. Know that our intention is give our visitors an opportunity to view and understand more fully the history of the land and people, and to allow us all a space to have discussions and learn together.
Civil and Constitutional Rights, the Rights of Nature: You will see a lot of people who got arrested. That’s not easy to see, and at the same time, we hope you will come to understand more about these people, Water Protectors and Anishinaabe people, and understand the complex society in which we live. See if you can understand civil rights, constitutional rights and treaty rights, as concepts.
This is the first chapter. There will be other exhibits here, and we welcome volunteers, and help of all kinds. We are a small, committed crew, mostly volunteers, who brought this together. We are not professionals (although we do have some on our board). We are, however, the people from these stories, and this place, omaa akiing.
We hope to create more virtual materials and information from this museum, work with schools to coordinate curriculum development and have some staff and continued support. We will also hope to make more exhibits. Let us know if you’re interested or can help. info@giiwdinong.org
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Grand Opening is projected on Indigenous People’s Day, October 12th. Subscribe to receive news, and event invitation.
Minnesota’s first treaty rights, and culture museum.
Right in the heart of the 1855 treaty territory of the Anishinnabeg.
Giiwedinong will be a destination location for all interested in the history of this land, settler and native agreements, treaties, and the waters.
We will feature both historic exhibits and emerging artists for our youth, elders and communities. In 2022, Akiing.org, an Anishinaabe-led restoration and community development organization purchased the former Carnegie Library, turned Enbridge office to create a Museum of Culture and Treaty Rights in downtown Park Rapids, Minnesota. Giiwedinong is the first museum of its kind to share the treaties, stories and education of the Deep North, spanning from Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, and beyond in Turtle Island.
We recognize, uplift, and promote both emerging and established Anishinaabe artists in their diverse storytelling mediums. We recognize that in order for art to be accessible, we need to bring it out into the community and provide space for art in our everyday lives and promote access internally (for our Anishinaabe people) and externally (as a tool for racial and social justice). We are interested in dialogue and education on these critical issues of the intersections of Indigenous peoples, environment, public policies and fossil fuel economies.
Giiwedinong is led by a team of Indigenous historians, artists and community members.
We will be the first Native independently controlled museum in the state, and we are planning to open by the end of summer in October!
