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OCTOBER 1,2008
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Fifteen students, including two
Grand Ronde Tribal members,
explored the world of traditional
Native American aquatic transpor
tation Aug. 10-24 at the A. Susana
Santos: Journeys in Creativity
2008 camp "Art of the Canoe."
The community program is part
of the Oregon College of Art &
Craft in Portland.
Native American students from
Oregon, Washington, California
and Montana, as well as two Maori
students from New Zealand and
one from the United Kingdom,
participated in this year's camp.
Grand Ronde youth were 16-year-old
Santiago Atanacio and
Tribal descendant Joey Holmes,
also 16.
At this year's camp, participants
explored various aspects of Native
American art and culture related
to Tribal canoe culture.
Guided by experienced artists
and instructors Tony Johnson
(Chinook), John Hudson (Tsimshi
an) and John Smith (Skokomish),
the youths worked side-by-side
with them in intensive, hands-on
art workshops making carving
knives, model dugout canoes,
canoe paddles and, finally, as a
group, the students built a full-size
Chinook seal hunting canoe.
Throughout the week, partici-
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Ad created by George Valdet
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Tribal member Santiago Atanacio
pants heard from various artists,
including Wendy Red Star (Crow),
Jackie Smith (Skokomish), Shan
non Hudson and Kayeri Akweks
(Mohawk), and author Harvey
Golden.
Participants also shared cross
cultural experiences and customs
common to people of the Pacific
Rim, including singing and danc
ing with the Grand Ronde Chinook
Canoe Family and paddling a
Hawaiian outrigger canoe on the
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Tribal descendant Joey Holmes
Willamette River.
The students' work will be exhib
ited in a traveling art show locally
in the Pacific Northwest and at
a national venue. Last year, the
students showed their work at the
Smithsonian's National Museum
of the American Indian in Wash
ington, D.C.
The Journeys in Creativity Pro
gram was co-founded in 2004 as a
partnership with the Oregon College
of Art and Craft, Museum at Warm
Springs and Kah-Nee-Ta High
Desert Resort by the late A. Susana
Santos, an alumna of the college and
a Warm Springs Tribal member.
Santos sought to help further
the study of contemporary Native
American art and craft for Native
American students who might
pursue a secondary education or
profession in the arts.
Also at this year's camp, friends,
family, faculty and camp partici
pants formally named the Journeys
program in her honor at the camp's
closing honoring dinner. They also
honored the contributions made
by co-founder Pat Courtney-Gold
and program proponent, the late
Warren "Rudy" Clements.
The Journeys camp is held annu
ally in mid-August on the college's
campus. It is open to 16 youth 15 to
19 years of age who show an inter
est and talent in art and exploring
Tribal culture.
The program is fully funded by
many sponsors and is free to se
lected participants. Campers stay
on-campus in dorm-style housing
and are accompanied by chaper
ones throughout the program's
duration.
For more information about the
camp, contact Shirod Younker at
503-297-5544, ext. 148, or e-mail
syounkerocac.edu. D