WOMEN IN HIP-HOP
Nobody Knows My Name, By Rachel Raimist distributed by Women Make Movies
Performances
Spoken word and performance artists Desdamona and Leah Nelson responded to Raimist's documentary through spoken word, poetry, and movement. Students from The St. Paul Central High School Theater Group responded to the film.
INDIGENAS
Indigenas featured films, videos, and performances for, by and about the cross-cultural junctures between the Native American experience and the colonial experience of new immigrants from contemporary indigenous cultures.
Local Karen dancers, singers and storytellers shared their stories, dance and music as part of Words! Camera! Action! – Matriarchs. Their stories were challenging to the storytellers and the listeners alike. By using artistic expression to catalyze better understanding of their indigenous experience, White Earth Anishinabe writer and performance artist Marcie Rendon lead a writing workshop with local Karen immigrant women. Through Indigenas, they did weave an onstage/onscreen dialogue to ask questions, share histories, find commonalities around indigenous and immigrant stories.
The Karens are an indigenous cultural minority from the highlands near the Myanmar-Thai border who have had to struggle against human rights abuses and displacement. When Indigenas was performed there were about 450 Karen refugees living in Minnesota.
Videos by In-Progress: Native American youth videos from Four Directions (Minneapolis) and Nett Lake Band of Chippewa Indians.
"As I Grow" by Rikki Parker Native American young voices send gentle messages to parents and elders about how we can care for our youth. "Ojibwe Language" by Jeanné Peirce The poetry of Ojibwe words in poetic imagery. "Dear Dad" by Kerry Buckanaga An homage to the videomaker's father, and to all fathers. "The Women in Our Lives" by Sai Thao Colorful family photographs presents a moving homage to the Hmong women and girls in Sai Thao's family. "The Spirit Within Us" by La Shae Brooks A celebration of the earth and natural world of which we are a part. "Spirit Island: Our Sacred Home" by Felicia Mason A moving tribute to the videomaker's grandfather, keeper of stories and treasurer of family memories. Nett Lake Band of Chippewa Indians
BODY IMAGE
A quarterly presentation where moving images on the big screen fuse with spoken word and performance onstage.
Body Image featured videos and spoken word performances addressing issues about our bodies ranging from health and wellness and physical self-concepts to the personal experiences that impact the way we look at our bodies.
CHILD SOLDIERS
Combining moving images with performance, this evening takes a hard look at the past and present involvement of children in war. Local teen and young adult spoken word, rap and performance artists respond to the topic of the videos to bring the message home.
"We Don't Want No War" by Edwin Daniel, Schwarbu Emile Kamara, Jane Peters, Rashid Peters, Mohamed Sidibay
"Children Of War" by Jimmie Briggs
"An Army of Children" by the Walker Art Center Teen Arts Council
"No Child" by PTCV
"Innocent Voices" by Luis Mandoki
"Rapping At Fear" by Polimorfo
Performance Artists:
ibé Kaba
Michelle Barnes (South High School Senior)
Bleed Yellow (South High School Freshman)
Nikko Sencer-Mura (Marcy Open School)
Words! Camera! Action! Was presented in partnership with SASE The Write Place.