S3E2: 2024 Community Spirit Awardee, Golga Oscar (Yup'ik)

08/08/24 • 13 min

Have you ever wondered how art can be a powerful vessel for preserving cultural heritage? Meet 2024 Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award Honoree Golga Oscar (Yup'ik), who shares their profound journey from a childhood fascination with Inuit art to becoming a celebrated textile artist rooted in the rich traditions of the Yupik Nation. Golga recounts their awe-inspiring experiences at the Yup'ik dance ceremony, Kuvvigik, and how these cultural moments propelled them to create traditional attire that honors her ancestors. Discover the pivotal role their community and the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) played in shaping their artistic journey, and how their art becomes a bridge to her spiritual connection with nature.

Previous Episode

S3E1: Tiana Spotted Thunder - A Symphony of Storytelling and Song

Tiana Spotted Thunder, an Oglala Lakota musician, shares the rich tapestry of sound that weaves traditional powwow rhythms with the contemporary beats of hip-hop and R&B. Her voice, a conduit for heritage and healing, shares the complexities of her musical journey, revealing the personal joys and challenges she faces in the studio. Tiana's artistry is a surprising kaleidoscope, as she confesses her love for genres as diverse as grunge and alternative rock, which color her creative expression.
The music Tiana crafts bears the weight of memory, the lightness of hope, and the colors of our deepest emotions. In a heartfelt discussion with Talon Ducheneaux (Cheyenne River Lakota), Program Manager of the Wicahpi Olowan Music Program and Studio, we uncover the sacred art of songwriting as a tribute to those who have danced ahead to the spirit world. Talon's conversation with Tiana delves into the intricacies of composing in Lakota, the language of her ancestors, and the delicate dance of self-accompaniment.
Learn more about the First Peoples Fund - Wicahpi Olowan Music Program and Studio at https://bit.ly/WicahpiOlowan

Next Episode

S3E3: Sheila Ransom (Akwasasne Mohawk Nation)

What if your craft could become your sanctuary and medicine? Join us as we sit down with 2024 Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Award Honoree, Sheila Ransom, a master basket maker from the St. Regis Mohawk tribe, who shares her incredible 30-year journey into the heart of this ancient art. Sheila didn't start her craft until later in life, under the mentorship of her godmother and other master artisans, but her connection to basket-making has since become a profound source of healing and inspiration. Sheila's vivid storytelling reveals how the natural world and everyday objects can ignite creativity and lead to stunning, unique designs.

Collective Spirit Podcast - S3E2: 2024 Community Spirit Awardee, Golga Oscar (Yup'ik)

Transcript

Speaker 100:00:02.785

When I started to realize the importance of my culture , identity , along with the traditions that it has , the more I found beauty in it , and what I mean by beauty is that the significance of the stories , the color and number system , of how my people used to be deeply rooted into the spiritual system and of how the spiritual system really connects with Mother Earth and sky .