The New York Native community and our friends got together two evenings this May to pay tribute to four women whose contribution and commitment to the lives of indigenous people have been immeasurable. On May 19, 2005 we got together at the National Museum of the American Indian to fete Lisa Mayo, Gloria Miguel and Muriel Miguel, three Brooklyn born and raised Kuna/Rappahannock women collectively known as Spiderwoman Theatre. The next evening the community gathered at United Nations Plaza as The Flying Eagle Woman Fund for Peace, Justice and Sovereignty and American Indian Community House celebrated the life of Flying Eagle Woman, Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa...click here for more...

The sunlight gave an auburn glow to Missy’s hair as she stood in front of the paint chipped mirror. She studied her reflection and loosened one of her long braids, letting her hair cascade past her shoulders.Missy's bangs complimented her brown, almond shaped eyes, prominent cheekbones and strong jaw so characteristic of her Lakota ancestry. Her face had the look of both innocence and maturity. Sometimes she felt a tremendous sadness and responsibility for her tender eleven years...click here for more...

In 2000 I had the privilege of interviewing Spiderwoman Theater. After attending the New Tribe New York tribute in their honor at the National Museum of the American Indian this past May 2005, I sat down and listened to the tapes again. The spider weaves an intricate, delicate, yet resilient web of many threads. For Spiderwoman Theater each thread is a story, overlapping and intermingling with each other. This "story weaving" results in a powerful web - a performance piece or play. The threads are spun from the lives of the three Spiderwoman sisters, Lisa Mayo the eldest, Gloria Miguel the middle child, and Muriel Miguel, the rebellious baby. Some threads are borrowed from other women...click here for more ...

Sky Earth Child | Poetry by Clifford Bernie

The community was saddened to hear of the sudden loss recently of Clifford Bernie (Nakota), also known as Storm Horse. Clifford’s poetry spoke of his experience as a Native man and his work appeared in such publications as Minneapolis Tribune, South Dakota Writer Anthology and Talking Stick, to name but a few. Here we remember Bernie with a poem from his collection Bear Dreamer ... click here for more...

Funding Opportunities

Find out the latest on residencies, festivals, markets, fellowships, prizes, internships, classes, rehearsal spaces and much more ...click here for more...