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Lakota woman leaves behind powerful legacy
RAPID CITY, S.D. — Beverly “Bev” Stabber Warne often reflected on memories of her grandfather drumming and singing at the crack of dawn and at sunset. She was born in a traditional way, beside a creek surrounded by her Lakota culture, and despite living in Thailand, Mexico and Arizona, Warne always kept her Lakota ways close to her heart.
At 84 years old on Sunday, April 14, Warne died in Rapid City, S.D. She was enveloped in love from friends, family and those she’d mentored through her life. The Oglala Lakota woman left behind a long legacy as a nurse, a mentor, a teacher, a mother, a knowledge keeper, and a powerful activist in the Indigenous Rapid City community.
When she was 9, Warne’s family left the reservation and moved to Rapid City. Native people weren’t allowed to own homes or rent in the city, so the family lived in a tent by Rapid Creek in Camp Oshkosh – a community of Lakota people living in tents and small clapboard homes. As the eldest, Warne took care of her siblings.
Walking down Main Street for the first time, Warne spotted a sign that read “No Indians Allowed.” Confused, she asked her father why. Her father responded, “Because they don’t know us.” That statement became incredibly important to Warne, her family said. Warne was highly dedicated to educating the Rapid City community about Indigenous people and providing pathways for Indigenous people to accomplish their goals. READ MORE . — Amelia Schafer, ICT and Rapid City Journal
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Choctaw artist to represent US at Venice Biennale
In a major invitation, acclaimed artist Jeffrey Gibson, Choctaw and Cherokee, will be the first Indigenous artist to represent the US as a solo artist in the 60th International Art Exhibition at the Venice Biennale . Considered the most prestigious contemporary art exhibition in the world, the exhibit hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors to see exciting new art every two years. Taking place April 20-Nov. 24, Gibson’s show, “the space in which to place me,” is a title taken from Oglala Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier’s poem “Ȟe Sápa.”
Gibson will bring together his vibrant sculpture, multimedia, paintings, paintings on paper, and video to fill a large historic pavilion inside and out.
“We got started, when I say we, I mean the curators and myself, agreed to put together a proposal during the Indian Market of 2022,” Gibson told ICT. “Site Santa Fe, one of the commissioning museums where I had a show, hosted us so we could get together and talk and decided this is something everybody wanted to get on board with. Once we decided, yes, we're going to put together a proposal, we knew we had about six months to do it.
“We wrote the proposal and sent it off in April of 2023. We started making things here in the studio in December 2023. If we were selected, great, we were going to be able to have enough time. If we were not selected, then I would have found other places to exhibit the work. Everything shipped out weeks ago. Everything arrived safely. READ MORE . — Sandra Hale Schulman, Special to ICT
Wetlands preservation applauded by Fort Yuma Quechan Tribe
In the 20 years since rehabilitation efforts began in the Yuma East Wetlands, the riparian habitat has gone from a dangerous illegal dumping site overrun with invasive plants to a place where people can safely access the Colorado River as native plants, birds, bugs and wildlife thrive.
And at the beginning of April, the Department of the Interior announced it was awarding $5 million to protect and maintain Yuma East Wetlands. And another Arizona project, Topock Marsh, is receiving $20 million for restoration.
“Protecting these wetlands is important to the local communities as well as to the greater health of the lower basin of the Colorado River,” Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton said in a press release .
According to the department, funding comes from the Biden administration’s Investing in America Agenda, which includes efforts to address the ongoing drought and strengthen water security across the Southwest. READ MORE . — AZ Mirror
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