Celebration of Native American Music and Dance on Aug. 9
The Springfield Public Library and Springfield History Museum in partnership with Beyond Toxics, Chifin Native Youth Center, City of Springfield, University of Oregon Many Nations Longhouse, and Willamalane Park and Recreation District, is thrilled to announce an upcoming performance by Portland-based Painted Sky Northstar Dance Company. This captivating and culturally enriching event will take place at Island Park (200 West B St) from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, August 9th. The event is free and open to the public, and no registration is required. It is for all ages, and all community members are encouraged to join and experience the transformative power of music, dance, and community.
The Painted Sky Northstar Dance Company performance is a celebration that fosters understanding, respect and connection across cultures. By embracing the rich heritage of Native American traditions, this event creates a space where people can come together and appreciate the beauty and significance of these time-honored customs.
The program will begin at 10:30 a.m. with the Painted Sky’s intertribal music and dance performance. At noon, Kunu Bearchum and other local Native artists will take the stage, captivating the audience with traditional and modern Native American music and dance.
“We are excited to bring the Painted Sky Northstar Dance Company to Springfield in collaboration with our esteemed partners,” said Mindy Linder, Community Engagement Specialist at the Springfield Public Library and History Museum. “This event is part of our Summer Reading outdoor multicultural program series which seeks to be inclusive of diverse artforms, cultures, languages and histories of our area. The series offers ‘mirrors and windows’ for the community. Mirrors that reflect back the familiar and windows to welcome curiosity and celebration of something different from your own lived experience.”
This event is part of a response to a Tribal Community Planning Dialogue hosted by Willamalane Park and Recreation District and the City of Springfield in October of 2022. The Springfield Public Library and History Museum noted that some information gathered at the dialogue related to their areas of service including communication and outreach to Native people, accurate information and history, and community events. The Library and History Museum reached out to members of the local Native community to build relationships and determine next steps, which led to hosting this event as a community-wide effort in Island Park.
Springfield is located on Kalapuya Ilihi, the traditional Indigenous homeland of the Kalapuya people. Hosts of the event wish to express respect for all the federally recognized Tribal Nations of Oregon, which also include the Burns Paiute Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Coquille Indian Tribe, the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, and the Klamath Tribes.
The Painted Sky Northstar Dance Company event on August 9 will feature intertribal artists and performers from many First Nations in Oregon and beyond to present an immersive experience that bridges gaps, encourages dialogue, and promotes cultural exchange.
For more information about the Painted Sky Northstar Dance Company Performance or any other library events, please visit https://springfield-or.libcal.com/event/10712987 or contact Mindy Linder at 541.744.3388 or mlinder@springfield-or.gov.
Who: Springfield community members and beyond are invited
What: Painted Sky Northstar Dance Company
When: 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Where: Island Park, 200 West B St. in Springfield, OR
Additional Information: Mindy Linder, 541.744.3388 or mlinder@springfield-or.gov
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