Remember
From my studio desk. Cover painting is the Lone Woman, a historically acurate depiction painted for the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum by Holli Harmon. Noticias is a journal published by the Santa Barbara Museum of History.
As I was sitting down to write this missive, I was stumped.
How do I begin a story that is over 100 years old? The story has not finished yet, we don’t know the ending, or really the beginning. The one thing I do know, is that the Lone Woman, aka Juana Maria or Karana from Scott Odell’s book The Island of the Blue Dolphins, is a very significant person. Her life still has meaning and impact. New information continues to surface, through archeological and digital digging. If you pick up the latest copy of Noticias, from the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, you can learn more about this historic figure.
I had the good fortune to work with the experts who are making new discoveries everyday. They guided me in painting a historically acurate portrait. You can see this painting at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum in the Chumash Hall.
A new museum, called the Chrisman California Islands Center,
is preparing to open in Carpinteria California.
Currently, I am painting an 8x14 foot backdrop for a diorama that will feature the story of the Lone Woman. Timing is an amazing thing. I loved the historic novel about this brave woman as a child, and now I get to play a part in telling her life story. Time loops in on itself. I continue to learn, and perhaps, more importantly, un-learn more about our First Nations.
When I can’t find the words to say what I want, I go to my poetry collection and get inspired by these word smiths. I found the perfect poem, written by our current National Poet Laureate, Joy Harjo. She is also the first Native American to hold the position. Like I said, timing is an amazing thing.
Remember
by Joy Harjo, poet Laureate
Remember the sky that you were born under,
know each of the star's stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is.
Remember the sun's birth at dawn, that is the
strongest point of time. Remember sundown
and the giving away to night.
Remember your birth, how your mother struggled
to give you form and breath. You are evidence of
her life, and her mother's, and hers.
Remember your father. He is your life, also.
Remember the earth whose skin you are:
red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth
brown earth, we are earth.
Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their
tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,
listen to them. They are alive poems.
Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the
origin of this universe.
Remember you are all people and all people
are you.
Remember you are this universe and this
universe is you.
Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.
Remember language comes from this.
Remember the dance language is, that life is.
Remember.
