UC Davis

This project examines Dakota/Nakoda women’s artistic practice as a decolonial method within cultural and historical knowledges. By examining alternative forms of Indigenous knowledges and histories, this work contributes to the avenues in which Indigenous people seek their sovereign rights of history. Specifically, this work implores oral history and beadwork methodology to prove Fort Peck Dakota/Nakoda women have always been tribal historians. Beaded histories offers a template to assert Indigenous women’s agency as history keepers, knowledge keepers, and pillars within our communities. The time periods studied in this project span pre-colonial interactions, colonial expansion, reservation establishment, to contemporary Indigeneity. These expansive time periods help solidify history keeping—through beadwork practices—as a Dakota/Nakoda women’s tradition and throughout colonialization our women have maintained these responsibilities. To assist with contemporary narrations, I implore oral history methodologies with my grandmother, Joyce Growing Thunder, whom is a renowned beadwork artist, to stress examples from her work that have kept tribal history. This project challenges colonial perceptions of Dakota/Nakoda women, our history, and the significance of our knowledge systems. Seeking alternative and creative forms of knowledge contributes to growing community-based decolonial work, Native American and Indigenous studies, history, art studies, and feminist studies.