Event shares what Indigenous resilience means during a time of immigration enforcement
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Organizers gathered in the Guthrie Theater's Dowling Studio to prepare for a night of performances. Eric Pillatzki of drum group Oyate Singers filled the room with songs of prayer and memorial — including the Drum Song.
“It basically is the singer announcing his intent, telling the people to come and look and pay attention, and we will try to make you happy. But it's not always easy,” he said.
Pillatzki, along with members of Oyate Singers, came to show support for the event "Stories for Indigenous Resilience." The event was put together by the Guthrie Theater's Native Advisory Council and Mni Giizhik Theatre Ensemble, an Indigenous-led theater group.
Sara Pillatzki-Warzeha is one of three co-founders of Mni Giizhik Theatre Ensemble. She said the event was held in response to the emotions and struggles the community has felt in recent weeks with immigration enforcement activity.
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“The stories that are being told tonight are things that tell us how to sustain, how to survive moments like this and showcase really who we are, as Indigenous people and on Dakota homeland,” said Pillatzki-Warzeha.
Drum group member Leo Gunner Baker shared similar sentiments. He drove up to Minneapolis from southwestern Minnesota to be at the event.
“It makes me proud to be able to say that no matter what they've thrown at us, we're still here. We're still alive. We're not your mascots. We're not historical figures. We're current,” Gunner Baker said.
As immigration enforcement surged, concerns of racial profiling and even detainments of Indigenous community members heightened for tribal communities. Tribal nations encouraged members to carry tribal identification cards and held pop-up sessions to obtain them.
“I think the occupation that's happening is making a lot of us feel, rightfully so, that we need to stay home and be safe,” said Sequoia Hauck, co-founder of Mni Giizhik Theatre Ensemble. “I also think there's a big message in coming together as a community and healing together and being in the same space with our spirits here all together.”
After the shootings of Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti, ensemble co-founder Adrienne Zimiga-January said Indigenous resilience for her also means passing on hope to neighbors and community members.
“We let our neighbors know who we are. We let them know we're there for each other. We let them know we're here to help. And for me, that is what Indigenous resilience is,” Zimiga-January said.
The event was also held to raise funds for Indigenous organizations providing mutual aid and assistance to the community. Proceeds from ticket sales and donations were given to metro area organizations, North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems and Pow Wow Grounds.
Blossom Johnson is the education and engagement associate at the Guthrie Theater and works with the Native Advisory Council. She said holding the event is one way for the theater to support the local community.
“This event is bringing a lot of people from different backgrounds, identities together,” Johnson said. “The people behind the scenes are also from different backgrounds and identities who are bringing this event together.”
Pillatzki-Warzeha said performances included singing, storytelling, poetry and traditional drums.
“We're trying to let people know that they can engage and bring forth their art form, in whatever form that is — however they find resilience, however they keep themselves strong, how they keep their community strong,” she said.
The event saw nearly a full house in the studio as community gathered to show support.
Chandra Colvin covers Native American communities in Minnesota for MPR News via Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues and communities.
