Online Caddo Language Database

Online Caddo Language Database

web 2.0  

Digital Language Preservation Test

In an effort to make Caddo language more accessible to a global community, I am testing the use of Blist, "an online social database" website.

Here is the CaddoLanguge Blist, which allows searching its contents by using the "Find in this Blist" text field.

CaddoLanguage

Powered by blist

I will continue to test this and other communication modes. For now, enjoy the Blist and keep Hasinai alive by learning and using the language.

Eiteljorg Event in 2009

Eiteljorg Event in 2009

native americans in comic books  

Panel Discussion

See me at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indiana !
http://www.eiteljorg.org/ejm_WhatsHappening/EventsCalendar/default.asp

John Ostrander – Check out this link for a bio, award and writing list http://www.comicbookdb.com/creator.php?ID=108. Blaze of Glory, Apache Skies, Grimjack & The Kents, to name some, as well as his work on MANY other titles including Batman, JLA, Star Wars, Wolverine and X-Men titles. He also moderates a great message board http://www.comicmix.com/contributor/john-ostrander/.

Steve Sanderson (Cree) – artist/writer residing in Vancouver, B.C. – works with The Healthy Aboriginal to create comics about health and social issues for Aboriginal youth. Has worked with the Cartoon Network & Rockstar Games among others. Steve was selected to be an Artist in Residence at the Eiteljorg for a month later in 2009. Google him and you’ll find tons of great reviews/articles/etc.

Dan Piraro – writer/artist for the series Bizarro http://www.bizarro.com/; there’s an interesting overview here: http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/bizarro/about.htm. Dan really covers a wide variety of topics with his internationally known work. He has over a dozen publications and also performs a one man show “The Bizarro Baloney Show”. The day after the WNRC program, Sunday 1/25/09, Dan will be performing a show here loosely title “The Bizarro West”. I started coming across Dan’s Western and Native themed work last year it’s very funny and insightful and Dan has great stories to go along with them. Dan will be our Artist in Residence during the week before the program.

Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo) – Michael hs done some interesting research & writing into Native Portrayals in video games as well as being knee deep in his newly published book "Native Americans in Comic Books," was part of the 2007 program, and offered up loads of great information. Michael is a very busy guy in general http://www.anm-okc.110mb.com/ !

We also have several local folks that have been amazing resources for content, inspiration, research, planning and sending interns!

Dr. Greg Reinhardt – University of Indianapolis http://archlab.uindy.edu/faculty_reinhardtbio.php . In addition to the bio here Greg has the most pristine collection of comic books featuring “Indian” content on the covers ever seen– hopefully he’ll bring some back in ’09!

Dr. Larry Zimmerman – IUPUI/Eiteljorg Museum http://www.larryjzimmerman.com/profile.html . Larry’s work time is shared between the Eiteljorg and IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis) his work in Museum Studies and Native American Representation has helped create a lot of interest in the Eiteljorg program’s topic locally.

Andy Holtzman – Andy is a comic enthusiast and organizes the major comic show in greater Indianapolis . http://www.ashcomicshows.com/ He’ll be helping Eiteljorg to get the word out and arrange for some vendors to be present at the event – passing on his own show to contribute to ours!

Robin McBride Scott – Besides being an amazing artist, educator and presenter Robin has a very large collection of comics with Native themes. Robin was at the Eiteljorg as an Artist in Residence and collects comics. She’s been super busy with traveling around the county for museum work.

UCO Lecture

UCO Lecture

UCO lecture  

Public Lecture

Look for me at the UCO English Department's Sherman Chaddlesone Arts & Letters Lecture Series
http://www.libarts.ucok.edu/english/

Date: 02/12/09 (Thursday)
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Pegasus Theater

Topics will include my book (Native Americans in Comics) , Indigenous people in Pop-Culture, and video games with Native Americans.

UNM INLP Lecture Slides

UNM INLP Lecture Slides

UNM  

Presentation Slides

As promised, here are the slides to my INLP lecture at UNM.

"(Not So) Funny Books"

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: lecture book)

The New Tonto - Johnny Depp

The New Tonto - Johnny Depp

Tonto  

I don't normally like to get into these sort of discussions, because there are way too many opinions to sift through - as well as way too many blogs that seem preachy, at best - but, this topic is sorta within my realm of expertise.

Latest news: Disney is going to make a Lone Ranger film with Johnny Depp playing Tonto.
http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/09/24/breaking-johnny-depp-to-play-the-lone-ranger/

Now, I'm all for a new Lone Ranger and Tonto flick, as these are some of my favorite childhood heroes AND I believe popular culture could use a new injection of how to portray an Indigenous character in popular media. I say this last part with hope that there will be some intelligent script-writing that will allow Tonto to be a real (human) character and not just a simple caricature...of course, we ARE talking about Disney here, so it's anyone's guess as to whether they understand how to do this (Pocahontas, anyone?).

Yet, casting Depp as Tonto gives me an itchy feeling at the back of my sterotype-sensing neck. This is the very sort of thing I mention in my writings (see previous blog entries on Native Americans in video games and my book, Native Americans in Comic Books, should you be interested), namely that not only do Indigenous people need to PORTRAY Indigenous characters (either in front of the camera or in voice acting work, such as in video games), but we must also be PART of the creative process when depicting Native American characters.

Unless there has been some major announcement I am not aware of, this is not the case. Don't get me wrong, I like Depp and his characters are almost always entertaining in one fashion or another. However, I still maintain that Tonto would be best portrayed by a Native American.
Yet, over the years, Depp has alluded that he shares this ancestry and "he is of Cherokee, Irish, and German descent, with some Navajo as well." (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000136/bio) I don't doubt this is true, as one could argue that some of his physical features fall in line with what many people feel are "Native" type features. Even if this is true, even if Depp is Native American, does that mean he is a good choice to play an Indigenous character of such prominence? A character that, after years and decades of misrepresentation, MUST be depicted in a positive light and one that accurately represents Indigenous culture?

To this, I must sadly answer, no, Depp is most likely not the best choice to play Tonto. While do not dispute his ethnicity in any way, I must question whether he is actually a PART of these Native communities. Was he raised near one of the tribal communities he mentions above? Did he have relatives that demonstrated specific Indigenous culture to him? Has he taken part in any of the aforementioned tribal communities, either socially, culturally, or ceremonially? Perhaps he has, but I find no mention of these activities.

As many before me over the years have stated and restated ad nauseum, we must have Native American people portray Native characters. No one would suggest black-face characters any more (unless, it's making fun of that portrayal, as in the recent, Tropic Thunder), so why do we have non-Native actors working as our characters? I'm not suggesting that Tonto ONLY be played by the darkest, longest-haired, fullest-blood, "true-ist" Native person ever (I am pretty sure such a creature does not exist)...but, please, find someone that at least has both the ancestry AND the cultural ties to allow that actor the specific insight needed to accurately imbue the Tonto character as a true representative of Native American humanity.

If we get that taken care of, the only problem left is getting some Native screen writers to get a piece of the action!

UNM INLP Lecture - new poster

UNM INLP Lecture - new poster

UNM  

Here is the official poster announcing the UNM INLP Lecture for my book, Native Americans in Comics. Come out to NM and catch the lecture !

-Michael Sheyahshe

Publication for CDC

Publication for CDC

publication  

During any significant event - catastrophic or otherwise - first responders, community groups, and many other public health individuals will most likely encounter individuals from vulnerable populations; populations that exhibit specific needs based on "age, class, race, poverty, language, and a host of other social, cultural, economic, and psychological factors." Such encounters are especially pertinent here in Oklahoma, considering our Native American community makes up almost 8% of the state's total population (see image below for more detail).

To assist in preparing the public health community, the Center for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) has published the "2006-2007 ASPH/CDC Vulnerable Populations Collaboration Group Preparedness Resource Kit," available online at:

http://preparedness.asph.org/documents/VulnerablePopulations.pdf

After being appointed to one of the CDC's Collaboration Group that focused on Vulnerable Populations, I was fortunate enough co-author this important document along with many other Public Health leaders from academic institutions around the nation. I chaired the committee on Ethnic and Cultural Minority Populations, which produced that section within the publication.

Individuals within the Public Health field and especially those first responders that will most likely encounter such populations are urged to review this Resource Kit to foster learning and enable improved effective response for such groups in future events.

Source: US Census FactFinder for Oklahoma

My Book Listed at Britannica

My Book Listed at Britannica

native americans in comic books  

My book, Native Americans in Comics is now listed at the Britannica online encyclopedia. Under the entry, "comic strip" and the sub-head of Additional Reading » Special topics, the book is mention as a resource. Check out the link below for more information.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/127589/comic-strip/12081/Additional-Reading

Kudos from Canada

Kudos from Canada

native americans in comic books  

In an online article, "The top five Native American characters in comics," at the Miramichi Leader Online Edition website, Darcey McLaughlin offers insight to some Indigenous characters as well as praise for my book on Native comic book characters, calling it a "great book" and "well worth the read".
Doesn't get much better than that !
Check out the article link above and read McLaughlin's take on some interesting Native American characters.

Then...buy the book ! :)

UNM INLP Lecture

UNM INLP Lecture

UNM  

The Indigenous Nations Library Program at the University of New Mexico University Library has invited me to give a lecture on Native Americans in Comic Books. As part of the "Native Pathways Lectures" series, I will present, "(Not so) Funny Books: Native Americans in Comic Books" on Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 at the Zimmerman Library.

Brown Bag: 12:00-1:00 pm, Herzstein Room
Lecture: 3:00-5:00 pm, Willard Reading room
Contact Savannah Gene: sgene@unm.edu

The mission of INLP is to provide library outreach and information services to the UNM community and New Mexico Native American/Indigenous communities. INLP was established in July 2004.

Upcoming 2008 Lectures in this series:

• Sept. 24, Alvin H. Warren, Cabinet Secretary of the Indian Affairs Department
• Oct. 22, Ken Reid, MBA-HCM, Health Systems Consultant
• Nov. 12, Steven T. Newcomb, Co-founder/Co-Director, Indigenous Law Institute

It is an honor to be asked to present on this topic and it should be a great trip. I plan to include my slides here in this blog, after my initial presentation. For now, tell all your friends to keep buying my book ! :)

Michael Sheyahshe, author

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 04

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 04

native americans in comic books  

In this deployment of IPI, we spotlight Beth Aileen Dillon, a Ph.D., Student at Simon Fraser University in the School of Interactive Arts and Technology and Research Assistant for the Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace ("AbTeC"), "a series of projects investigating innovative methods for First Nations to participate in networked culture to tell our stories while populating and shaping cyberspace itself." Beth "is an Irish, Anishinaabe, and Metis writer specializing in video game industry" and her creativity has now spilled over into the comic industry. Beth has recently ventured into the world of comic books with her work with the Zeros2Heroes people, "a thriving network that connects thousands of creators, producers, and fans of comics in a collaborative and creative environment." In addition to these enormous milestones, Beth proves her continued status of 'Mega Cool' with her JTHM reference (Squee !, indeed). Beth takes time to explain things (slowly!) to Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo) about her recent work in comics and Indigenous representation.

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

BAD: I'm a half-breed border crosser. My mother is Anishinaabe and Metis from the LaPonsies with family out in Bay Mills and Sault Ste. Marie stateside. My father's Irish through and through. I was born in Anaheim, California, the city of Disneyland, and grew up in Oregon. I've since been in Vancouver, British Columbia and will be making my way out to Edmonton, Alberta soon with my husband Myron Lameman from the Beaver Lake Cree Nation. Anywhere with birch trees feels like home to me!

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

BAD: My mother is a big source of cultural and spiritual inspiration for me. Okay, my brother and I usually snickered at her for all of her weird quirks (like collecting pine cones wherever she goes), but I truly feel her giveaway spirit really gave a good context to all of our community interaction. As an urban Native, the Native Student and Community Center at Portland State University in Oregon was the main source of my friends and the gatherings we shared there. My mother also runs Native Film Festivals for free with big feasts, so I've always helped out with community events. Powwows, storytelling events, donated elder lunches, visiting speakers like Gary Farmer, youth conferences where I've held video game design workshops, you name it.
That place was truly the center of my social life where I took part in helping with many gatherings. I miss it very much but return when I can.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

BAD: Johnny the Homicidal Maniac! Squee! There was this Pegasus Books place in Oregon I'd go to when I was younger. I was into more avant garde edgy comics--not the classic superhero stories.

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?

BAD: The Watchmen, of course, not to be boring or anything. I also fell in love with V for Vendetta, which I only read after the movie came out and so many people said I just had to read the comic, and of course, much like book adaptations, they were right. But my favorite of all
time has to be Transmetropolitan, for its quirky characters, themes, and journalism quips (I double as a game journalist).

MS: Tell us more about the comics you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

BAD: Nis, a dear friend of mine, pointed me to the Zeros2Heroes and Aboriginal Peoples Television Network collaborative contest for Aboriginal Canadians to enter the contest. My husband and I went away to working on some concepts and responded to feedback from the community which gave us the opportunity to see these ideas come to life.

Fala, a Native urban fantasy rendition of Alice in Wonderland, is inspired by our friends from a short film script I was writing with them in mind before we heard about the contest. With the help of editor Julian Lawrence and artist Patricio Plaza, we get to see Cowboy Smithx as Trickster, Duane Howard as Badger, Senaqwila Wyss as Fala, and Justin Rain and Shane Zwack as Ace and Spade in comic book form.

Fala's one of those girls who plays video games, but she's still cool, and of course, often too cool to bother to finish her homework or help out her single mom. Sent out to the woods for a homework assignment on edible plants, Fala gets lost (or rather tricked) and finds herself led down a path of life lessons in a dark, strange rez town.

The West Was Lost is a manifestation of Myron and I in Native steampunk--a subgenre I believe we're creating originally here with the help of the editor Andrew Foley and artist Frank Grau, Jr. We hope this one can turn into a series. In the full arc of stories, Nezette is chosen as a leader of a group sent from the Sovereign to help the people of the west rid the land of the Zhaagnaash and the Windigo spirits within them. She takes up arms with her trusted friends and family at the coaxing of the well-meaning trickster Nanaboozhoo and starts on a path without end with love and loss met along the way.

MS: When can we expect to see them and will they be available to buy?

BAD: Probably no later than October 2008, although you never know. You can watch Zeros2Heroes for updates!

MS: Keeping in mind any of your other talents, what is your specialty?

BAD: I'm great at keeping descriptions short because of my experience as a video game writer. (Programmers and artists don't need pages upon pages to wade through.) I'm a writer to the core and this contest has really brought my creativity back. I took a stint away from creative
writing following my Masters in Writing at Portland State University to be a game journalist and take up the challenge of a Doctorate at Simon Fraser University. But in the end, academic and journalistic writing styles aren't my passion. I've really rediscovered the direction I originally wanted to head in life since childhood by having this chance.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?

BAD: Editors Andrew Foley and Julian Lawrence are walking me through edits. Experiential learning is the best kind, because I'll actually remember it. For example, I've learned that I need to write the script for the artist, not for the community readers! Meaning if there's a secret mysterious surprise, I need to be open about spelling it out on the panel description, otherwise the artist won't know where the story is headed and what to draw. Writing for comic books is great but definitely requires its own style separate from game writing and

MS: Have you worked on any other comics?

BAD: Not yet! Believe me, I have an epic book series I've been detailing out since I was about twelve that I've realized needs to be told in comic book form. When I first started writing it, I kept thinking that words just didn't cut it. Finally that thing can see the light of day if I can find an artist and editor willing to work on a first issue for pursuing a publisher.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

BAD: Although controversial, I have to admit that Myron and I enjoy Scalped. Sure, it's not made by indigenous people, but I feel the people involved are making a shot at proper representation. That, and, where else can you find a comic entirely about modern Natives put out by a big publisher?

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

BAD: Rarely. I won't even open The Red Prophet to give it a try because all I see on the cover is a stereotypically aged Native man with a little white boy named Alvin and think--yeah, another outlet where the focus is on the non-Native character. Of course I could be completely wrong about the series, but I do judge books by their covers. Much like video games, we're often shaped into stereotypes. Halfbreed heroes who slay Indians until they too discover their Indian roots and all is forgiven, the busty hot Native chick who means business in tight skinned leather, you name it. As more of us grow up playing games and reading comics, the more we'll get involved in making our own representations, and I'm looking forward to it.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

BAD: Steve Sanderson is a great artist who has merged the Japanese manga style with his own to tell unique indigenous stories through comic books. His work has been put out by the Healthy Aboriginal Network.

And of course Chad Solomon, co-creator of the Rabbit and Bear Paws.

Sadly there are few of us in the video game industry. In fact, as of the 2005 International Game Developers Association diversity survey, there were maybe 44 people total who identified as Native. Efforts like the Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace 'Skins' project from new media artists Skawennati Fragnito and Jason Lewis at Concordia University in Montreal offer game development related education to youth, which I hope will bring more of us into the industry so we can explore video games as a medium for telling our stories.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

BAD: Get started! Find a team, get your friends together, do whatever you can do to get a strong portfolio going for game development. You don't even need money for higher education--you just need the portfolio and skills if you can learn them on your own, so don't doubt yourself if
you can't get into the expensive schools. The more you create, the more examples and experience you'll have, even if things don't go perfectly every time (and they won't). You'll learn from errors if you try! Really, I feel the same can be said of comic books and many other creative industries.

MS: Anything I've missed here? Anything you'd like to 'plug' (upcoming shows, debuts, etc.)?

BAD: Thank you to everyone in the Zeros2Heroes community who voted for Fala and The West Was Lost! And a special shout out to Tenzil, who gave us advice along the way and answered even our tech related questions.

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 03

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 03

native americans in comic books  

In this installment of IPI, we get up close and personal with the "Pin-up Poet," herself, Andrea Grant. Andrea is the creator of MINX comic book series, "which merges Native American mythology" with fantasy, dreams, and reality. Andrea is a Coast Salish Canadian with a long list of creative talents, including: poetry, modeling, photography, 3D paintings, spoken word, live performance, author...and many more. (Don't be lazy - go see her website for more info!) div>After a long simmer on the back burner, and after a long summer on the back roads, Andrea was finally able to answer a few questions about being a Native person in the 'biz' with Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo).

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

AG: I live in New York City in the East Village...I fought very hard to be here. I am originally from Vancouver Island, in Canada, and I am descended from the Coast Salish tribe, through my father.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

AG: Unfortunately my Native grandfather suffered at the hands of residential schools...all kinds of horrors. I always felt my Native origins as a child, and as my brother and I grew older, our father connected more to his roots and we learned more and started going to pow-wows. I have always craved a deeper connection to my tribe, especially now that I live in such a metropolis. It’s interesting to note that several of my best friends in the States are part Native. But really, I feel very much the lone wolf out here.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

AG: I was always a writer working in several mediums and I had to think about longevity. I started out as a poet, and realized that hardly anyone cares about poetry these days. So I chose to twist around the Native tradition of storytelling and enter the field of comics. People thought I was crazy but I always felt I had a strong story to tell. I hoped that I could preserve some tribal mythology therein.

MS: Do you have a favorite comic; title or type?

AG: Neil Gaiman’s Sandman...and if you forced me to read it over and over for a thousand lifetimes, I would never get bored.

MS: Tell us more about the MINX you've been working on; how did it all start / come about?

AG: One day I woke up and decided I wanted to write a comic book because I felt the audience was intelligent and would accept my mixing mediums together.

MS: When can we expect it and where can we buy it?

AG: I am three issues deep into the series. The best bet is to get it directly from my website at www.copiousamounts.com/minx. I also have a spin-off called V-Train that runs quarterly in ‘Bombin’ Magazine...sort of Minx meets the Warriors. And I am revising my acumen right now to create a more mainstream version of the story… so stay tuned.

MS: Keeping in mind any of your other talents, what is your specialty?

AG: Being a couple of years ahead of what's popular...which is discouraging and painful when I first create something, and extremely gratifying when people understand it later on.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for the comic book work?

AG: My training is in Creative Writing and English Literature. Otherwise, it's all just intuition.

MS: Have you worked on any other comics?

AG: Not yet.

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

AG: David Mack did a good job with the Daredevil spin-off a few years ago that featured the deaf character 'Echo' who was Native. Otherwise, none have fallen into my hands. I think there should be more. What an amazing way to preserve our beautiful, rich culture.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we are portrayed properly?

AG: Probably not. It's tough to convey the tonality of our culture. And let's face it, we're stoic...we don’t tell our secrets!

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry and/or video game industry)?

AG: I wish I did. I only know Native rappers from Canada. I live far away from my family so I haven’t gone to a pow-wow with my father for a few years...he's really outgoing and meets a lot of people. I’m quiet.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

AG: Never give up, and don't look back. If people tell you that you can’t do something, fight harder and stay away from that kind of negativity – it's only jealousy. And stay disciplined because there are a thousand distractions every day that will take you further from your goals.

MS: Anything I've missed here? Anything you'd like to 'plug' (upcoming shows, debuts, etc.)?

AG: My projects are as follows:

www.copiousamounts.com/minx The Minx comic
http://www.andreagrant.com/ The Pin-Up Poet brand
http://www.copiousmagazine.com/ Which features other artists

New Artist Listing at AICCM

New Artist Listing at AICCM

Native American artist  

The American Indian Cultural Center & Museum (AICCM) has listed me among many other Native American Oklahoman Artists on their website.
http://www.aiccm.com/Default.aspx?p=10578
AICCM is charged with "the purpose of generating awareness and understanding of the history of tribes and their relationship to Oklahoma today." To support this, AICCM recently held a workshop, "Art in Public Places Workshop for Native American Artists," to guide artists through the Art in Public Places process.
It is a genuine pleasure and true honor to see my name listed beside my Cheyenne and Arapaho ("C&A") Uncles, Charles Pratt and Harvey Pratt, both of whom are renown artists in their own right. The list also includes some friends I've made along the way, such as America Meredith, a Native Artist who also some Caddo connections.
That being said, check out my Art Gallery - which hightlights my traditional (sketches and sculptures) and digital work - if you have some time. Please keep aNm in mind for all your creative and artistic needs and contact us today.

Radio Interview with Local NPR Station: KGOU

Radio Interview with Local NPR Station: KGOU

NPR  

Recently, I was fortunate enough to be asked to do an interview with Susan Shannon, Office Manager and Producer of "Indian Times" on KGOU 106.3 FM and KROU 105.7 FM, the local (Norman/OKC Metro area) National Public Radio affiliate about my book, Native Americans in Comics: A Critical Study from McFarland.
The Indian Times show gives a local focus to the Native American community in Oklahoma and throughout the area and precedes the national NPR show, Native American Calling.
While the original recording is somewhat longer, you can listen to a portion of the interview HERE.
Be sure to pick up a copy of the book today!
Amazon McFarland Target B&N

Spotlight on aNm client: Pawnee Nation

Spotlight on aNm client: Pawnee Nation

training  

Since January 2008, aNm has successfully provided extensive technical training and consultation to the Pawnee Nation's tribal members and staff. These courses are provided to the Pawnee Nation ("PN") on-site and are comprised of instructor-led classrooms and one-to-one (1-2-1) individualized training sessions. These training courses and consultations have been well-received by the participants.

aNm provides the Pawnee Nation with extensive course materials, including manuals, PowerPoint presentations, sample documents, electronic versions of slide shows, and post-training Q&A via email and phone. You can see these training slides at "The Technology of Learning" blog, where they are posted for participants to review later, at their own pace.

We are proud to list the Pawnee Nation as another one of our ever-growing success stories and look forward to helping PN succeed in all their future endeavors and projects. Contact aNm today to see how we can help your Tribal group or business community with all of your technical training and consultation needs!

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 02

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 02

native american video game  

In this piece, we support and showcase Native American professionals working in creative aspects inside the video game industry. Winnie (Oglala Lakota/Eastern Shawnee), a.k.a., "ix", is a former Associate Producer with some big name games, such as the Call of Duty franchise. As a Indigenous person working in the game industry, ix was nice enough to share some insight with Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo).

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

ix: I'm an Oglala Lakota/Eastern Shawnee; I grew up in Wanblee, SD on the Pine Ridge Rez.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

ix: Yeah, all of my mom's family were in a fancydance troupe based out of New York, so they were constantly traveling around dancing. My mom's family all speak Lakota, which is kind of not common for younger people these days. They still follow many of the old ways. I also went to an Indian-only boarding high school. If any young Indians have a chance to go to one (think there are only 3 left in the US), do it! I made many friends from other tribes that I still talk to today.

MS: When did you first get into games?

ix: I liked those text games from the 80s (hitchhiker's guide, etc) and the Nintendo dragon-and-swordsy kind of RPG games. Also in high school we had a couple of old computers, so I played a lot of Doom and Quake.

MS: What is your favorite game of all time…something that turns FRI-SUN into a 'lost weekend'?

ix: I was hopelessly addicted to Baldur's Gate 2, Deus Ex, Planescape, and Counterstrike. These days I play a lot of Team Fortress 2. MS: You just finished work on COD4: MW, right? What was your role there?

ix: I was an Associate Producer.

MS: What is your specialty?

ix: Getting things done! Haha. I got stuck on accounting/finances and mostly working PR events last round. It changes from project to project. The one before that mostly what I did was travel, travel, travel, and give press demos/fix scripting. I do 3d modeling as a hobby also.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

ix: No, most producers started as QA testers. I started at a game developer, and moved up from QA. I think I've only met two producers that have any sort of degree in my time in the industry. That's starting to change, though. A lot more straight business degree people now. You do a ton of random things, so you really need to be awesome at something to stand out at all in Production and also be a jack of all trades at the same time.

MS: What other games have you worked on?

ix: Oh, all of the Call of Duty games except for COD1. I also worked on DS, cell phone and PSP games in the past, and wasn't really that fond of working on mobile platforms so much; mostly for the limitations of the hardware.

MS: Have you played video games with Native American characters in them?

ix: There aren't many; Prey and Gun are the ones that come to mind. Prey was interesting in that you could go upside down in multiplayer which is a neat idea, but they do the magical Indian stereotype heavily. Gun I felt kind of bothered by how they portray the Apaches. Eventually, I think AIM protested it.

MS: Do you have any opinion about Indigenous characters in video games?

ix: I think there needs to be more of them. I also think that I'm getting really sick of the 'magical Cherokee' stereotype that Hollywood and most media likes to hammer onto us. It's really still racism but in a different way. I wish that there was an Indian character in Gears of War, COD, etc. that's a contributing part of the squad/one of the main characters and not some mystical BS schtick!

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (gaming industry)?

ix: I know one female animator, but she doesn't know much about her tribe or is really all that involved with it. It's kind of hard finding other Indians in the industry. Most of us stay back on the home reservations, maybe. I wish we had better computer programs and equipment on reservations. That would open up more tech jobs for us. I can't imagine what advantages I would have had if the schools where I grew up had computers, the internet, or access to some of the software other public schools do.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

ix: I wouldn't recommend going the QA route if you want to be a producer. Some people really do tend to treat testers like scum, until they've moved up enough to be not be in QA anymore. Go to business school, you'll make more money right off the bat and skip all the crappy things QA has to do. Also, be aware that Producers tend to crunch year round and most that I worked with over the years don't date or have any time to do much else than work!

If you want to be a modeler or artist, there are a lot of online resources to help. Online tutorials, Maya Personal Learning Edition has movies, and cg forums. Don't be afraid to ask other artists for opinions in forums, they're a great resource.Anything I've missed here? Modding is also another way for aspiring level designers to get into the industry. Devs do watch modding forums, and many that are talented get job offers from studios.

Don't go to Video Game schools/degree farms. They have no respect in the industry, cost way too much, and do not teach you anything that you will actually use in most cases. I never cared what someone's degree was in or even if they had a degree to be honest. What matters is your portfolio/reel! If it's awesome, you're set. (Except programmers: go to a real university and get a programming degree if you want to be a game coder.) Above all, don't give up if you really want to make games.

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 01

IPI: Indigenous Peeps in the Industry - 01

native americans in comic books  

To celebrate Native American professionals working within the industry, Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo) sits down with comic book artist / illustrator, Weshoyot Alvitre (Tongva / Gaelic / Scotish), who is gracious enough to share her story and experiences working in comics. To combat (at worst) stereotypes and (at best) poorly-created Indigenous characters, we Native Americans must tell our stories. Thus we showcase Indigenous people in the creative seat.

MS: Background info: what is your tribal affiliation and where are you from?

WA: My dad is Tongva (the pre-missionized tribe of Gabrielino's from southern California), and my mom is Gaelic and Scotish, so I'm half and half. I was born right here in California too.

MS: Did you have a lot of cultural interaction growing up? (Family gatherings, dances, ceremonies, etc.?)

WA: We used to live on a piece of land where my dad ran a cultural center and gave lectures on the weekends. I remember we had a few large get-togethers when I was a kid, with a lot of Native people. My dad was very active in Native American affairs up until I was about 5 years old. I remember him telling me and my brother a lot of stories and teaching us a lot about the land we lived on, which was pretty much out in the boonies.

It was a little different than the way other native kids grow up, I assume, because we never lived on a reservation and were rarely around other Native kids. I think my parents tried their best to keep my life fairly integrated into the 'normal' school system and whatnot. I went to a public school and growing up; I was usually the only Native American kid in the class. I wouldn't say I had a ton of cultural interaction, because our tribe is really a lot smaller than most peoples tribes, but I was definitely aware of who I was and things pertaining to my culture.

MS: When did you first get into comics?

WA: I think the very first comic I ever got was a two pack of The Little Mermaid and Beauty & The Beast graphic novels that I ordered from one of those book-order things kids get from school. They were adaptations of the films, which I was a huge fan of, but in comic book form, which I had never seen before. Growing up, because we lived out on a large piece of land and because I was somewhat secluded from other kids my own age, I watched A LOT of cartoons. I became a fan of animation early on and really wanted to be an animator. I wanted to make ARIEL come to life....it just amazed me so much to see a moving drawing on a screen. After I got those book orders, I was introduced to a whole new medium.

My mom used to read a lot of children’s books to me. She worked as a librarian for a time when I was a young kid, and I remember going with her to the library and just devouring books and playing with the puppets and things they had in the kids section. So I was used to the standard medium of a children’s book, where you read some sentences, and they'd choose one idea to illustrate per page. I always had this desire to turn to the next page, because there was more art...and then another book, because I just wanted more. The thing that really struck me with the Disney comic book things were that they had multiple shots from the film all on one page and that it still told a story but had a ton more art. It had more movement than a standard illustrated book and that fascinated me. But my one criticism and confusion as a child was that ARIEL didn't always look like she did in the movie...you know, the same syndrome in those coloring books...because I didn't realize they had tons of different people doing the drawings. I was a very critical lil kid, I’m afraid.

MS: What is your favorite comic?

WA: That's really, really hard for me to say indefinitely, because I draw a lot of inspiration from others’ work, and because my style can be pretty varied as well. I read a lot of Hellboy, B.P.R.D., The Goon, Umbrella Academy, Conan....a lot of Darkhorse stuff, and then I also have a lot of books I just picked up because of the art on them: Steampunks, Darkminds (the original series), stuff by Leinil Yu, David Mack, Bill Sienkiewicz, J. Scott Campbell....and then there's a whole list of fine artists I am utterly obsessed with as well. A lot of Victorian illustrators, art noveau and deco.What is the recent comic that you've been working on and where can we buy it?

I recently did 3 issues of a book called Archaic by Fenickx Productions. I know there some on eBay, and I think you can get them from online dealers backstock. Also, I'm pretty sure you can get more info @ http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm15c3BhY2UuY29tL2Zlbmlja3g=. They have previews on there as well as ordering info as well.

I also had a 8 page short in their Volume 2 Graphic Novel, as well. Besides that, I managed to get a full page illustration published in the last issue (issue 6) of Darkhorse comic's Umbrella Academy.

MS: What is your specialty?

WA: Um...that could be answered in many, many ways. Pertaining to comics, I consider myself a penciler and inker and would like to add colorist to my repertoire before I die.

MS: Did you get special training and/or education for this?

WA: I do have a BA in illustration, but I find my own work I did and sort of managed to incorporate despite my instructors’ disapprovals, were more beneficial to my education than drawing boxes and mixing primary colors. I would have liked to have gone to a proper art school, but I just couldn't afford it. I just tried to push myself whenever I could, investigate anyone and everything that inspired me, and just drew all the time. I still do, I keep many sketchbooks. I always try to find new sources of inspiration, and since having work published, I've bee able to meet so many people I revere as comic gods.

WA: I think some of the best things you can do for yourself if you want to be an artist is to have an insatiable desire to always have your hand moving and always have drawing tools by your side.

MS: What other comics have you worked on?

WA: Um, Tenth Muse. I inked a lot of issues and penciled and inked #11, Archaic #10-12, Archaic short story in Volume 2 of their graphic novel, I did a back cover for The Misadventures of Clark and Jefferson, a pin-up in issue 6 of Umbrella Academy...um....I think there's a wiki page or something that has it all listed...

MS: What are some comics with Native American characters in them that stand out to you?

WA: I have to say I really enjoyed David Mack's ECHO character that he created. I think it had a great deal to do with how he created a solid character with emotions and reactions to situation and the fact she was Native was secondary. It wasn't forced down your throat in an insincere way. He did research what he did and I feel he made a very genuine effort to do justice to her character. I borrowed Commanche Moon from a friend recently but haven't had time to read it yet...I'd really be interested if someone did a book based on mythos and creation stories and somehow modernized it to make something new, that's not been introduced to the market yet.

MS: What is your opinion about Indigenous characters in comics? Do you feel we portrayed properly?

WA: I feel like there are not a lot of Native characters or creators I am familiar with, in dealing with Native people in comics. But with anything that is associated with Native people, I think there's still that stereotype in a lot of the work that does come out, and I think it's partially to blame because history books and the American history curriculum treats Native people as either a mythical creature that is extinct...like unicorns or the Tasmanian tiger...or dives right into the auto response people now seem to have in regards to the casino bands of Native people, and the resentment that seems to accompany that.

It's kinda 'you're damned if you do, you're damned if you don’t,' mentality. I find it a very interesting social response. When there's so much more to the lives and history of Native peoples, and they choose to focus on the misrepresentations of hippie aesthetics or reservations or casinos. I mean, one thing that always amazes me is how the massacres of Native peoples is always sort of ignored and tiptoed around when it happened so recently…yet, the Holocaust is always talked about.

MS: Do you know of any other Natives in the "biz" (comic industry)?

WA: I have met one, he's an editor. More often than not, the subject doesn't come up, because I don’t look physically Native American straight off the bat. Usually the thing that starts that conversation is my name, and with almost all Native people I have met, it has started that way. I think if I had a common name, no one would suspect. Although I’ve been mistaken for Russian and Japanese before because of my name as well.

MS: Any words of wisdom for others (Native or non) looking to do what you do?

WA: I always tell people who ask me this to do what they are passionate about. Do it stubbornly, and with open ears. In that, I mean fight like hell to get where you want to be, but still be open to new understanding, experiences and knowledge because that's the quickest way to grow and become better at what you do.

MS: Anything I've missed here?

WA: Nothing I can think of, one hell of a thorough interview. It was great to be able to sit down and spend some time thinking about these questions and putting them out there. So thanks!!

aNm Shows Art at SoonerCon 08

aNm Shows Art at SoonerCon 08

SoonerCon '08  

aNm is proud to showcase some 3D art at SoonerCon 2008, "a fan run multi-genre convention held annually in Oklahoma City."

The event also included a exhibit room where vendors set up various booths and tables. aNm was also proud to support this event by sponsoring the SoonerCon program book.

Native American Tribe Uses Video Games for Learning

Native American Tribe Uses Video Games for Learning

tribe  

The Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana gives other Native American tribal entities something to 'shoot' for: creating an immersive 3D environment to increase education and awareness of Indigenous culture. The tribe worked with Red Knight Learning Systems to create a 3D simulation for their Coushatta Heritage Center.
Red Knight developed 3D simulations and interactive exhibits for the cultural center. Click HERE to see examples from Red Knight. Technology such as this is readily available and much more affordable these day. Thus, tribes should begin looking towards solutions like this one to help foster learning and cultural continuance.
As a shameless 'plug', aNm has the technology and ability to offer tribal nations the means to create their own 3D models, simulations, and video games. If you are a tribal nation, museum, or cultural center, contact us today to see how we can use similar innovations to promote and sustain Indigenous culture.

Does a Wiki post make it Valid?

Does a Wiki post make it Valid?

wiki  

There is now a Wiki entry about Native Americans characters in video games.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Native_American_video_game_characters
While this list is far from complete, it is interesting that this topic has garnered an entire entry on its own.
This begs the question, "does a topic become valid once it has a wiki entry?" Perhaps, as it certainly represents at least SOMEONE's interest in posting an entry.
The current / recent trend seems to support this notion as well, as there have been more articles and blog entries about this topic. One could even wonder if this specialized interest is similar to the trend of Native characters becoming "cool" in film (as you know, 'Indian films' cycle through as the new Hollywood 'coolness' every decade or so...).
Whatever the reason, it is nice to see individuals giving more thought to the Indigenous character, no matter the medium.

aNm Sponsors Local 3D Event

aNm Sponsors Local 3D Event

studio  

aNm is proud to offer sponsorship support for the most recent Autodesk Animation UserGroup Association ("AAUGA") event at PL Studios, Inc. in Downtown Oklahoma City.

This event - "An Evening of Visual Effects" - held on June 5th, 2008 was an extreme success and the attendance was somewhere in the 150+ range.

The goal of AAUGA is to bring "together local artists, creative professionals, art enthusiasts, educators, and students to learn about the breakthrough tools and techniques being used around the world to further stimulate creative growth locally." Special Guests from Autodesk talked about MotionBuilder and Toxik and gave exclusive demos on how to best use these tools in the industry.

alterNative Media is excited to help support events such as this and we feel that the level of excitement and involvement is growing daily by leaps and bounds. Perhaps it is time for Oklahoma to develop it's own regional conference on 3D art, media, & development. When this happens, aNm will be there to help facilitate this event.

aNm continues to strive towards building a viable 3D studio in Oklahoma with a main purpose of garnering outsourced projects in the film and video game arenas.

Contact us today about how you can be a part of the aNm team!

Info from Publisher on NACB

Info from Publisher on NACB

pop culture  

I received the following email from my publisher with exciting news about my book Native Americans in Comic Books: A Critical Study:

Thursday, April 3, 2008 1:55:57 PM
Dear Mr. Sheyahshe:
Today we have shipped proofs for your book Native Americans in Comic Books. You can now carry out your final two jobs, proofreading the book and creating an index. A form letter with general instructions accompanies the proofs.
Publication is now very near—most books go to the printer just days after we receive the proofs and index.
Your book is tentatively scheduled to be sent to the printer 4 weeks from today’s date. To avoid delays, please give the proofs and index prompt attention.
If you have questions or find, after getting to work, that you need more time, please contact us. We look forward to bringing your book into print soon.
Sincerely,
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

Look for the book to hit shelves soon!

new Client - Skky Bar UltraLounge (OKC)

new Client - Skky Bar UltraLounge (OKC)

Art  

aNm has recently completed work on a special poster/flyer design for Skky Bar UltraLoung in Bricktown, OKC. This poster advertises a private screening of the movie, Prom Night (from Sony Entertainment and Screen Gems) at Skky Bar.
You can see this and other events at Skky Bar's myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/skkybarokc

My Artwork Showcased at SF Art Show

My Artwork Showcased at SF Art Show

SF Art Show  

My artwork will again be showcased at the "Anti Anti Anti Anti" art show - "A group art show expressing anarchy, community, self-reliance, resistance, and freedom" held in SF, CA.

WHERE: The Bay Area Anarchist Book Fair Art Show, Hall of Flowers, Golden Gate Park at 9th Avenue and Lincoln, San Francisco, CA
WHEN: March 22-23, 2008 • Saturday 10am - 6pm • Sunday 11am - 5pm

Click HERE for more info about the art show.

America Meredith, another artist at the art show (who also organizes the event), has been good enough to mount three of my 3D sculptures together in a triptych for this year's show. Much thanks to her...and if you are out that way, be sure to stop by the art show.

New Ads for 'Natives in Comic Books' Book

New Ads for 'Natives in Comic Books' Book

pop culture  

The good people at McFarland (my publisher) have sent out various ads for my book and others coming out in their Spring catalog. You can see a copy of the ad for "Native Americans in Comic Books: A Critical Study" clicking the following link:

http://geocities.com/nativecomicbooks/sheyahshe_flyer.pdf

This particular ad was placed in the February edition of ALA's Booklist magazine.

Check it out and be sure to pass the info around! (Especially to those willing to BUY the book...heh.)

-M

Microsoft Gives Us the TOOLS

Microsoft Gives Us the TOOLS

 

(AP) - Microsoft Corp. said Wednesday it will make Xbox 360 video games developed by players available for download through the console's online service.
This is great news for those of us looking to get into the game industry.
To distribute a game on the Xbox Live service, game creators must use Microsoft's XNA Game Studio software, which requires a $99 per-year subscription, or be an XNA Creators Club member. Each game will be vetted for quality and appropriateness by the online community itself.
Obviously, it would help to have an Xbox 360, as well. However, if you don't have the extra $99 laying around (who does?)...
Microsoft also said this week it will give students free access to its XNA Game Studio 2.0, its video game development program.
Even better. Now, if there were a 'Native' discount added as well, we'd be in business!
But Microsoft would not say Wednesday whether the downloads would be free, or if the service would generate revenue for game developers.
While this is vastly important to find out for sure, my real point of mentioning all of this info, is this: Indigenous people need to be more involved in the creative process of ALL MEDIA, including video games. This is a great opportunity for us to do just that. If you are a Native American high school, career tech, or even college student intersted in video games, see if you can get the XNA Game Studio for free and get to work! Just let me see it, once you're done...so, I can get my button pushing fingers ready.

Michael Sheyahshe
Chief Information Officer
alterNative Media
See the full article at:Excite News - Microsoft Opens Game Development

My Book Now Listed at Amazon, too

My Book Now Listed at Amazon, too

pop culture  

Native Americans in Comic Books is also now listed at Amazon.com. You can find the listing and pre-order the book HERE.