On view: May 24 – July 20, 2025
Reception: Saturday, June 14, 6-8pm
MaNiiTo II'NiNiiWak- (Creative Power People) Creative Sovereignty: The Power of Indigenous Artists of Virginia art exhibit is a powerful representation of the artistic traditions and contemporary expressions of the indigenous people of Virginia. This diverse collection highlights the intricate skills of Native artists, showcasing everything from traditional beadwork, pottery, basket weaving and gourd art to modern works that blend ancestral themes with new creative innovations and pop culture. Each piece serves as both a personal expression and a statement of cultural resilience and identity. Indigenous art in this exhibit is more than aesthetic; it is an act of tribal sovereignty and defiance: a refusal to let the impact of colonization erase the deeply rooted traditions and spiritual connections to the land and ancestors.
By 1607, the Powhatan Confederacy was an alliance of over 30 Algonquian-speaking tribes ruled by a Mamanatowick called Powhatan in the territory of Tsenacommacah (known today as the Tidewater region of Virginia). That same year, the Virginia Company established the first permanent English settlement in Virginia marking the beginning of an elaborate centuries long campaign to eradicate and colonize the Powhatan People. Despite centuries of displacement and attempts to suppress Indigenous cultures, Virginia's Native tribes have consistently used art as a form of resistance, asserting their identity, cultural continuity and inherent sovereignty.
The work in this exhibit has been organized by The Virginia Native Arts Alliance (VNAA). It along with other organizations supports Virginia tribes who work together to develop creativity while providing resources for the advancement of Native American artists who will succeed in the future. The MaNiiTO ll”NiNiiWak exhibit demonstrates how Indigenous art functions as a vital expression of tribal sovereignty while defying historical erasure and asserting Native power and cultural presence in the modern world. VNAA is grateful for the support of The Workhouse Art Center and all who uplift Native Artists.
Sidenote or disclaimer: The Powatan Algonquian language has been “asleep” for many years. The Powhatan Algonquin Intertribal Roundtable (PAIR) is awaking this sleeping language with the help of linguists and VA tribal members. The word “MaNiiTo II'NiNiiWak” meaning “creative power people” or “Algonkians” was referenced in an article by Jack Douglas Forbes, “Wapanakamikok Language Relationships: An Introductory Study of Mutual Intelligibility Among the Powhatan Lenape, Natick, Nanticoke, and Otchipwe Languages”. This translation has not been confirmed by PAIR as of yet.
