Workhouse Arts Center Featuring Exhibition by Virginia Native Artists: MaNiiTo II'NiNiiWak (Creative Power People) Creative Sovereignty: The Power of Indigenous Artists
A dynamic showcase of Indigenous art exploring ancestral themes, contemporary innovations, and pop culture.
LORTON, VA – May 24, 2025 — The Workhouse Arts Center proudly presents MaNiiTo II'NiNiiWak (Creative Power People) Creative Sovereignty: The Power of Indigenous Artists, a landmark exhibition celebrating the resilience, cultural heritage, and contemporary expression of Indigenous artists living and creating in Virginia. Open now through July 20, 2025, this powerful collection features 98 artworks by 22 artists, representing eight tribes, including the Pamunkey, Patawomeck, Mattaponi, Rappahannock, Mohawk, Nansemond, and Nottaway. Some trace their ancestral roots to this land, while others are indigenous to other parts of the country and currently living and creating art in Virginia.
This exhibition was organized by the Virginia Native Arts Alliance (VNAA) in collaboration with other partner organizations. VNAA supports Virginia’s tribes by fostering creativity and providing resources that empower Native American artists to thrive now and in the future.
MaNiiTo II’NiNiiWak Creative Sovereignty: The Power of Indigenous Artists demonstrates how Indigenous art serves as a powerful expression of tribal sovereignty—resisting historical erasure and affirming Native presence in today’s cultural landscape. The exhibition features a vibrant and diverse mix of traditional and contemporary art forms, including beadwork, pottery, basketry, gourd art, digital media, photography, painting, and quilting. These works reflect ancestral stories, modern innovation, and pop culture influences—illustrating that Indigenous art is both a deeply personal form of expression and a declaration of cultural resilience. VNAA is grateful for the support of the Workhouse Arts Center and all those who help uplift Native artists.
The exhibition also reflects the Workhouse’s ongoing mission to explore and honor the history of its grounds. From 1910–1998, the site operated as a D.C. correctional facility. This exhibition helps shed light on the land's earlier history, including its ancestral significance to Virginia’s Indigenous peoples.
The title MaNiiTo II'NiNiiWak — meaning “Creative Power People” or “Algonkians” — is rooted in the Powhatan Algonquian language, a language that has been dormant, or “asleep,” for many years. Today, it is being reawakened through the dedicated efforts of the Powhatan Algonquin Intertribal Roundtable (PAIR) in collaboration with Indigenous linguists.
The term was referenced in scholar Jack Douglas Forbes’ article, Wapanakamikok Language Relationships: An Introductory Study of Mutual Intelligibility Among the Powhatan, Lenape, Natick, Nanticoke, and Otchipwe Languages. While the translation of MaNiiTo II'NiNiiWak is drawn from Forbes’ research, it has not yet been officially verified by PAIR.
By 1607, the Powhatan Confederacy was a powerful alliance of more than 30 Algonquian-speaking tribes, united under a leader known as a Mamanatowick, or chief, named Powhatan. Their territory, called Tsenacommacah, encompassed what is now known as the Tidewater region of Virginia. That same year, the Virginia Company established Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America—marking the beginning of a centuries-long campaign to displace, colonize, and erase the Powhatan people and their way of life.
Despite generations of forced removal and cultural suppression, Virginia’s Native tribes have continued to use art as a powerful form of resistance—asserting their identity, preserving cultural traditions, and affirming their inherent sovereignty.
Founded in 2022, the Virginia Native Arts Alliance supports this ongoing legacy by providing resources and visibility for Indigenous artists. MaNiiTo II'NiNiiWak is a testament to art’s role in asserting sovereignty, resisting historical erasure, and inspiring future generations.
For more information and to support the exhibiting artists, visit www.virginianativeartsalliance.com
The exhibition is on view now through July 20, 2025, during Gallery Hours:
Wednesday – Saturday: 11 AM – 6 PM
Sunday: 12 PM – 5 PM
Second Saturdays: 11 AM - 9PM
Parking: Free parking is available at the Workhouse Arts Center.
For more information and event details, visit: https://www.workhousearts.org/maniito-iininiiwak
About Workhouse Arts Center
The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Virginia, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming lives through the power of the arts. Once a historic prison, the Workhouse is now a vibrant cultural hub offering gallery exhibitions, live performances, educational programs, and special events that inspire creativity and foster community engagement. Committed to excellence, inclusivity, and sustainability, the Workhouse empowers artists, enriches lives, and drives positive social change while serving as a dynamic platform for artistic expression and cultural dialogue.
Media Contact:
Nancy Hessler-Spruill
Head of Marketing, Workhouse Arts Center
Phone: (703) 785-0804
Email: nancyh@workhousearts.org