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'On the Edge of the Wind: Native Storytellers and the Land' To Open April 27, 2023

Clubs and Organizations

April 21, 2023

From: State Historical Society of North Dakota

Bismarck, ND - A new exhibition opens to the public at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck on Thursday, April 27. "On the Edge of the Wind: Native Storytellers & the Land" helps visitors explore the connections between cultural practices, regional landscapes, and tribal stories. Based on interviews with 13 Native storytellers and knowledge keepers compiled over 10 years, this exhibition includes photographs, artifacts, and videos of elders sharing traditional stories.

"On the Edge of the Wind" was produced by the North Dakota Council on the Arts in partnership with the State Historical Society of North Dakota. “This exhibition is a tribute to the rich legacies and oral traditions that are held and shared by the storytellers,” says David Newell, exhibitions manager with the State Historical Society. “Visitors will find contemplative experiences and ways to explore deeply meaningful places and spaces across the region.”

Folklorist and photographer Troyd Geist of the Council on the Arts worked closely with storytellers to document their stories for more than 10 years. Featured storytellers include Alvina Alberts (1912-1997), Dakotah; Keith Bear, Mandan/Hidatsa; Francis Cree (1920-2007), Ojibway/Cree/Assiniboine; Alex DeCoteau, Ojibway; Dakota Wind Goodhouse, Lakota; Debbie Gourneau, Ojibway; Calvin Grinnell, Hidatsa; Dan Jerome, Métis/Ojibway; Anna Littleghost, Lakota; Lenore White Lightning, Dakotah; Mary Louise Defender Wilson, Dakotah/Hidatsa; Courtney Yellow Fat, Hunkpapa Lakota; and Marvin Baldeagle Youngman, Ojibway.

"On the Edge of the Wind" is free to the public and is open from April 27, 2023, through October 2024. Find exhibition details and videos at https://bit.ly/OnTheEdgeOfTheWind. The ND Heritage Center & State Museum is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free.