Native American Art Muskogee (Creek) Nation

1. Native American ArtMuskogee (Creek) Nation “The Muskogee (Creek) people are descendents of a remarkable culture that, before 1500 AD, spanned all the region known today as the Southeastern United States” (www.muscogeenation-nsn.gov). The nation began along sides the rivers of the land. They began by building pyramids for their ceremonial traditions, eventually towns grew alongside the pyramids. The Muskogee tribe was described as the most sophisticated political organization north of Mexico, due to the fact that the tribe was made up of a variety of neighboring tribes. When the Europeans came they moved the tribe into two distinct areas. “The English called the Muscogee peoples occupying the towns on the Coosa and the Tallapoosa rivers, Upper Creeks, and those to the southeast, on the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers, the Lower Creeks. The distinction was purely geographical. Due in part to their proximity to the English, the Lower towns were substantially effected by intermarriage and its consequent impact on their political and social order. The Upper towns remained less effected by European influences and continued to maintain distinctly traditional political and social institutions.” The name Creek is given to these tribes because of their geographical location along rivers and creeks. “Muscogee towns are based around a Mother town. When a town reached 400 to 600 people, part of the town would move to a new area just outside the Mother town. They would then start there own village which would maintain the same layout. They were centered around a plaza used for dancing, religious ceremonies and games. This plaza also contained a rotunda for council meetings. The plaza had houses around it for the members of the village” (www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/northamerica/creek_indians.html).

2. Child of Many Blessings. Made by Dana Tiger . Found at http://www.artnatam.com/dtiger/child-of-many-blessings.html

3. Antler Knife.Made by American Indian La Ne Ayo. Found at http://www.endoftrailhomedecor.com/product.sc?productId=669&categoryId=43

4. The Fishing Lesson. Sculpture made by Dan Brook. Found at www.nativeart.net/danbrook5414.shtml

5. This Light Came from the Flower. Made by Joy Harjo. Found at www.joyharjo.com/news/2007_02_01_archive.html

6. Love Letter to Vicki. Necklace made by Dan Townsend. Found at http://www.nativepeoples.com/article/articles/160/1/Tradition!-Arts-and-Crafts-Revived

7. From You I Learn Many Things.Made by Dana Tiger. Found at http://artnatam.com/dtiger/from-you-I-learn-many-things.html

8. Medicine Culture. Made by Johnny Tiger Jr. Found at www.thewindmillgallery.com/johnnytigerjr.html

9. For this assignment I wanted to explore Native American Art. After visiting one of the websites provided in our handout I became particularly fascinated with the art of the Muskogee Creek Nation. I really enjoy the work I have found by this group. • I chose two works by Dana Tiger (slides 2 & 7). Her work sticks out to me because it all looks so “airy.” She uses very light colors and they seem to just be blowing across the canvas. There always seems to be some sort of whimsy line floating though the art. She uses women and wolves a lot. Her work doesn’t have a definite shape, but rather is simply the message she wants to express. She does not fill the entire canvas with scenery and background if she doesn’t think it’s necessary. • The work by Joy Hario reminds me a lot of Dana’s pieces. It has the same quality of being “airy” and only uses a few basic colors. The focus is once again on nature with the use of the sun and sky. • I chose an antler knife as well. This piece stuck out to me because of the way it is decorated. It once again has emphasis on animals with the animal fur around the middle of it. This knife looks different from most man-made knives I have seen. • I chose a spider necklace because it is a different visual art, like the knife. It is a glass and bone trade bead that has been hand carved by the artist. It symbolizes his love of nature and the sea, as well as his love for expression of his language of the soul. He concentrates his work on experiences shared by all humans. • The last work of art is by Dana Tigers uncle, Johnny Tiger. His work reminds me of Dana’s, or really the other way around. He uses the same bright lines that flow across the page (sunrays). I also like that this work shows part of their culture, the medicine culture, as well as a representation of someone from their own tribe, in their own art.