What could be more enticing than art and tacos? “Indian Tacos”, that is, made with fry bread and all fixings. Both will be available for the Art and Taco Sale, hosted by the Indigenous Peoples Task Force (IPTF) on Wednesday April 13 from 10-4 at 1335 E 23rd Street in Minneapolis. The tacos will be freshly made by Sharon Day, Executive Director of the IPTF and her sister Dorene.
IPTF has for over 20 years provided educational programs in HIV prevention programs. They also provide tobacco prevention programs, and provide peer education through arts and culture.
The purpose of the art sale is to benefit the Mother Earth Water Walk, an event in which IPTF is participating. Organized by many Anishinabe organizations, the water walk has taken place every year since 2003, though the route for the walk differs from year to year. This year, water will be gathered in pails from the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Hudson Bay, and carried to the shores of Lake Superior.
IPTF is the fiscal sponsor for the Southern Walk, which leaves Gulfport, Mississippi on April 20. The Western Walk departed on April 10 from Aberdeen Washington, while the Eastern Walk departs on May 7 from Machais, Maine and the Northern Walk departs on May 21 from Churchill Manitoba. All four directions of walkers, journeying 10,400,000 steps, will converge in Bad River, Wisconsin on June 12 and will be united in Lake Superior.
To raise money for the walk, IPTF has sought art donations. Highlights include a buffalo hand drum donated by local artist Wayne Manthey as well as original wood carvings created by Sharon Day herself, and art created by Sharon’s sister Dorene. There will also be bead work, and other traditional art. The sale includes framed prints of work by Cheryl Griggs and Sam English, as well as a print by local artist Joe Benjamin.
In addition to being a fiscal sponsor for the walk, IFTP will be participating in the walk in order “to educate our communities about damage we are doing to our mother earth, to the water and ultimately to the plants and animals,” according to IFTP’s website. Groups of young people walking with IFTP will take turns walking 5-6 days at a time, covering a total of 1439 miles. During the walk, youth from IFTP’s Native Chat youth program will be creating a video documentary about the experience.
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