New murals by indigenous artists encourage Native Americans to vote
You will not find the stories of Arizona’s indigenous peoples in history books. But you can see them on the sides of buildings throughout the state. Native American artists have aimed their spray paint cans at the 2020 election and created large murals imbued with symbols of their culture, traditions and hopes for the future, with one unified message: Vote.
“The murals painted here in Arizona represent the voice of Native people,” said San Carlos Apache artist Douglas Miles, the founder of Apache Skateboards. “You can paint and make art and you can sing and write poetry, but if you don’t do any of those things, you could also look at the voting booth as your voice.”
Speaking at a press conference in south Phoenix on Oct. 30, Miles added, “The polls are also a voice for Native people. Let people know now that the year 2020 will be the year that people will remember that Native people will not stay silent.”
According to the National Congress of American Indians, voter turnout among Native American registered voters is 1 to 10 percentage points lower than the rate of other racial and ethnic groups, and 34% are not registered to vote. The mural campaign aims to change that.
Six indigenous artists contributed to the Arizona mural project: Miles, Thomas “Breeze” Marcus of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (Akimel O’odham), JJ Lopez (Pascua Yaqui), LivA’ndrea Knoki, and Randy Barton and Alyssa Barton of the Navajo Nation. Murals were completed in Phoenix, Tucson and Superior.
Emily Kirkland, the executive director of One Arizona, said, “I can’t say enough how incredibly amazing it’s been to be able to support this work this year.” One Arizona, a nonpartisan organization focused on building a culture of civic participation among people of color, supported the mural project.
“We have had this pandemic and voting has been the most important thing that folks have been talking about, but we wanted to show it in a different way and invest in art like this,” Kirkland said. “It showcases that the Native community isn’t just in reservations, but all across the state and how important it was to show that work not just in the reservation area, but outside of it.”
The press conference was held in front of a mural painted by Marcus, depicting the face of a coyote filled with and surrounded by labyrinthine patterns, which Marcus likens to a pattern of modern-day basket weaving and the complex canal systems built by his ancestors. Those regional canal systems provided the blueprint for non-Native settlers trying to navigate irrigation in the desert. At the top of the coyote’s face is a lone figure in yellow light, representing Sehe/Itoi (Elder Brother), who makes his home on a sacred mountain called Muhadag Do’ag — or South Mountain, as it is now known to Phoenicians.
“I’m bringing back those original stories and narratives with the contemporary twists, with spray paint and a mural. And it’s important to have those stories be represented because for over a century, the O’odham culture has been systematically swept under the rug,” Marcus said. “The important part is that we’re still here and we had to make decisions to survive centuries ago. And here we are in 2020, still making those decisions, like going out and voting. It’s about the continuum that is us, and to make sure that we are heard and seen whether people want us to or not, because there are a lot of people that don’t want us to be seen and heard, but guess what? Too bad. ‘Cause we’re still here.”
For Knoki, the project provided an opportunity to visually showcase cultural traditions. She found the participation of indigenous artists from multiple nations and tribes empowering. “We live and are inspired by our traditions. It’s inherent in everything we do as a people. It leads us and guides us and all of that is encapsulated in our art,” she said. “Everything that we do, all the different kinds of ceremonies and prayers that we have, they come from a place that is inspired by beauty. All of that is captured not just in the art that we do, but in who we are as individuals. To me, it’s amazing to see this kind of art. It not only represents the individual person or artist, but also a group collaboratively. I think there’s strength in that. There’s a new vision.”
Artist Randy Barton said his mural was inspired by his daughter, who is a student at Arizona State University. He had done typography with the words “Arizona Reimagined.” She wrote, “Arizona Reimagined through a young indigenous lens.”
“The second generation is encouraging voting and change for future generations, especially in areas with people of color and indigenous areas,” Barton said. “They’re hitting with a loud, bright message, a positive message for future change.”