Dawn Arkinson sitting at her kitchen table which becomes her work station when her children are at school. Photo by Richie Richards
Beadwork helps in dealing with historical trauma and personal tragedy
By Richie Richards
Native Sun News Today Staff Writer
nativesunnews.today RAPID CITY –– Each new piece of beadwork created by Dawn Marie Arkinson (Nakota, Fort Peck Reservation, Montana) represents overcoming a personal experience in her life. Sitting next to a Seattle Seahawks coffee mug on her kitchen table with a lamp adjusted at eye level and pointing down at the vibrant colors of beads and completed beadwork items, Dawn Arkinson invited Native Sun News Today into her home and into her life to discuss beading and healing. This Oglala Lakota College graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work after seven years of course work, has managed to successfully raise seven children ranging from 11 to 27 years in age. Dawn is a single mother who has overcome several obstacles in her life, including the inherent struggle of dealing with a life which has had one foot in the city and one foot on the reservation. The connection to both communities has her torn between urbanization and traditional culturalism. Her beadwork is a reflection of this lifestyle. Born in Seattle, not as a product of the Relocation Program, but rather the result of a mother who moved her family around a lot, often times moving back to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation as a fallback plan if urban life turned unmanageable.
Read the rest of the story on the Native Sun News Today website: Beadwork helps in dealing with historical trauma and personal tragedy (Contact Richie Richards at staffwriter@nsweekly.com) Copyright permission Native Sun News
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