{"id":19467,"date":"2022-01-04T11:35:39","date_gmt":"2022-01-04T16:35:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=19467"},"modified":"2022-01-04T11:51:24","modified_gmt":"2022-01-04T16:51:24","slug":"cronkite-news-native-women-debut-art-and-social-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2022\/01\/04\/cronkite-news-native-women-debut-art-and-social-space\/","title":{"rendered":"Cronkite News: Native women debut art and social space"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Eunique<\/a>
In the middle of Cahokia stands a collaborative piece made by artists Eunique Yazzie, Jessie Yazzie, Melissa Yazzie and Elizabeth Zingg, showcasing their different art styles. The piece was the live painting for the Mayor\u2019s Art Awards in November, and was the highest bid for this year\u2019s event. Photo by Ella Ho Ching \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n
Cahokia artspace, owned by women and led by Native Americans, cultivates \u2018creative placekeeping\u2019<\/div>\r\n
Tuesday, January 4, 2022<\/div>\r\n
By Ella Ho Ching<\/div>\r\n
Cronkite News<\/DIV>\r\n
cronkitenews.azpbs.org<\/A><\/DIV>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nPHOENIX, Arizona — Cahokia<\/a> touts itself as the first modern Indigenous art and social space owned by women. Nestled in the heart of downtown Phoenix, it hopes to embody the spirit of a pre-colonial city known for community, creativity and the free exchange of ideas.

<\/p>\r\nCo-founders Melody Lewis<\/a> and Eunique Yazzie<\/a> were inspired by ancient Cahokia, an Indigenous city<\/a> of 15,000 in the Mississippi Valley in what is now Illinois. They want their space to foster \u201ccreative placekeeping\u201d for Native American art and culture.

<\/p>\r\n\u201cWe called this place Cahokia because we want it to be the modern-day version of that space, where Indigenous communities and people come together to create and innovate,\u201d Lewis said. \u201cAnd so that’s how it all came to be: through our exchange in knowledge, skills and abilities when we first started.\u201d

<\/p>\r\n \"Melody<\/a>

From left, Melody Lewis, Dustin Lopez and Elizabeth Zingg discuss plans in Cahokia\u2019s collaborative space for a float they were constructing for Tempe\u2019s Fantasy of Lights parade in November 2021. Cahokia members and ambassadors gather there for weekly meetings to discuss projects, and the space is available for people to work together and make art. Photo by Ella Ho Ching \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n

<\/P>\r\nCahokia is a for-profit social enterprise that is a hub for Indigenous and marginalized creatives and entrepreneurs to host events, sell products, showcase and sell their artwork and collaborate on various projects.

<\/p>\r\nLocated on North Third Street on the ground floor of the Link PHX<\/a>, a new high-rise apartment building, Cahokia opened on Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day<\/a>, October 11. Since the grand opening, Cahokia has brought in more artists and gotten more media coverage than expected, which has been exciting for the founders.

<\/p>\r\n\u201cWe have blown up more than we ever thought we would,\u201d Yazzie said. \u201cWe’ve had people trying to pitch us projects that are huge in scale, because nobody’s ever seen a completely Indigenous creative team operating like how we do and how we throw things together.\u201d

<\/p>\r\n \"Eunique<\/a>

Eunique Yazzie, co-founder of Cahokia, raffles off items created by local Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs at the artspace\u2019s First Friday event on December 6, 2021. Photo by Ella Ho Ching \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n

<\/P>\r\nLewis said the startup\u2019s notoriety can also be attributed to Cahokia being the first of its kind: a community space made for and led by Indigenous people.

<\/p>\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s super exciting to be able to have a space to do the work that makes sense to us, that feels like home,\u201d she said. \u201cA space that is not institutionalized, that sees through our lenses and our worldview, just hasn’t existed until now.\u201d

<\/p>\r\nCahokia has 15 member creatives as well as more than 30 volunteers. To foster a sense of family, all are part of the decision-making process in event planning and meeting community needs.

<\/p>\r\n \"Cahokia<\/a>

During First Friday on December 6, 2021, people browse the goods of Cahokia\u2019s vendors, who were selling their Indigenous artwork and products. Photo by Ella Ho Ching \/ Cronkite News<\/figcaption>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nAdan Madrigal<\/a>, a motivational speaker and videographer who\u2019s not Native American, said he has explored his own cultural identity since joining Cahokia because of the social enterprise\u2019s strong sense of community.

<\/p>\r\n\u201cI come here sometimes and see there’s no one here, so I leave and go back to the office because I’m not coming here for the space,\u201d Madrigal said.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n \u201cI\u2019m coming here for relationships, the people and the connections. That’s where the energy is, that’s where the excitement is,\u201d Madrigal said. \u201cThat’s where optimism is \u2013 it\u2019s with the people. Cahokia is teaching people how to take ideas and turn them into tangible things through action.\u201d

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