Naytahwaush artists showcase resilience at Watermark galleries

Minwaajimowinan, "Good Stories," an exhibition of artists and families rooted in the Naytahwaush community on the White Earth Reservation, opened Jan. 9 at Watermark galleries in Bemidji and will remain on view through March 28. Guest curator Kent Estey organized the show to center local creativity and counter the narrow narratives that often follow reservation communities.

The exhibition features work from members of the Estey, Robinson, LaVoy, Bunker, Keahna, Burnette, Mason/Roy, and Littlewolf families. More than thirty artists are represented with basketry, beadwork, blankets, contemporary and traditional fashion, paintings and other media. A free public reception is planned Saturday, Feb. 14, from 3 to 5 p.m., with a musical performance by Doyle Turner and a special guest.

"Each community has a story to tell. Our story is about resilience, and being able to create beauty from nature," Estey said. "This exhibition will introduce you to a few faces, stories, and artists from this little village, my home, in the heart of the White Earth Reservation."

Estey framed the show as a corrective to the persistent focus on hardship in reporting about small reservation villages. "Oftentimes, the only news we hear about our little villages on the reservation is bad news. We are so much more than the bad things that happen to us. Our woods are full of amazing artists who do beautiful work, and their artistry deserves to be shown in galleries and art centers. Watermark is a place where we can show our artistry," he said.

For Bemidji and Beltrami County residents, the exhibit is both a cultural event and a chance to build community connections. Showing Native artists in a downtown gallery increases visibility for creators often excluded from mainstream arts markets, and it creates opportunities for cultural exchange between the White Earth Reservation and the wider county. Artmaking and cultural participation are also important contributors to mental well-being and social cohesion; local displays like Minwaajimowinan can help strengthen those supports at a time when community health and resilience matter.

Watermark galleries are accessible and free to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 505 Bemidji Avenue N., Bemidji. Call 218-444-7570 for information or to arrange accommodations.

The show highlights persistent equity issues: transportation to downtown venues, sustainable funding for Indigenous artists, and the need for more regular platforms that connect reservation talent with buyers and institutions. Exhibitions like this one make those gaps visible while offering concrete cultural and economic pathways for artists.

Our two cents? Make a plan to visit Minwaajimowinan, bring a neighbor, and support the artists directly when you can. If getting downtown is a barrier, call Watermark at 218-444-7570 to ask about accessibility or group visits, seeing this work in person is a simple, meaningful step toward community connection and equity.