great sand dunes

a magical dreamscape made from mountain dust, held in water and sculpted by the wind

a beautiful and ever changing natural structure 

shapeshifting at the will of another, the same

erroded and made into something new.

she moves easily now,

refining sand

in flux.

at the bench there are two types of flux to use before soldering; there's a "barrier flux" to resist the dreaded purple firescale, and a "flow flux" to get things moving. a resist + an embrace, armor and kisses. to oppose and conform,  discourage and encourage. it's all about finding balance & the right kind of magic, I suppose.  a strong sense of self and the power or transformation.

feather collection

“Today there is growing awareness that indigenous knowledge that had been ignored and marginalized as a primitive knowledge system is something we need to look to to build a sustainable, fairer system where food security, nutrition and well being of people is held together.”

— Phrang Roy / indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com

“We facilitate the use of traditional Indigenous knowledge in solving today’s challenges, including climate change, food security, medicine, governance and sustainable development.”

— www.firstpeoples.org

“Cultural Survival envisions a future that respects and honors Indigenous Peoples inherent rights and dynamic cultures, deeply and richly interwoven in lands, languages, spiritual traditions, and artistic expression, rooted in self-determination and self-governance.”

— www.culturalsurvival.org

“There’s a particular time that we’re in that’s about a real reemergence, a real resurgence of our people that’s producing all of this new media, this new artistry, this new culture, which is amazing.”

— Jarrett Martineau / http://www.cbc.ca/news/aboriginal/legal-warriors-five-indigenous-lawyers-1.3371819

“Media is not a passive thing. We cannot be passive in making media content. The thinkers, doers, warriors, philosophers, leaders–people who are gifted, we have a responsibility with media to create the future. That’s a huge responsibility. We have amazing potential as creators of our own content.”

— Iron Eyes / www.cbc.ca

“Before the DAY is over, an Indigenous homeland will be clear-cut, strip-mined, or flooded by a dam.

Before the WEEK is over, an Indigenous person will be killed or displaced, because of economic interests or simply because he or she has a different culture.

Before the YEAR is over, dozens of languages could disappear forever, taking with them ancient worldviews and a priceless record of earth’s biodiversity.”

— www.culturalsurvival.org

revision: feather project

Happy New Year!  Thursday I made my 8th Feather Project donation to First People's Worldwide and Cultural Survival.  All donations through December 31st were matched dollar for dollar by Cultural Survival’s Board of Directors as part of their year-end fundraising.  In the past year and a half, since I began my “Feather Project”, I have been able to donate $231.01 to these two non- government organizations.  

Every little bit helps :)

I've also done some thinking and have decided to make some changes to my project.  Beginning Jan 1, a percentage of all sales through my Etsy site will be donated to organizations providing support for Indigenous Peoples around the world through funding and advocacy.    

ALL sales, not just feathers.  

Because it's not about the feathers, it was never about the feathers.  It's about the people, cultures, languages, and the land.  I believe that part of environmental protection is protecting the indigenous cultures that live in harmony with this earth.  I believe in equal rights no matter your skin color, the way you dress, or the language you speak.  I believe that we all have the right to decide what happens to our lands, our waters & this sky we live under.  Ultimately, our view of other cultures truly does have an effect on how people are treated, which can have profound global and political effects. 

At some point this year I started to feel a little uncomfortable about my Feather Project.  I felt pressured to continue making feathers even when I wasn't inspired to make them, because having no feathers in the shop meant no possibility of giving to these organizations.  Limiting my donations to only feather sales felt too confining.  "Feather" Project felt synonymous with "Indigenous" Project, only adding to the stereotype of the stoic Indian with a feather headdress. 

Cultural Survival holds consultative status with the United Nations and is a nonprofit, human rights organization partnering with Indigenous Peoples to defend their lands, languages, and cultures through advocacy. They are based in Cambridge, MA.

First Peoples Worldwide is an Indigenous-led organization providing funding directly to Indigenous communities all over the world through grants for local development projects. They are based in Fredericksburg, VA.  

Please visit www.culturalsurvival.org & www.firstpeoples.org for more information.

Here’s to a new year and new perspectives!

xo  jillian