Faces of Identity, Hands of Skill: Folk Arts in North Dakota
By Troyd A. Geist

"Some people speak of the flat prairies of North Dakota and its "unchanging" scenery. They speak of the monotony of traveling the interstate highways where the land and sky disappear into the horizon. They find the small towns and their inhabitants indistinguishable from one another. If, however, a person views North Dakota with an eye accustomed to the Plains, a subtle yet dynamic landscape filled with life appears. If a person slows down, gets off the interstate and looks around, really looks around, he or she will discover hundreds of varieties of plants and animals. This situation is similar with regard to the communities that dot the state. From the outside, one house and one town might look similar to the others, but, inside, the differences are apparent. The outside of a house is the face people show the public. The inside, however, is more reflective of a personal identity. What makes each house and town different are the people who live there...it is necessary to go inside, to go beneath the surface, to discover cultural identity..."

"Faces of Identity, Hands of Skill: Folk Arts in North Dakota focuses on the traditions embodied in the lives of North Dakota folk artists representing twelve cultural groups: Mandan, Dakota Sioux, Sisseton Sioux, Lakota/Hidatsa, Metis, Banat German, Ukrainian, German-Russian, Armenian, Khmer, Kurdish, and Vietnamese. It attempts to illustrate the integrated nature of culture and to show how folk art brings a face to familial, religious, and cultural identity. How are Lydia Sage-Chase's basketry, prayers, and songs tied to Mandan gardening? Why does Bryan Akipa carve the head of a mallard or an elk on his flutes? How do Martha Namyniuk's Ukrainian ritual breads tie to Angie Chruszch's decorative Easter eggs? What do John Gross, Jr.'s songs teach us about the Napoleonic Wars? What can Luqman Maii's music teach us about the political situation of the Kurds? What does Kim Ahn Ho-Nguyen's embroidery tell us about Buddhism? The folk artists represented herein are among the finest in the state. Their traditions have passed the test of time, surviving and reflecting immigration, 'hard years', political and religious persecution, and wars."

Troyd A. Geist, author

Bryan Akipa, Sisseton Sioux, playing a red cedar Siyo Tanka (flute).

Martha Namyniuk lights candle on a Ukrainian Christmas kolachi.