Chishkale: Blessing Of The Acorn Screening
Chishkale: Blessing Of The Acorn Screening
Online screening and panel discussion.
Tuesday, September 8
5-6pm PDT . 8-9pm EDT
Join us for a free screening of the dance short, Chiskale: The Blessing of the Acorn, followed by a panel discussion with those who worked on the film.
Bernadette Smith, from the Manchester band of Pomo Indians, weaves the story of her Tan Oak conservation efforts in Northern California into a contemporary Indigenous dance piece created to honor the sacred, traditional food of California Natives. The "Acorn Dance" is performed on Sogorea Te' Land Trust in Huichin on Ohlone Territory (Albany, CA).
Chiskale: The Blessing of the Acorn is the third installment of The Acorn Project, a year-long collaboration between Dance Mission Theater and Costanoan Indian Research Inc, in partnership with Dancing Earth and Native One.
Panelists include dancer and activist Bernadette Smith, cultural bearer Kanyon Sayers-Roods, land steward Vitoria Montaño, choreographer Rulan Tangen, composer Esme Olivia, and others.
After the screening we will speak about sudden Oak death, the toxic use of “slash and spray” agriculture, land sovereignty, indigenous knowledge, living traditions, art as activism, and more.
To attend the event on Zoom, register in advance here.
Chiskale: The Blessing of the Acorn is a film by Hover Pictures and Produced by Dance Mission Theater in collaboration with Costanoan Indian Research Inc and Native One.
For more information visit DanceMissionTheater.org.
Acorn Demonstration w/ Bernadette Smith & Pomo Youth
Project Team
Bernadette Antoinette Smith - Teacher/Facilitator: Northern Pomo, Mexica
Kanyon CoyoteWoman Sayers-Roods - Language & Place: Ohlone
Web: kanyonkonsulting.com
FB: Kanyon Consulting
Instagram:@KanyonKonsulting
Tiśina T. Parker - Program Manager: Yosemite Miwuk, Kashia Pomo, Mono Lake Paiute
Instagram: @NativeOne
Dance Mission - Presenter
About Dance Mission
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Dance Mission connects and empowers diverse Bay Area communities and artists through all aspects of dance and dance theater, including the production of new works, instruction, and performance. We are an artist-driven, feminist organization dedicated to building community, addressing social justice issues, exploring cultural identities, promoting inclusivity, and creating a more peaceful world through collective action. Many female artists, artists of color, and culturally specific ensembles consider Dance Mission to be their artistic home. Master teachers of dance and music have created a thriving inter-generational community celebrating cultural traditions, welcoming students of all backgrounds. Dance Mission is also the home of Krissy Keefer’s Dance Brigade, San Francisco’s groundbreaking, feminist social-change modern dance company. ... learn more...
Acorn Demonstration w/ Bernadette Smith & Pomo Youth
Grinding demo & cultural talk about traditional, sacred food of California Natives. Presented by & for youth.
Thursday, June 25
6-7pm PDT . 9-10pm EDT
Bernadette Smith & Pomo Youth on Zoom HERE!
REINDIGENIZE: The Acorn Project is presented by Dance Mission as part of its WORD! series
About the Class
Join Bernadette and Pomo youth in a cultural discussion about Bernadette's and the Manchester Band of Pomo Indians work in protecting their sacred food source of Tan Oak Acorn in Northern California. Learn about this traditional, Indigenous food source as well as environmental and human impacts that threaten acorn in the Northern Pomo region of coastal California including slash and spray as well as environmental threats exacerbated by global warming such as sudden oak death.
This class will include an acorn grinding demo led by Pomo youth guided by Bernadette, techniques in processing as well as how acorn plays a role in contemporary Native culture, life, health, wellness and Native food sovereignty.
Downloadable acorn coloring sheet designed by Kanyon Sayers-Roods will include varietal illustrations, local Native name places, local tribal words for acorn.
Youth encouraged to attend!!!