This month I am proud and honored to reveal one of my projects that I have been working on in secret with a handful of respected mentors. What I have finalized and submitted is a proposed new flag for my tribe and territory that incorporates cultural history and symbolism, traditional colors, and is a marker of our contemporary identity. This is something that I have thought about for many years but could never settle on any particular aspects that seemed to fully encapsulate the Ninilchik Tribe's identity in a simple, honest, and celebratory manner. I was motivated to finalize a design not only because this era of social unrest inspired me to more deeply examine the role of symbols in culture, but I also wanted to be able to give something back to the community that continues to support myself and my work. Our culture has such a distinct heritage it is more than deserving of its own visual identity to share, especially in the face of indigenous culture loss and a global society experiencing uncertainty and needing to find their roots for balance. For a brief and full description sheet please see the Nudech'ghela Flag page in the Works section. There are still some other projects I am addressing at the moment but I can't reveal anything else quite yet, and as I've stated before I am persistently filled with anticipation for them. Please continue to have a safe and happy spring and summer. - Argent |