Project 562

25/10/2024

This is happening right now.

Watch live coverage as President Joe Biden formally apologizes for a U.S. government boarding school system that forcibly separated generations of Native Ame...

28/09/2024

Denver! Join us at the Indigenous Women Authors Event, "The Connection Between the Arts and Science: A Woman's Experience" on October 8, 2024 from 6 pm–7:45 pm.

I'm honored to be joining authors Robin Kimmerer, Angeline Boulley, and Kinsale Drake. The museum explains, "Through their unique experiences and personal stories, this dynamic panel of authors will explore the powerful connection of Indigenous traditional knowledge, the arts, and science".

Tickets here:
https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/calendar/indigenous-women-authors-Tulalip Events

*Artwork by Marty Two Bulls Jr.

21/09/2024

T'igwicid to The Seattle Times for this beautiful story about the work we're doing. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the opening tonight!

The new gallery and artistic space features Indigenous art, just steps from the Seattle waterfront.

30/07/2024

Hi Friends, I'm working on a big project in downtown Seattle (more official announcement soon), but I am looking to hire a general laborer. If you know anyone looking for temporary work, we'd much appreciate you spreading the word. ;)

Job Title: Temporary General Laborer Location: 55 University St, Seattle, WA 98101 Job Type: Temporary (Two Weeks to One Month) Job Description: We are seeking a Temporary General Laborer for a...

03/07/2024

We are THRILLED to announce the continuation of our journey with Project 562 as we expand into the world of children's literature! Our new children's book, “Project 562: May We Know an Indigenous Future," has just been picked up by Simon & Schuster and is set to be released in 2026, edited by Celia Lee! We can't wait to continue to share this adventure with you all. Stay tuned for more updates!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

22/05/2024

Project 562 is in Wampanoag country!​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​We are so excited to have two back-to-back Artist Residencies here!!

This week we will be in the area photographing locals from Nipmuc, Mashpee and Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribes with the until Saturday, May 25th.

Next week (May 27th-June 2nd): You can find us editing, printing and speaking at .

On Thursday May 30th at 9:00 am ET: Tune in to Healing Wisdom to catch my interview with .peoples on WOMR 92.1 FM in Ptown and WFMR 91.3 FM in Orleans, or find it on apple podcasts!

And on Saturday June 1st from 3:00-4:00 pm ET: Join me in The Barn at Twenty Summers for a free community artist talk!

We are also so excited to announce our new exhibit 1st Peoples: Portraits of Dawnland at Cape Ann Museum which will be opening June 29th! This exhibit will be a combination of new works created these weeks as well as pieces from the existing Project 562 collection. As a part of this exhibition we will also be back at Cape Ann Museum on July 19th for a keynote and exhibition celebration!

This is going to be a wild couple of weeks and hope to connect with all of you. ❤️

24/04/2024

Happy World Book Day! Last year, I released my Project 562 Book. Since then, I’ve sold 34k copies, it’s been reprinted 5 times and it’s a NYT Bestseller. I’ve given 20+ Keynotes, been to nearly 20 cities, given away over 10,000 books to Native students and educators and piloted our Project 562 curriculum in partnership with The National Education Association.

16/05/2023

Omg! Omg! Omg!
Book of the day on !!!!
T'igwicid! Thank you NPR, you're making this nerdy-NPR-listening-Native's dreams come true.😍😊😭

02/05/2023

We made it to Lenape Land for this epic book tour we're on. I'm looking forward to celebrating with ya'all at Parsons, May 2nd, at 4:30!

01/05/2023

On my way to Lenape Land (nka NYC) to celebrate our Indigenous Rising, and Indigenous Intelligence. I'll be telling stories, laughing loudly and signing books. I hope to see you all there-- Parsons, 66 W 12th St, Tuesday. May 4, 4:30-6. Please come a little early relatives, there's folks after us so we can't be on Ndn time 😂.

Yay! Can't wait!

25/04/2023

ITS PUB DAY!!!!😭🎉😭
In 2012, I sold everything in my Seattle apartment and set out on a Kickstarter-funded pursuit to visit, engage, and photograph people from what were then the 562 Native American Tribal Nations. Over the next decade, I traveled six thousand miles across fifty states-from Seminole Country to Inuit territory - to meet, interview, and photograph hundreds of Indigenous people. And today, these stories are available in book stores across the country, in my book, "Project 562: Changing The Way We See Native America".

It's not too late to buy your signed copy from Elliot Bay Book Store. Or you can get one tonight at the book launch celebration at Swinomish Social Service building at 7pm. The Swinomish Tribe will be giving book away Tribal members!! 🙂Tomorrow night I will in Tulalip at the Hibulb Cultural Center at 7pm, and Tulalip will also be giving away copies!!! On Thursday, we'll be at Elliot Bay Book Store at 7pm. We're asking singers and dancers to join us-- we're gonna jam!!!!! 💛

Id like to raise my hands to each of you who contributed to this endeavor. Each of you is remembered. They say that it takes a village. For Project 562 it took a nation. My heart is full of gratitude. I am forever grateful. Thank you. T'igwicid. Migwetch. Pilamiya. Ahéhee.

22/04/2023

This morning I did yoga with Darkfeather, and she reminded that all of this was a dream. She remembers when I was dreaming about making real. She remembers when I called her and told her about this image that I saw first in my dreams. I truly believe (especially today on Earth day) that the spirit and the earth will send us messages in our dreams, and if we can muster the courage, we can turn dreams reality.

I always think about that as I see canoes on the water. Our ancestors, despite religious and cultural persecution, dreamt of maintaining these life ways. So now, every year, 100+ U.S. tribes, First Nations and Maori canoe families make “the journey” by pulling their canoes to a host tribe. Canoe families pull for weeks, and upon landing, there will be several days and nights of cultural celebration.

Sisters, Darkfeather(left) and Bibiana (right) expressed this so clearly in their interview with me stating, “When we’re on the water, we all have to pull together. Everything is smoother when we all work together. The teachings that the elders gave to us... ...they teach us how to walk in the world”. -Darkfeather Ancheta.
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It feels as though you were all in my canoe this entire time, pulling with me. Your support led me to travel and shared friendships allowed my journey to continue. You shared your couch, your food, your stories and your love & when things got difficult, you were still there, pulling.. encouraging me to keep going. So, I began writing. Even after Alma Bee came into the world, I kept going. The culture, my roots, the teachings, and all of you give me strength and hope.
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So, as this day approaches and the days get busy, I hope you know how deeply I respect, honor, and love every single one of you. -Matika
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11/04/2023

The countdown begins! We are two weeks out from the release of my book — Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America. Once the 25th comes around, we will be on the road — signing books, talking, and celebrating. Check our website events page for tour info (https://www.project562.com/events) and come be in community with us. Looking forward to meeting all of you and sharing the joy that has culminated in the making of this piece.

T’igwicid to everyone who made this possible! See you soon

06/04/2023

YAAAAYYYYY!!! We are three weeks away from the book launch and book tour!!!! I am hoping to meet as many of you as possible en route. Here’s the book tour poster, so if we’re stopping in your city (or one near you), please do join us! To kick off the tour, if you’re in Washington, we’re launching in Swinomish, on April 25th, at The Social Service building at 7pm. Then the next night we’ll be in Tulalip, at The Hibulb Cultural Center, on the 26th. The following night we will be in Seattle at ! We’re asking all singers and dancers to join us at Elliott Bay (or at any of the stops)– we are hoping to indigenize all those books and bring all the good medicine and joy together. Then off we go on the road!

April 25, 7pm: Swinomish, Social Service Building
April 25, 7pm: Tulalip, Hibulb Cultural Center
April 26, 7pm: Seattle, Elliot Bay Book Store
April 28, 9am: Portland, OIEA
April 28, 7pm: Eugene, Many Nations Longhouse
April 30, 5:30pm: Tulsa, AISES
May 2, 6:00pm: NYC, Parsons, AICH
May 3: Berkeley, UC Berkeley
May 4: Monterey Institute of International Studies
May 5: San Luis Obisbo, CAL POLY
May 8: Santa Monica, SMC
May 10: San Diego?
May 12: Phoenix?
May 17: Santa Fe, TBD
May 19: Oklahoma?
May 30: New Orleans, NCORE

Some exact locations are still TBD, and if they are, that is because we are still looking for community partners! So if you have any contacts that would be willing and able to host a book party, please let us know!

Lastly, if you want a physical invitation to our book tour events respond to our story or DM us with your address and we will send you one.

Sending love. See you soon.

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03/04/2023

Vogue Philippines has revealed Apo Whang-Od as the cover star of its April issue, a move that makes the 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines the oldest person ever to appear on the front of Vogue.
Whang-Od — also known as Maria Oggay — has been perfecting the art of hand-tapping tattoos since she was a teen, learning under her father's instruction.
Residing in the mountain village of Buscalan, about 15 hours north of Manila, in Kalinga province, she is considered the country's oldest mambabatok — or traditional Kalinga tattooist.

01/04/2023

Starrburst Flower Montoya was raised among her mother’s Barona people, a Diegueño Tribe in Southern California, as well as in the ancient Taos Pueblo Village on her father’s side, both powerful and distinct Indigenous worlds. “I’m very privileged and honored to come from two different backgrounds,” she told me. “And now that I have a son, it’s real important to be able to balance that out and expose him to what I can offer.”
Starrburst Flower shared some of what she has gained from her two cultures.

”In California my mother and I would gather acorns in the local mountains in harvest time, October, to make acorn mush, a staple for Native foods. We had to beat squirrels and crows, and rain too, which would ruin the acorn with little holes. We would dry them out for the year to make traditional foods for gatherings, or maybe for an elder who wanted high- protein traditional food. That was something I tucked under my belt.”
Starrburst Flower’s name is from a lovely mountain flower found in Taos Pueblo and reflects the influence of her father’s people.

“My grandmother opened the door to Pueblo life. I started early in the dances and learning how to cook, sew—all the essential skills of a Pueblo woman. Being a Pueblo woman is hard work, but rewarding in so many ways. It’s earned. It took me a long time to learn everything too. But it balances me. All the teachings, I hold dear.”

Starrburst Flower joins the Taos Pueblo people in annual pilgrimages to Blue Lake, the Tribe’s most holy and culturally significant place, a beautiful glacier-fed lake at twelve thousand feet. Blue Lake was once threatened with exploitation by local government and private interests, but Taos Pueblo initiated successful activism and federal lobbying to reclaim and safeguard these ancestral lands, setting precedent for all Tribes for the integrity and security of their territories. In her rich life journey, Starrburst Flower recognizes common relationality among Indigenous peoples.

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