Art Project
ACHF Cultural Heritage
We will build relationships with members of groups that have been underserved by the arts.Oyate Nipi Kte will measure the effectiveness of the Winyanpi Wokiksuye (Remembering Women) Song Project in three major ways: 1) The completion of a CD with 10 Dakota women’s songs; 2) A record of attendance at the Dakota Women’s Gatherings with an evaluation discussion and documentation of that discussion; and, 3) The dissemination of the CD's to appropriate organizations, institutions, and programs with an accompanying survey. The achievement of goal one (1) will be self-evident. To measure goal two (2) we will provide a sign-in sheet for those in attendance at the Dakota Women’s Gatherings so that we may have a record of attendance. After sharing the CD and allowing an opportunity for those in attendance to hear the CD, we will have an evaluative discussion about the project, recording the results of those for inclusion in the final report to Southwest Minnesota Arts Council. Questions we might ask include: What is your response to hearing these songs? What do they bring to mind? Why are these songs important? How might they help you? And, how might you use them in the future? To measure goal three (3), we will include an evaluative survey in CDs we send out to organizations, institutions, libraries, and individuals outside the Dakota community. That survey is attached below.
For the community responses provided during the CD-Release events, we took notes of the feedback as each individual spoke. This allowed us immediate feedback from everyone in attendance and was extremely useful and uplifting to know that this project was having a positive impact on people in our communities. Those who took the time to respond to the CD evaluation survey believed it to be of great value and benefit. For example, one treatment center believed that using the CD to help ground one of their Native American female clients in her culture helped to alleviate her cravings, triggers, and stress. Libraries in Madison, Dawson, and Minneota felt the project would give their patrons an introduction to music they had not heard before and that it would open doors to understanding and appreciation of Dakota culture. Native prison groups in South Dakota reported that the stories and songs on the CD would help those who need it in a traditional way while also teaching our oral and musical traditions.
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