Dr. Jolene Rickard, Skarù:ręʔ, Turtle Clan

About this episode

Dr. Jolene Rickard discusses her work in Indigenous studies, art, and the ongoing struggle for Indigenous sovereignty.

What a dynamic visit this month with Tuscarora Turtle clan scholar, curator, historian, and artist Dr. Jolene Rickard. At Cornell University, she teaches in the History of Art and Visual Studies and Art Departments, where she has long guided students through Indigenous studies leadership and practice. She co-curated two of the four permanent exhibitions at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Across her work, Dr. Rickard centers Indigenous knowledge, lived experience, and visual sovereignty. Jolene is the curator of the ambitious outdoor exhibition  Deskaheh in Geneva 1923 to 2023: Defending Haudenosaunee Sovereignty , which opened along the Quai Wilson in Geneva in 2023. The exhibition marks 100 years since Deskaheh Levi General sought to speak for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy at the League of Nations. Working with the Haudenosaunee External Relations Committee, the City of Geneva, and Docip, Dr. Rickard highlights the ongoing struggle for Indigenous sovereignty. Her work also addresses the health of her homeplace, including the impacts of the Niagara Falls Power Project and Love Canal on the Tuscarora community, bringing these conversations into…

People in this episode

Host: Kahstoserakwathe

Guest: Dr. Jolene Rickard

Topics covered

• Indigenous studies
• art and visual studies
• sovereignty
• health impacts
• cultural heritage

Keywords

• Indigenous knowledge
• visual sovereignty
• Tuscarora community
• exhibition
• cultural heritage

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cornell University, Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, Haudenosaunee External Relations Committee

Places: Geneva, Niagara Falls, Love Canal, Tuscarora, Tuscarora Turtle clan

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