Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce — a.k.a. Minnesota — to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.
On today’s show, we have a fun conversation with Amber Buckanaga (Leech Lake Band) who is an artist, fashion designer, and mother. Amber left her career in education, to follow her artistic dreams, which led to sewing, then designing fashions, and eventually the runways of NYC’s fashion week!
We hear how Amber’s passion for creating unique and colorful clothing grew into the creation of her in-demand fashion brand called the Buckanaga Social Club: an innovative artist collective producing high-quality Indigenous art, fashion, clothing, accessories, home décor, and more.
Amber shares how she balances the (sometimes conflicting) demands of family and work and family, and how her art helps her to stay grounded, enthusiastic, and clear on her priorities. Miigwech Amber Buckanaga for sharing your beautiful art and thoughtful perspectives.
Find the Buckanaga Social Club on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buckanaga_social_club/
Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.
Subscribe to Native Lights wherever you get your podcasts
More from Native Lights
- Derek Nicholas: Indigenous Fare for Future Generations
Leah and Cole have a conversation with Derek Nicholas (Red Cliff Band of Ojibwe) about food sovereignty and Indigenous cooking. Derek shares his experiences as the Nutrition Program Coordinator at the Division of Indian Work in Minneapolis; his views on culturally, seasonally appropriate foods; and about the growing, multi-faceted Indigenous food community. - Heather Friedli: Revealing Nature’s Allure
Heather creates vivid landscapes inspired by her family’s Native American and Mexican heritage and her time exploring the natural world. In addition to painting, Heather is also a professional snow sculptor and recently appeared in Disney’s Best In Snow sculpting competition. - Rita Walaszek Arndt: Representation in History
Rita is focused on Indigenous representation in the historical society and encourages people to think differently about the land now known as Minnesota. - Susie Ballot and Lera Hephner’s Work to Preserve Culture Across Generations
Today Leah shares her conversations with Susie Ballot and Lera Hephner from White Earth Nation’s cohort of Indigenous Parent Leadership Initiative (IPLI). As graduates of the initiative, they’ve begun projects to deepen connections between their communities and culture. - Duane Goodwin: Expressing Culture Through Sculpture
Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce — a.k.a. Minnesota — to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community. …
Young People Need to Get Vaccinated Too, Including Healthy Teens