ANCHOR Marie Rock: This is Minnesota Native News, I’m Marie Rock.
This week, local comedy duo “Big Auntie Energy” bring a special Valentine’s Day show to St. Paul. Plus, an Indigenous-owned tattoo shop launches its first community festival next month. First, let’s hear from reporter Travis Zimmerman.
Travis Zimmerman: You might have heard about a comedy duo, the Big Auntie Energy comedy show featuring Trish Cook and Deanna Standing Cloud. I recently was able to talk to Trish Cook about their show.
Clip of Trish Cook doing stand up
Trish Cook: We have the auntie energy, because the aunties are the ones that you can share your secrets with, spill the dirt with. We’re going to help you out. We’re going to be the call if you’re in trouble and you know, we still have, hopefully, some kind of level of respectability that people will listen when we give them advice or whatever.
Travis Zimmerman: Trish has been around the Minnesota comedy scene [1] for years.
Trish Cook: So, I’ve been, you know, doing open mics and showcases in my own shows for, I think this is going into the 11th or 12th year, and it’s just in the last three years, you know, that it’s really starting to get noticed
Travis Zimmerman: When asked why stand-up comedy, she says because that’s one of our best attributes as Native people.
Trish Cook: We use humor all the time, I mean, and I think most indigenous native people know like that is our best skill. And I keep telling people, one of the favorite things that I’ve heard of last few years is that, you know, you can take everything away from native folks. You can take it all. We’ll still laugh at you like we will still find a reason to laugh at you, and I love that.
Travis Zimmerman: Trish’s goal is to help other Natives get into the act and share their stories.
Trish Cook: Like we want to work with other comedians, and they can be aunties or uncles or, you know, whoever like it’s that’s about us and the energy that we bring. That’s the goal we want to we want to encourage more storytellers and comedians, and hopefully by seeing us, they will be encouraged to know that they can do the same thing.
Clip of Trish Cook doing stand up
Travis Zimmerman: The next Big Auntie Energy Comedy Show will be at Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center in St. Paul on February 14 from 5-8pm. This Valentine’s Day Party & Native Night Market is a free event. Details can be found on Indigenous Roots’ social media platforms.
This is Travis Zimmerman for Minnesota Native News.
ANCHOR Marie Rock: Next, we’ll hear about a new Indigenous art and tattoo festival. Here’s Deanna Standing Cloud with more.
Sounds of tattoo gun
Deanna StandingCloud: The tattoos customers walk away with after visiting Iktomi Tattoos in Minneapolis are vivid, bold and often reflect regional Native images. Some are colorful local florals and botanicals, while others are personal expressions clients bring to the artists to bring their vision to life. The shop, located near Bde Maka Ska is owned by Willard Malebear, a Hunkpapa Lakota artist.
Sounds of tattoo gun
Willard Malebear: I like to think of everyone that tattoos there or gets tattoos there as like an extension of family.
Deanna StandingCloud: After facing substance abuse and incarceration, Willard shifted his life. He now is living his dream every day with other tattoo artists in the shop and operating his community artist studio, “Art Shelf.”
Willard Malebear: Iktomi has been open for a year and a half. So it’s been a year and a half or just building up the brand, building up the community, building up the family of tattoo artists that we have in the space. I think we have a great energy.
Deanna StandingCloud: The shop displays unapologetic Native art including a large mural claiming “Land Back.” Attached to the tattoo shop, the non-profit, Art Shelf is a community space filled with supplies.
Sounds of crafting (scissors, paintbrushes)
Community members are invited to create here as their heart desires, which uplifts the philosophy of the organization. Willard’s vision is “to cultivate wellness and empower imaginations.”
Willard Malebear: Our clientele is, you know, Indigenous progressives from the community. People of all nations It feels like we are serving more than just, you know, a role of tattooers. I feel like, you know, a lot of us are just like, network connections within the community.
Deanna StandingCloud: Their first major event, Mni Sota Akitho Festival is March 14-16th 2025. It will offer a variety of experiences, including interactive art projects, workshops, storytelling, vendors, food trucks, music and tattoos. Hosted at the Mille Lacs owned Intercontinental Hotel, Akitho Festival is open to all ages. Tickets are available online at theticketing.co. For Minnesota Native News, I’m Deanna StandingCloud.
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