Maakon Yomi Artists Bio’s
Blake – Hupa/Yurok
Canoe Making/Hupa Bows/Bone and Antler Carving/Silver and Gold Jewelry Maker
George began carving redwood dugout canoes as a child over sixty years ago. He began carving canoe miniatures under the guidance of master Haynes Moore. After Haynes’ passing, George worked with master Dewey George, who helped him build a canoe that is still utilized in ceremonies today. He also learned to make sinew-backed bows from Homer Cooper, one of the last bow makers. In 1991, George was named an NEA National Heritage Fellow. George's work with his Hupa/Yurok canoe making, elk antler purses, sinew backed bows and arrows, dance regalia and his gold and silver jewelry is renowned. George demonstrates work done by the Hupa and other tribes in the northern part of California.
Carson Bates – Central Sierra Mewuk
Making Hemp String and Cordage
Carson Bates – Central Sierra Mewuk Making Hemp String and Cordage Carson is proficient in the art of string making. He is also skilled in making twined baskets, toys, musical instruments, and many other items of Native material culture. Much of what Carson has learned is from the redoubtable Dorothy Stanley, his grandmother, his father, Craig Bates, and his mother, Jennifer Bates, as well as a host of aunts, relatives, and friends. Carson continues the legacy of passing on traditional knowledge by holding presentations and demonstrations, and teaching.
Julia Parker, Lucy Parker & Family / Coast Miwok / Kashaya Pomo
Twined Willow Basketry
Julia Parker, Lucy Parker & Family / Coast Miwok / Kashaya Pomo Demonstrating different facets of Julia’s life including beaded necklaces depicting the old pieces that were sold in Yosemite, baskets, tule twined work, and jewelry Julia is a National Endowment of the Arts recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship. She is regarded everywhere as a living treasure. Born in Sonoma County, she spent her early years in boarding schools removed from her Pomo culture. There she met Ralph Parker, whose family lived in the Yosemite Valley since time immemorial, and from Ralph’s grandmother, Lucy Telles, she learned basketry, acorn processing, and many other skills of the Sierra. She studied basketry under Mabel McKay and studied baskets in museums throughout the world. Now 90, she still makes baskets, gives talks, and graces us all with her astounding presence. Her skills have been passed down to her daughter Lucy, her granddaughter Ursula, and her great-granddaughter Naomi.
Kimberly Stevenot – Northern Sierra Mewuk
Northern Mewuk Basketry
Kimberly is gifted in the central Sierra Native ways, sharing her knowledge of Mewuk culture with her community through demonstrations and lectures. Kimberly learned from her mother, Dorothy Stanley, her grandmother, and aunties the process of cooking nupa (acorn soup) and many other traditional Mewuk foods. Her craft is not limited to the culinary arts but extends into the world of Mewuk basket weaving and jewelry making, both of which are made with traditional Native materials.
Julie Tex / Dunlap Band of Mono in Eastern Fresno County
Milk Weed Finger Weaving
Julie has practiced her Mono cultural traditions since early childhood and shares her knowledge through teachings and demonstrations. She makes baskets, native string sashes, soap root brushes, and much more. She speaks her native language fluently and along with other family members travels all over the country to meet new people and share the beauty of her culture. Julie will be sharing how milkweed fiber is used for making tumplines/belts and how this technology was adapted into finger weaving contemporary yarn.
Dixie Rogers / Karuk / Modoc
Karuk Basketry
Dixie Rogers / Karuk / Modoc Karuk Basketry Dixie, former Board Member of the California Indian Basketweavers Association, is a talented artist, skillful in making traditional Karuk baskets. The Karuk people were known for extraordinary baskets and produced some of the greatest basketry artists the world has ever seen. Dixie has devoted a large part of her life to carrying on this tradition, and travels across the country sharing the beauty of her culture’s artistry by holding California Indian Basket Weaving demonstrations. She also makes magnificent jewelry using abalone and glass beads.
Lois Conner-Bohna – Mono/Chukchansi
Mono Basketry
I am a Mono/Chukchansi Indian from Eastern Madera County. The art of basket weaving was introduced to me by my mother and Tribal elders. I started weaving about 50 years ago. I was 21 when I made my first baby basket. Clara Harris, a renown Mono basket weaver, also taught me a lot about our baskets. One of her first beautiful gambling trays was purchased by Steve Jobs.
For the past 15 years Lois has been working on learning the Mono language. Through the language and basket weaving she hopes to help keep our culture alive.
Gladys McKinney – Dunlap Band of Mono Indians
Soaproot Brushes
Gladys is a basket weaver, plant specialist, and technologist. She is versed in the cultural ways of the Mono and shares her knowledge to help educate the public to the California native traditions and cultural ways.
Anthony Steele – Pomo
Clam Shell Bead Making
Anthony is a student and teacher of the Southeastern Pomo language from Lake County and the Kashaya language from Sonoma County. He grew up in Sonoma County and spent most of his childhood on the Kashaya Rancheria and Santa Rosa. He is a father and grandfather, and enjoys helping others as a board member/co-founder of Kno’qoti Native Wellness, a nonprofit based in Lake County, California. He is a clam shell bead maker, a traditional food gatherer, a regalia maker, and more importantly, a keeper of traditional roundhouse rules and Native ways.
Jennifer Bates – Northern Sierra Mewuk
Acorn Processing and Cooking the Nupa
Jennifer is a California Native Consultant, Mewuk basket weaver, speaker, demonstrator and teacher.
From Jennifer in her own words:
"My mother’s family is from the village of Hechenu’ in Calaveras County, California located in the Central Sierra. My father was from the island of Bohol, in the Philippines. I owned and operated one of the first California Native American art galleries, the Bear n’ Coyote. I sold work for and by California tribal people who were descendants from tribes throughout California.I am a traditional Mewuk basket weaver and have been weaving for over 50 years. I teach classes, conduct demonstrations and do presentations on basketry and Mewuk and Central California material Cultures and foods. I have son, Carson, who together with his life partner Sara are raising my sweetest little grandson, Henry who is now 6 years old.
I was a founding board member and first chairperson for the state-wide non-profit California Indian Basketweavers Association (CIBA) which I chaired for 13 years.
I have sat on panels for the Alliance for California Traditional Art (ACTA) for a good 25+ years and I have been a coordinator for the PIT Project (Passage in Time) working alongside the National Forest Service, mainly the Stanislaus National Forest. I have helped produce and teach the four (4) day PIT project for over 12 years.
I retired from Black Oak Casino Resort (owned by the Tuolumne Band of Mewuk) in October 2017 where I worked for 16 years Starting as a Training Coordinator and retired as the Personnel Development Manager. In those 16 years I coordinated and presented the California Indian Market and continued to produce the event even after retirement. We celebrated our 20th year in May 2023.
I have participated on numerous grant panels including ACTA (Alliance for California Traditional Arts), California Arts Council (many years ago), Humboldt Area Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation to help formalize a new grant application for their Performing Arts division. I sit on the Native American Advisory Council for the Oakland Museum of which I am the current chair."