In Yellowstone, Teepees To Light The Night, Illuminating Age-Old Connections
Several days of festivities at Roosevelt Arch and Madison Junction honor the heritage of indigenous Yellowstone. The public is invited to attend these August events
Glowing teepees return to the front doorstep of Yellowstone at Roosevelt Arch on the edge of Gardiner, Montana. They're a reminder of how the lands that became Yellowstone have their own history with different tribes across time and space. Photo courtesy Jacob W. Frank/NPS
Mountain Journal
For the second year in a row, Yellowstone National Park is hosting an event it calls The Lighting of Teepees, a collaborative effort with Pretty Shield Foundation, Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council and Yellowstone Forever. It’s part of several days of celebrating the ancient and unceasing connections indigenous people have with the ecosystem that encompasses the oldest national park in the world.
Another collaborator is Mountain Time Arts in Bozeman that is offering an additional slate of offerings. If you’re in Greater Yellowstone or heading here, consider adding these family-friendly events to your schedule. They are free, fun and open to the public.
From August 1 to 7, park visitors are invited to view the teepees at the Roosevelt Arch in Gardiner, Montana, and learn about the historic and continued presence of tribes in the Yellowstone region. “The Lighting of Teepees: An Era of Unity and Inclusivity” will include seven installed teepees that will be illuminated nightly at sunset.
In addition, Mountain Time Arts is coordinating the 2023 edition of “Yellowstone Revealed” that is happening at Madison Junction in Yellowstone from August 10 to 12.
According to MTA Executive Director Francesa Pine Rodriquez (Apsáalooke/Tsétsêhéstâhes) artists Sean Chandler (Aaniiih/Gros Ventre/Assiniboine) and Ben Pease (Apsáalooke/Tsétsêhéstâhes/Crow/Northern Cheyenne) are providing word that serves as an interpreting guide for thinking about the “All Nations Teepee Village” near the birthplace of the famous Madison River.
Last year, Crow musical performer Supaman, who has fans around the world, made a special appearance at the Madison Junction teepee encampment. This year, artists Sean Chandler and Ben Pease are among the guest artists, spiritual and cultural leaders. Photo courtesy Ashton Hooker
This interactive self-guided experience will combine art and storytelling, taking visitors on a thought-provoking narrative journey about our shared past, present and future of teepee lodges sited where the Gibbon River joins the Firehole River to form the Madison.
“The two artists’ contemporary artworks are installed in relationship and visual proximity to the traditional teepees on view at Yellowstone’s Madison Junction,” she said. “The contemporary art installations put forward Indigenous truths and perspectives.”
Todd Wilkinson, founder of Mountain Journal, is author of the book Ripple Effects: How to Save Yellowstone and American's Most Iconic Wildlife Ecosystem. Wilkinson has been writing about Greater Yellowstone for 35 years and is a correspondent to publications ranging from National Geographic to The Guardian. He is author of several books on topics as diverse as scientific whistleblowers and Ted Turner, and a book about the harrowing story of Jackson Hole grizzly mother 399, the most famous bear in the world which features photographs by Thomas Mangelsen. For more information on Wilkinson, click here. (Photo by David J Swift).
