New exhibit debuts at Aktá Lakota Museum

CHAMBERLAIN – The Aktá Lakota Museum & Cultural Center, an outreach of St. Joseph’s Indian School, will debut its newest exhibit, Modernity Meets Tradition: Real Tradish, on July 1, inviting visitors to explore how contemporary Native American artists honor and reinterpret traditional culture in today’s world.

The exhibit will be on display through October 31 and features artwork that bridges the past and present through traditional techniques, symbolism, and cultural teachings, alongside modern materials, themes, and imagery. Together, the featured works demonstrate that Native American traditions remain vibrant, evolving, and deeply relevant in the 21st century.

The subtitle, Real Tradish, draws inspiration from the popular television series Reservation Dogs, in which a character frequently uses the phrase “real tradish” to describe someone who embraces traditional ways while living in the modern world. The exhibit reflects that same spirit, celebrating the ways Lakota people continue to carry traditional culture forward while adapting to contemporary life.

Visitors will encounter a diverse collection of works from artists including Daniel Long Soldier (Oglala Lakota), Keith Brave-Heart (Oglala Lakota), Henry Payer (Ho-Chunk), Donald Ruleaux (Oglala Lakota), and many others. The exhibit showcases unexpected and creative connections between tradition and modernity.

“Modernity Meets Tradition: Real Tradish showcases that blend between modernity and traditional elements,” said Casey Walsh, curator of the exhibit. “Whether that be through a pair of Ray-Bans with beaded arms, ledger art of someone playing the Wii, or even a painting of moccasins and Converses. It’s meant to show that bridge between then and now, and the creative ways these artists reference tradition in their work.”

The exhibit offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience how Indigenous artists are preserving cultural identity while engaging with the realities of contemporary life. Through humor, creativity, and innovation, the featured artists demonstrate that tradition is not something confined to the past – it is something lived every day.

The Aktá Lakota Museum & Cultural Center invites community members, tourists, art enthusiasts, and supporters of Native American culture to visit Modernity Meets Tradition: Real Tradish from July 1 through October 31. Entrance into the museum is free.

For museum hours and visitor information, please visit the museum or contact the Aktá Lakota Museum & Cultural Center at (800) 798-3452.

St. Joseph’s Indian School has been welcoming Native American children and their families into a caring community since 1927. Students in grades one through twelve find a place to live, learn, grow, and thrive—supported by education, counseling, and a circle of care that nurtures mind, body, heart, and spirit. Discover more about the mission at www.sjiskids.org or www.stjo.org.

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