Santa Fe Indian Market Announces 2019 Fellowship Winners

Ungelbah Davila, Discovery Fellow

Published June 4, 2019

SANTA FE, N.M. — SWAIA the non-profit organization that produces the annual Santa Fe Indian Market is pleased to announce this year’s fellowship winners in the following categories.

Discovery Fellow, Sallyann Paschall (Cherokee Nation):
Ms. Pashchall will travel to take an advanced cold wax workshop, and then create a series of comprehensive, free workshops to introduce fellow Native artists and their families to the versatile medium of cold wax. While classes in almost all other mediums exist in Santa Fe, no cold wax workshops are currently available.

Syllabary Song, Paschall Millenial

Discovery Fellow: Ungelbah Davila (Diné),  
Ms. Davila is a writer and fine art portrait photographer. For her fellowship project, she will document as many indigenous artists as possible, delving in – with words and photographs – to their pain, joy, triumph, heartache, ancestry, tradition and dreams. Ungelbah envisions creating a collection of iconic portraits, in color and black and white, as well as written narratives and possibly recordings.

Youth Grant/Chinle Boarding School Youth Project: Garrett Etsitty (Diné).
 Mr. Etsitty is being awarded a grant to bring to fruition a project he has in mind that involves creating a 60″ x 60″ octagonal painting with youth at the Chinle Boarding School in October or November 2019. He will use patterns and deity imagery from Diné ceremonies—artwork that is a combination of cultural history, cultural preservation and futurism.

Youth Fellow, Gracelynn Growingthunder (Nakoda Dakota):
Gracelynn is a 10-year- old  photographer and vlogger (instagram: @monksaboutart) who will use her fellowship money to prepare for Santa Fe Indian Market—purchasing equipment and marketing.

Poster/Merchandise Fellow, Jason Parrish (Diné):

Jason’s image, “The Antelope Hunt” will be used for the official 2019 SFIM poster, as well as t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats.

Merchandise Fellow, Tokeya Waci U Richardson (Oglala Lakota):

Tokeya’s image, “Strength” was chosen for additional merchandise (bag, mug, women’s apparel and cards) because it ties into our theme this year of the strength and resilience of women.  

Strentth by Tokeya Waci U Richardson

“The backbone of our people are the ones who carry tradition and bring life. The women’s traditional is the resilience that our ancestors instilled within all of us. They are the authority of the household and part of that backbone of all the people. As a male dancer, when I come around and see our women (young and old) on the edge dancing, protecting us and standing watch while we dance. I see my grandmothers, my moms, my aunties, my wife, my sisters my daughters, my nieces and my future generations. That thought alone gives me strength. ‘Swing and sway ladies! Swing and sway! says Tokeya.’”