Michael Galban, Washoe-Paiute
Michael Galban, a visiting artist,
taught workshops in Oneida, Wisconsin, on how to decorate leather
with porcupine quills. In pre-colonial times, Native Americans
used porcupine quills to decorate their clothing, pouches, knife
sheaths, and other accessories. When trade with Europeans and
colonists began, Native American people quickly adapted beads
into their decorative arts.
Michael currently resides in Farmington, New York, with his
wife and family. He works at a historical site called, "Ganondagan,"
originally the site of a 17 century Seneca town. During his
research for authentic furnishings, he realized there aren't
very many people who practice the older indigenous arts anymore.
However he did find some people who could teach some skills:
quill-work, fire-making, tanning hides, flint-knapping and other
indigenous arts. He learned from them, and began teaching others
these art forms.
Although Galban isn't Haudenosaunee, (Iroquois) he has done
extensive research on quill-work designs, clothing styles, and
accessories. He taught these authentic Haudenosaunee art forms
and techniques to people on the Allegany Seneca reservation,
the Akwesasne Mohawk reservation in New York, and now on the
Oneida reservation in Wisconsin. He also taught these skills
in urban centers and museums. He is currently collaborating
with other artists to produce a book that chronicles the Haudenosaunee
clothing including quill-work, silver-work, headdresses, and
ornaments over the last 300 years.
Michael teaches Native American Traditional Arts in Quillwork,
Beadwork, Hide Tanning, Regalia, and Rawhide Tanning. He also
facilitates programs in Firemaking, Music, Dance, Shelter Building,
Cordage, Storytelling and Native Games. E-mail
Michael or call (716) 398-2276 for info.
