Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe

Hollister, NC

This project focuses on highlighting the achievements and contributions of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribal community members, despite the continuing impact of colonialism and segregation on their community. The southern, Black/White racial binary and legacy of White supremacy has contributed to false perceptions of the Tribe, negating its history of enduring peoplehood, perseverance, and preservation of identity. In the name of survival, the ancestors of the Haliwa-Saponi adopted and adapted to the settler way of life, while still maintaining distinct tribal identity. The Haliwa-Saponi were a driving force in the local civil rights era, organizing Indian-only political and social institutions like the Haliwa Indian Club, Haliwa Indian School, and Mount Bethel Indian Baptist Church. In this way, the tribal community navigated existing societal systems to assert its distinct political and social identity as “Indians” within the movement. Today, the youth of the Haliwa-Saponi community benefit from the bold leadership of their grandparents as they face political, social, and cultural attacks on their identity. Taking the artistic lead on the project are community members, and husband and wife artist-team, Karen Lynch Harley and Phillip Harley. They created two distinct murals, each with carved wood features. The first 6x20 foot artwork is located on the premises of the old council house along Highway 561. The second mural, measuring 12x68 feet, represents the medicine, wisdom, creativity and strength that is held within the Haliwa-Saponi Multipurpose Building, illustrated on the facade. The desire is for this artwork to be used as a catalyst for continued conversation within the tribal community in Hollister, NC and a visual commentary of Haliwa-Saponi past, present, and future.

The following slideshow highlights the Haliwa-Saponi community process from idea, to community engagement to celebrating the completed public artworks.

To learn more about the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe please visit https://www.haliwa-saponi.org/

The Haliwa-Saponi Inclusive Public Art project commenced with a series of conversations, in the form of community talking circles, that centered on tribal identity. The community then chose painter Karen Harley and wood carver Phillip Harley, as the husband and wife artist team to lead them in their creative process.

Through talking circle conversation, the community landed on creating two identity-themed murals, accompanied by a series of wood sculptures. One spanning the front of their multipurpose building, focused on healing, and the other on a newly constructed wall in between their Tribal Government Complex, and their office and daycare buildings, that depicts Haliwa-Saponi History. Photo Courtesy of Brooks Bennett

The multipurpose building, known locally as the Library, houses programs and events providing educational, emotional, cultural, and social enrichment, each with an underlying theme of healing. Photo courtesy of Brooks Bennett

With healing through culture in mind, the community decided on images of sacred and healing plants interspersed with animal prints. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Karen and Phillip engaged the community at every step in the process. In this example, digital mock-ups of the mural were presented to get collective feedback on the background color. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

The community gathers while the artist team presents the final renderings for feedback. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

(L to R) Phillip Harley, Matthew Richardson, Tribal Princess Lelonnie Caison, Angelina Caison, Marvin “Marty” Richardson, and Karen Harley display the rendering for the multipurpose building mural and sculptures. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

With the wall primed and ready, a grid helps guide the drawing process. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Once the lower portion of the drawing is in place, artist Karen Harley welcomes community volunteers to begin the painting process. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

With lights set up, the artist team takes advantage of the cooler evening temperatures. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

As the mural progresses, the artist team continues to provide opportunities for the whole community to participate. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Artist Phillip Harley carves the wood sculptures in his studio that will flank the entrance to the multipurpose building. Photo courtesy of Brooks Bennett

In acknowledgement of the importance of women as Haliwa-Saponi culture keepers, both carvings for the multipurpose building are of female figures depicted with the sacred plants, corn, beans and squash. Photos courtesy of Karen Harley

With the base-layer imagery complete, the mural is ready for the background color and details. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

The background painting process allows artists of all skill levels to participate. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Multigenerational collaboration creates a true sense of community ownership of the final artwork. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Artist Karen Harley paints the final details by completing the Haliwa-Saponi Tribal Seal. Photo courtesy of Brooks Bennett

Artist Karen Harley stands in front of the completed mural and the team is ready to install the wood sculptures. Photo courtesy of Brooks Bennett

The first installation is complete. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

A view of the transformation of the Haliwa-Saponi multipurpose building from start to finish. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

The mural and sculpture renderings for both locations are on display at the Haliwa-Saponi Tribal Government Complex. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

The second mural and sculpture displays the history-based storytelling that will be central to this artwork (one side of the rendering is shown here). Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

The renderings are shared with the public as part of the 24th Annual American Indian Heritage Celebration, at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh N.C. Photo Courtesy of Brooks Bennett

Here artist Karen Harley shares information about the renderings with an attendee of the 24th Annual American Indian Heritage Celebration. Photo Courtesy of Brooks Bennett

The Inclusive Public Art initiative created an opportunity to increase the visibility of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe in the greater community. To maximize this opportunity, the project team chose this well-traveled location and constructed a wall to provide a mural substrate. It is strategically placed between the Haliwa-Saponi Tribal Government Complex and their additional office and daycare center buildings. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Historical images are synthesized in the composition to tell the story of the Haliwa-Saponi People. Here Wanda Richardson is walking the barrel c. 1966. Photo courtesy of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe

Artist Karen Harley utilizes a projection method to transfer the images to the wall. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Again, Karen chose a method that allows community members of varied skill levels to participate, encouraging engagement. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

More community members help darken the line drawings to make them more visible for the painting process. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Artist Karen Harley works on the underpainting. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Artist Phillip Harley sketches to begin the sculpture process. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

After the sketch, preliminary carving starts and is worked in layers. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Under Phillip’s skillful hands, the faces and details emerge. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

The underpainting is complete and ready for color. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Project Manager, Dr. Marvin “Marty” Richardson, adds some of the first color. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

The red hands are a symbol of solidarity with Native American Women to raise awareness regarding the disproportionate number of Native American Women who are missing or die due to violence. Haliwa-Saponi Tribal Member Connie Hedgepeth paints these red hands in honor of her daughter, Faith Hedgepeth, who was murdered in 2012.

The community remained committed throughout the project. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

Artist Phillip Harley’s intricate carving of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribal Seal before color is applied. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

The Haliwa-Saponi People descend from a number of tribes that originate from the Southeast and their names are represented in the sculptural work. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

The sculptures require layered processes on the way to completion and this collage of images shares some of those layers and details. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

With the painting complete, artist Phillip Harley is ready to install the six sculptures along both sides of the mural wall. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

For accessibility, the project team constructed a paved pathway linking the artwork between all of the Tribal buildings at this location. Photo courtesy of Jaime Oxendine

On Friday December 4, 2020 the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe held a small ribbon cutting ceremony, which was attended by just a few members as a Covid-19 safety precaution. Photo Courtesy of Brooks Bennett

(L to R) Artist Phillip Harley and Project Manager Dr. Marvin “Marty” Richardson look on while Dr. Brucie Ogletree Green Richardson, Chief of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe, cuts the ribbon. Photo Courtesy of Brooks Bennett

The completed mural and sculpture on the south-facing side of the wall. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

The completed mural and sculpture on the north-facing side of the wall. Photo courtesy of Karen Harley

The following segment premiered as a part of the PBS North Carolina Visibly Speaking series, which documents all ten Inclusive Public Art grantee projects from Cohort I.