Download the Catalogue PDF - Afgangs-undstillingen 2010

UK:
I grew up in Sweden, where there was just an elderly married couple
living above us. We were surrounded by the forest and the wild
animals often visited our garden. As far back as I can remember, I’ve
been aware of Indians. My brother and I always played in the woods,
the Indian forest, as we called it.
When I was 6 years old, I started kindergarten, and there I painted
pictures of Indians, bison hunting, animal skins and tanning pelts.
It’s been difficult to see what I was depicting, but I knew. When I
grew up I had other interests in life, and moved to Denmark when I
was 19 years old. My children came into the world when I was 22
and 24 years. That summer when I turned 27 years, I was looking
for my place in life. By chance, I walked into a shop that sold Indian
merchandise, here I found a leaflet about the Danish Indian Association.
I became a member and received the member' magazine. A
few days later there was a Powwow being held, an Indian party for
dancing. I put on a tattered jacket and tied a pheasants feather to
my hair. I put on my Indian looking bag that was embroidered with
pearls, although I knew it was Greenlandic.
I wanted to show that I was also ”Indian”. When the singing and
dancing started, I was amazed. It was the first time I had ever listened
to traditional Indian music. It had no resemblance to the new
age music you hear from the ”Indians” on the street. It went straight
to my heart and tears ran down my cheeks. It felt like I had forgotten
something. As if I shook my head, I would remember. It was a fantastic
feeling! After this, I couldn’t get enough. I contacted the people
listed in the members magazine. I began to sew, sing and join the
others on trips to the tipi and the sweatlodge. I immersed myself in
everything that had to do with Indians.
Later I traveled to reservations in the USA and experienced the Sundance,
a spiritual ceremony that takes place over 4 days. It is not the
sun that is worshipped. But those who dance and pray have their
faces turned towards the sun, hence the name. Now I dance regularly
at Powwows, here in Denmark, Sweden, Germany and this summer,
in the USA. Every day, I have the Indian philosophy with me. Respect
for everything here on this earth and respect for the elders. Respect
for myself. No one can look at me and see in what direction my heart
leads, but if you ask you may know of it. When we meet for events
in The Danish Indian Association, we don’t need to tell each other
what we believe in, or how we believe, or what our interests are. We
just are. We help each other with costumes, share our journeys and
affirm our place in life.
We try to show how alive the Indian culture is, by having an audience
at the Powwow’s. It is as alive as the culture of the Vikings, that
have made Denmark into what we are today. Indians are not dressed
in skin and fur, they wear jeans and sweatshirts, like any other American.
They only wear authentic costumes for parties. These clothes
are modern, with Velcro, zippers, neon colours and feathers. The
Indians who I know are very happy about what we do in the association.
We try to show how life is in reality. Not how Hollywood would
like to show it. Even though ”Dances with Wolves” is a good movie,
it still ends up with the Indians dying. Which they didn’t! They are
here, they exist and don’t like to be presented as screaming wilds.
Jessica Lund
Jessica Lund has been the president of the Danish Indian Association
for 8 years. Activities in the association have been a
yearly summercamp, workshops in tanning, dance and drums.
The association has existed under this name, since 1994. Their
internet page describes them as; “the purpose of the association
as continuously to create a space, where in there’s the possibility
for mutual contact and following activities, that helps to
disseminate the knowledge of original American Indian culture.”
tipi.dk