Culture in Color: Quapaw Nation hosts art event at Joplin library
Check out the art at the library through December
The Quapaw Nation hosted their ‘Culture in Color’ event at the Joplin Public Library Thursday evening.
It featured numerous pieces of tribal art, with some showcasing a fresh approach on an old subject, as the tribe looks to focus on contemporary art that reflects Native American experiences, moving away from traditional themes.
Officials continue to encourage community engagement through art, culture, and personal storytelling for deeper understanding.
Presented in honor of Native American Heritage Month, this event celebrated both tradition and transformation—offering a space to recognize Indigenous creativity, challenge stereotypes, and highlight the resilience and influence of Native voices in modern storytelling and design.
Tribal Elder Barbara Kyser-Collier told Newstalk KZRG that events like this are really special. “Oh, it’s awesome. They’re just. It just gives you a chill. And it’s so nice to be so proud of what they mean, the meaning of them. You know, like even the for sale sign on the land, that happened. It was a terrible time in the lifetime of some Quapaws, but it did happen.”
She also pointed out the historical significance of lead and zinc mining, which supplied 80% of the lead used in World War II ammunition, underscoring the tribe’s contribution to the nation’s defense.
She added that she hopes non-tribal members will understand just how proud Quapaw Nation members are to be a part of the tribe. “A lot of people don’t think about what Native Americans lost when the United States, as it is today, was founded and created because we lost all of our land and we moved from place to place. And so if you go from having tens of thousands, hundreds, probably millions of acres, that’s all yours to 240 acres each in the corner of Oklahoma. How sad that is.”
She framed this history as a lesson to prevent repetition of such cultural erasures. Though acknowledging that the current tribe retains its heritage despite ancestral struggles.