As Yellowstone National Park turns 150 years old, a group of Indigenous artists and scholars is bringing a teepee village and other public art to the park to highlight its Native American history.
The nonprofit Mountain Time Arts is producing the Yellowstone Revealed series. Executive Director Francesca Pine Rodriguez, who is Crow and Northern Cheyenne, wants to see Indigenous people included in park decisions.
“Whether that be management and visitor experience, cultural sites, how to be respectful to all of these sites and to the land,” she said.
At the All Nations Teepee Village in Madison Junction near the West entrance, Pine Rodriguez says visitors will see an Indigenous presence that has been lacking in Yellowstone the past 150 years.
“We will have a cultural ambassador on site sharing knowledge about their particular tribes relationship with park whether that’s historical, archaeological or inspirational," she said. "They can tell their own story and talk to you directly."
A series of free performances includes an Indigenous hip hop artist, opera singers, and metis fiddlers. A full schedule of events is at mountaintimearts.org.