California's American Indian & Indigenous Film Festival

06/18/2026

This is the California Indian Dreamin' issue.

Three mothers. Three daughters. One 30-year museum. And the women, in all directions, who made all of it possible.

Inside: the wearable art of Shoshoni Hostler, the design sovereignty of Tiffany Wolfe, the fashion comeback of Marcie Bain, the material intelligence of Leah Mata Fragua, and 30 years of resilience and resurgence at the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center.

Written by Nicole Myers-Lim (Pomo/Miwok).
Featuring Dr. Joely Proudfit, CIMCC Board Chair.

This is Native Max's most personal issue to date.

Read it free: https://bit.ly/3PepDQb
Hold it in print: https://bit.ly/3P6Ysab

06/17/2026

Congratulations to my bestie, Tantoo Cardinal, on receiving the Career Achievement Award at the Rockie Awards Gala during the Banff Media Festival. What an extraordinary and well deserved honor for a woman whose work has transformed Indigenous film and storytelling.

She is legend. She is grace. She is beauty. Her work opened doors that generations of Indigenous storytellers now walk through.

Tantoo’s acceptance speech was powerful, moving, and deeply inspiring. What made the evening even more special was seeing the incredibly talented Anna Lambe present the award. Seeing Anna present the award to Tantoo felt like watching generations of Indigenous storytellers embrace one another. The heartfelt way Anna honored Tantoo left many of us emotional.

Tantoo looked stunning in her custom Little Feather design, which beautifully complemented Anna’s gorgeous dress both in shades of purple. Strong hearts beat as one because Tantoo’s elk tooth couture piece perfectly matched my Bethany Yellowtail elk tooth suit.

So many lovely and talented people gathered in one room. It is always wonderful to see Devery Jacobs, whose talent continues to shine.

Congratulations to all of the award recipients. And special thanks to Daschle Priestley (Jason Priestly’s son) for capturing some wonderful photos of us.

Banff, you are stunningly magical and beautiful. My heart is full.

06/17/2026

Dr. Joely Proudfit, CIMCC Board Chair and Payomkawichum scholar, insists that California Indian stories deserve the screen, not just the archive shelf.

'Global audiences are searching for true diversity and authenticity when it comes to American Indian lived experiences. Connecting on this deeper level can only be achieved when Indigenous stories are told by Indigenous creators.'

In our California Indian Dreamin' issue, Dr. Proudfit reflects on her tremendous work, her daughter Piper wearing California Indian couture inside the museum, and what the next 30 years of CIMCC looks like.

Spoiler: they are just getting started.

Read the full story.
Free: https://bit.ly/3PepDQb | Print: https://bit.ly/3P6Ysab

06/04/2026

"This is what dreaming looks like when it has roots."

That's the line that wrote this issue.

Every story inside the California Indian Dreamin' issue, every artist, every museum, every garment, every family, came back to this. What does it mean to dream inside a living inheritance?

📖 Read free → https://bit.ly/3PepDQb
🖨️ Own the print → https://bit.ly/3P6Ysab



Photo: CIMCC Executive Director Nicole Myers-Lim

06/04/2026

Nearly 11,000 people have been disenrolled from 80 different Native American tribes around the country in the last decade-plus.

05/12/2026

05/11/2026

05/11/2026

California Indian Dreamin' Issue is here. A celebration of California Indian identity, artistry, and resurgence, shot entirely on location at the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center in Santa Rosa on the occasion of its 30th anniversary.

Inside: the wearable art of Shoshoni Hostler, profiles on Northern Chumash artist Leah Mata Fragua, Cali-based Lakota and Diné designer Tiffany Wolfe, and designer Marcie Bain on her fashion comeback.

Read Free: https://bit.ly/3PepDQb | Purchase Print: https://bit.ly/3P6Ysab

05/11/2026

Q’orianka Kilcher has filed a lawsuit against filmmaker James Cameron and companies tied to the “Avatar” franchise, alleging her likeness was used without permission in the design of Neytiri.

The complaint alleges Cameron used a photograph of Kilcher from 2005 as a facial reference while developing the character, later portrayed by actress Zoe Saldaña in the film series.

The lawsuit references a signed note Cameron allegedly gave Kilcher in 2010, which read: “Your beauty was my early inspiration for Neytiri. Too bad you were shooting another movie. Next time.”

Kilcher, who is Quechua-Huachipaeri from the Madre de Dios region of Peru, is seeking damages tied to the franchise and pursuing claims under California’s deepfake law.

—

Source: Reuters, Konbini

|