Thangstaken
Fawn Douglas
Printwork ink on Rives paper
18” x 24”
2024

The Thanksgiving Pow Wow is an annual Southern Paiute celebration in Cedar City, Utah. The contestant number 208 was Fawn’s registration number for the Women’s Jingle category. The word Thanksgiving is replaced with Thangstaken to think about the irony in celebrating a holiday that is rooted in American colonialism. Southern Paiute lands in and around what is currently Cedar City have been taken by settlers, but the tribe and its beautiful culture remain. The Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah is resilient and has taken the holiday and made it their own, as a celebration of life, family, and the gift of dance. This art print has abstractions of the U.S. flag colors in red, white and blue which are broken and centered by the Pow Wow dance contestant number.