Events At
Ninepipes Museum

See below for the current events at the Ninepipes Museum. More events are added all the time, so be sure to check back!

First Saturday ~ August 5th, 2023

10:30AM - 4:00PM

More events are added all the time,
so be sure to check back soon!

First Saturday, August 5th

Nishan Friesz: Tribal Councilwoman & Jeweler

Nishan Friesz is a Tribal Councilwoman from the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in Lame Deer, Montana. Her father came from the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, and her mother came from the Navajo Tribe, growing up in Vanderwagen near Gallup, New Mexico. Nizhoni introduces herself traditionally in the Navaho manner by stating her first clan and saying she is born for her father’s clan.

“I am Kinyaa’áanii born for Na łaa Ni. Both of my parents have been very influential in my designs, and they have always encouraged me to be creative. My parents have painted, and my mother taught me how to make jewelry from an early age. I remember watching my mother work with silver as she set stones, soldered, and created her own designs. She later introduced stringing semi-precious stones, turquoise, sterling silver, and shells, which I now use in my own designs. She comes from a long line of silversmiths and her side of the family continues to work with silver, sews traditional Navajo outfits, and fires ceramic pottery.

My uncle is a well-known artist in the pottery world, and can be found under Gerald Pinto Navajo Pottery.

I enjoy making the traditional designs, but I also like putting a more modern twist on them to create something new and different. Majority of my supplies come from the Navajo Reservation, and I like to incorporate some of the Navajo designs with the bright-colored style of jewelry that comes from the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. It brings me so much joy to come up with new designs and the greatest compliment is when someone is excited about what I make, and they can’t wait to put it on.”

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