Danielle Seewalker
NDN Food Commodities Series
Acrylic on buffalo rawhide, 2023-2024
Courtesy of the artist
Top row, left to right:
Wheat (Square Shaped) Cereal
Peanut Butter Commodz
Government Cheese: brick of Gold
Bottom row, left to right:
Powdered Egg Mix
šύ kawak á oyate (Horse Nation)
Buffalo Nation
Pork with Juices
Danielle Seewalker’s work stood out to me because it transforms familiar government commodity foods into something much more layered and personal. The bright geometric patterns and imagery connected to different Nations seem to reclaim and reinterpret items that have historically been associated with colonial policies and dependence. By placing foods like commodity cheese, peanut butter, and powdered eggs alongside references to Horse Nation and Buffalo Nation, the artist appears to be creating a conversation between imposed food systems and Indigenous cultural identity.
What I found most compelling is the contrast between the commercial-style food labels and the vibrant designs painted on buffalo rawhide. The work acknowledges a difficult history while also emphasizing resilience, creativity, and cultural continuity. Rather than simply criticizing government food programs, the artwork encouraged me to think about how food carries stories of survival, adaptation, and community. The use of buffalo rawhide further reinforces connections to Indigenous traditions and ways of life, making the artwork feel both contemporary and deeply rooted in history.
Overall, the artworkleft me reflecting on how something as ordinary as food can reveal larger histories of policy, identity, and cultural persistence.