Brown Arts

Tipi Tales from the Stoop

a performance by Murielle Borst-Tarrant (Kuna/Rappahannock)

New York City has always been a gathering and trading place for many Indigenous peoples. Where Native Nations intersected from all four directions since time immemorial. It was a place to gather and sometimes to seek refuge during times of conflict and struggle. My family first came to New York City in the late 1800’s from Virginia and bought a house in Brooklyn and raised four generations. This story is about my family’s blood flow that is here on this land of New York City. How we as a family had to keep tradition alive. The survival of genocide, relocation, the boarding school system and the outlaw by the United States Government that we could not practice our cultural traditions. The story is about my family’s triumph of will, dysfunction, and historical trauma through laughter. My personal tapestry of stories being brought up in Brooklyn in a Mafia-run neighborhood when we were the only Natives on the block. And this is just one Tipi Tale of the city.

Created and Performed by Murielle Borst-Tarrant
Directed by Sarah dAngelo
Lighting Design by Kathrine R. Mitchell
Sound and Video Consultant Alex Eizenberg
Dramaturg Morgan Jenesse
Stage Manager Tristen Moseley

“Tipi Tales from the Stoop” runs approximately one hour, with no intermission. The performance will be followed by a talkback with Murielle Borst-Tarrant and Sarah dAngelo, Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies moderated by Avery Willis Hoffman, Artistic Director of the Brown Arts Institute. Registration is encouraged, but not required.