Beyond Treaties: Native Stories of Survival and Strength
"Bear Hope, Be Our Hope" painting by John Halliday.
Explore Native resilience through the personal journey of John Halliday (Coyote), a Muckleshoot artist, speaker, and former tribal leader. After surviving a near-death experience and losing much of his sight, Halliday turned to traditional Native values of endurance and adaptation to remake his life through art, music, and storytelling.
Blending drumming, flute music, painting, and lived history, he shares how Native communities have survived beyond the signing of treaties. Audiences will gain a deeper understanding of Indigenous history, strength, and creativity today.
Speaker Bio
John Halliday is a Muckleshoot artist and speaker with expertise in Native cultures and Washington history. Halliday retired from the Bureau of Indian Affairs as Deputy Regional Director for the Navajo Region after serving as CEO for both the Muckleshoot and Snoqualmie tribes. He has shown his art at Lakewold Gardens, ANT Gallery, and the Sacred Circle Galleries of American Indian Art under the artist name “Coyote”.
John lives in Steilacoom.