The California National Historic Trail Poster Contest for Nevada Native Artists
May 14, 2024; 10 a.m. (Mountain)
Thousands of travelers each year travel Nevada’s Oregon/California Trail to learn about this historic route. As part of their mission, “to define, introduce, grow and sustain American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian tourism that honors traditions and values,” the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) has partnered with the Bureau of Land Management to share stories of the Tribes along the Trail. The many other partnerships involved in this program include the National Park Service Dark Skies Program, Leave No Trace, Nevada’s Indian Territory, Oregon California Trail Association, and the California Trail Heritage Alliance, Nevada Arts Council, Patagonia, Travel Nevada, and the Carson City Culture & Tourism Authority.
In addition to presenting webinars and learning sessions focusing on this program, the collaboration is also looking for a new perspective through art. Reaching out to Nevada Native artists, an art contest will highlight the history and current cultural connections tribes have to this vast and beautiful landscape this trail traverses in a new re-visioned poster.
Learn more about this exciting effort to tell the story of Nevada’s Tribes along this historic trail.
Speakers/Panelists
Bruce Rettig – Partner Program Coordinator, AIANTA
Bruce Rettig is an award-winning author, charged with scoping out exciting tribal tourism opportunities throughout the United States. He earned a degree in Fine Arts from the University of Colorado, and his published works and biography can be found at BruceRettig.com. Rettig earned a Professional Certificate in Cultural Heritage Tourism offered by AIANTA in partnership with the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies, and he also provides marketing and web management support for the organization. Rettig has served as president and creative director for Charter Advertising/Design, Inc. for more than thirty-two years, providing copy writing, photography, and graphic design services. He has worked with the Duck Valley Shoshone Paiute Tribe, Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Ely Shoshone Tribe, Washoe Tribe of California & Nevada, Stewart Indian School, the Nevada Indian Commission and Nevada’s Indian Territory.
Carin L. Farley – Directorate of NLCS and Community Partnerships, Division of National Conservation Lands
Carin served for more than twenty-one years as a Visitor and Resource Protection Ranger with the National Park Service. Some of her duty stations include Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee, Sitka National Historic Park and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska and several parks in the Southwest. Much of that time was spent in the field working on trails and wilderness issues. Prior to becoming the BLM National Scenic and Historic Trails lead, she served as the Senior Visitor and Resource Protection Ranger for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. She understands the complexities of the National Trails System, as well as the extraordinary opportunity that exists to connect all people to public lands through trails and the diverse stories/perspectives they hold. Carin has a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management with a minor in Native American Studies from Humboldt State University. She’s a single mom to her nine-year-old daughter, together they celebrate life through their love of adventure.
Ben Rupert – Treasurer, Nevada’s Indian Territory
Ben is of Duck Valley Shoshone-Paiute and Washoe descent. Ben is part of the Nevada’s Indian Territory leadership team, a marketing arm of the Nevada Commission on Tourism. He has been the lead on Nevada’s In-dian Territory destination development of the Great Basin tribal communities. He is a Native dancer and traditional artist. His passion is to share his Native culture through cultural presentations, dancing, fishing, hunting, traditional art, and being a steward of the Great Basin culture. He recently retired from the City of Reno Fire Department, after 33 years, in the fire service. Ben is married and has three sons and three grandchildren. Ben graduated from Oregon State University and recently received a Masters in Sustainable Tourism from Arizona State University. He also served in the U.S. Army as an Airborne/Infantryman.