Bio
Roberta Kirk, whose Warm Springs name is H’Klumaiyat, is a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation. Kirk, who is Wasco, Warm Springs on her mother’s side and Dine’ on her father’s side, is a traditional food gatherer for the Simnasho Longhouse. Roberta has also worked in a variety of museum positions, including as a specialist for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. She continues to do beadwork and to design traditional clothing for men, women, and children. Kirk started sewing and beading as a young girl, and is known for her fine sewing and regalia outfits that friends and family wear for powwows and social dancing.
Why is this cultural tradition important to your community?
“Beadwork and regalia making is very important to our people. We always show ourselves to Creator in our finest wear and so we make beautiful clothing for our children and families.”
Sharing Art Through Virtual Meetings
 
More Information About the Artist
Find more information about Roberta Kirk at the Oregon Folklife Network‘s Oregon Culture Keepers Roster and Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program pages.
