JANESVILLE — In November, in her third art installation at the Hedberg Public Library, Kim Hoholek will explore the sacred connection between water and women.
“Water (Nibi) is Life” will feature images that celebrate the spiritual and cultural significance of water in native American traditions, such as water pouring on women’s hands.
Hoholek is part of Allies of Native Nations and through that has created educational exhibits for the library for years. Her first two exhibits were about Wisconsin native Americans and powwows.
She grew up in northern Wisconsin and had always been interested in photography. She said she had a fascination with cameras and loved looking at photos in National Geographic books.
Her father bought her the first camera she owned and her love for visual art grew from there. She took photos of weddings and other events and has done photography work for the Janesville Visitors and Convention Bureau. She has been able to build her own business out of that.
Interest in native culture
Hoholek is not native American but she has always been interested in the culture. She grew up in the 1980s when there were some deep divides between native people and white people in northern Wisconsin.
She said her darker hair and darker skin led some people who assumed she was native American to bully her. She came home crying one day and asked “what is wrong with native Americans?” Her mother’s response: “absolutely nothing.”
She set out after that to be an ally, working closely with Billy Bob Grahn, a member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa. She has looked to him for guidance in educating others through her photography.
“I always ask him ‘what should I do, should I do this or this?’ and he just says ‘you’ll figure it out.’”
Water (Nibi) is life
Hoholek said water is sacred to native people and they protect it. This year she got involved in a water walk as well as participated in water ceremonies, which are to give thanks to the water for nurturing the earth.
She traveled to a reservation to speak to a native elder who took water walks and to hear her reflections. And she has travelled to Indiana, Michigan and Minnesota photographing the connection between water and native Americans.
She began photographing native women with water on their hands.
“Having the water come through the hands is a final thank you to the great spirit for guiding me to this path,” she said.
During a photography session at Riverside Park in Janesville this week, Hoholek wore a copper cup around her neck.
Copper is a purifier. When native Americans do a water ceremony they put water in copper cups and copper kettles to get the water in the purest form.
“I brought it with me, just as a reminder that you know why I’m here, why I’m doing this. Teaching water is sacred and it’s important,” she said.
She said having women be a focus of her photography was intentional because women are an important force in native culture.
“Mother Earth has all this water, the life source of the earth that also nourishes us. Women also have water when it’s time for birth, for the creation of life,” she said.
In her photos, women are wearing long skirts, which are closer to the earth and another point of connection.
The women behind the water
Edie Baran said that it was an honor to be part of such an important piece of work. She has known Hoholek through her work and said going into the day she had no idea what to expect.
“Instantly when the water hit my hand, I felt a real connection to the women around me,” Baran said.
Melissa Defebaugh said it felt cathartic and “spiritual.”
“As soon as the water touched me I got a little chill up my back, because it was just like, ‘oh man this cool.’”
Edna Feldman-Schultz said many of the women being photographed were involved in art and music.
“It’s funny, because I am an Aries. Water calms me down. You want me to relax? I need to live next to the water so this was just amazing,” Feldman-Schultz said.
More information about Hoholek or the exhibit can be found on Hoholek’s Facebook page.
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