Indigenous artist Amelia Winger-Bearskin and Nocs Provisions collaborate on limited edition binocular bundle

Photo: Nocs Provisions Honor Native Land Binocular Bundle

OKLAHOMA — Amelia Winger-Bearskin, a member of the Seneca-Cayuga Nation of Oklahoma, collaborated with Nocs Provisions to create a limited edition binocular bundle as part of the Honor Native Land series of equipment available exclusively at REI.

The bundle includes the Nocs Standard Issue 8×25 waterproof binoculars with a woven tapestry strap in a custom pattern designed by Winger-Bearskin and a Nocs Photo Rig Smartphone Adapter for taking photos through the binocular and costs $150 at REI.

Winger-Bearskin commented on the collaboration by saying the following:

“For so long, the indigenous artwork and designs of my people and other Nations have been copied, repurposed and profited from by organizations that have no intention of honoring the original artists. This collaboration with Nocs is an example of how native heritage can be recognized and preserved, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to collaborate on this with both Nocs and REI Co-op.”

The partnership is part of the US Department of Arts and Culture: Honor Native Land nonprofit, which is an effort to “bring awareness to the practice of observing and honoring Native land through acknowledgment and efforts to correct the stories and practices that erase Indigenous peoples’ history and culture.”

The bundle was released to coincide with Indigenous People’s Day, also known as Columbus Day. The US Department of Arts and Culture is sponsoring similar collaborations to coincide with other important dates designated for recognizing Indigenous people across the nation and the world at large.