American Indian Graffiti Muralism: Survivance and Geosemiotic Signposts in the American Cityscape Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Healey, Gavin A. Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 07/10/2021 20:40:55 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/613132 AMERICAN INDIAN GRAFFITI MURALISM: SURVIVANCE AND GEOSEMIOTIC SIGNPOSTS IN THE AMERICAN CITYSCAPE By Gavin A. Healey __________________________ Copyright © Gavin A. Healey 2016 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the GRADUATE INTERDICIPLINARY PROGRAM IN AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2016 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Dissertation Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Gavin A. Healey, titled American Indian Graffiti Muralism: Survivance and Geosemiotic Signposts in the American Cityscape and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. _______________________________________________________________________ Date: (4/8/2016) Ronald Trosper _______________________________________________________________________ Date: (4/8/2016) Benedict J. Colombi _______________________________________________________________________ Date: (4/8/2016) Sheilah Nicholas _______________________________________________________________________ Date: (4/8/2016) Olga Bever Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. ________________________________________________ Date: (4/8/2016) Dissertation Director: Ronald Trosper 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: Gavin A. Healey 4 ACKNOLWEDGMENTS I would like to give my sincere thanks to the American Indian Studies Department for the support and knowledge supplied during my doctoral studies. It was an honor to work and conduct research in an atmosphere that greatly shaped my perspective of how to conduct responsible research while helping build a community-based worldview. I would first like to thank the amazing artists that helped with this research; Jaque Fragua, Yatika Fields, Thomas “Breeze” Marcus, and Dwayne Manuel. There is a large community of artists that have contributed to shaping my worldview of Native art and muralism through their work and discussions with me, so I owe unsurmountable gratitude to Anita Fields, Nanibah “Nani” Chacon, Jonathan “Badwinds” Nelson, Jeremy Singer, and all of the other Native artists that shared their views, work, and time with me. This dissertation would have never seen completion without the diligent and kind guidance of my dissertation chair Dr. Ronald Trosper. My dissertation committee consisting of Dr. Benedict “Ben” J. Colombi, Dr. Sheilah Nicholas, and Dr. Olga Bever provided invaluable input on how to shape my research and the story of this research, I cannot thank them enough for providing the support needed to complete this work. Dr. Manly Begay and Professor Luci Tapahonso were amazing mentors in the early stages of my doctoral career and I cannot begin to express the respect I have for the model of mentorship and friendship they instilled in me. An additional special thanks goes to the staff of the Arizona Historical Society Archives department for supplying the best space to escape during the final stages of writing. My biggest thanks goes to my two families for all of the support they have shown over the difficult times in this doctoral journey. My immediate family Constance “Connie” Healey, Dr. Nathan C. Healey, and Dr. E. Charles Healey, along with their loved ones, always made themselves available when I hit a crossroads or hurtle to overcome, my deepest love always. This dissertation would have never found completion if it were not for the Ralston household, my “Arizona” family; Angela, Mason, Holden, Churchill, and most of all Joseph “Joey” Ralston. Joey has always been the strongest support for me with unwavering intellect and careful precision of guidance on all matters concerning work and life. I would also like to thank all of the friends and colleagues that both championed and challenged my growth through this process, without all of the different experiences with them I would not be the person I am today. A special thank you to Mary Beth Kos, Kevin Fortuin, Dr. Christine Nelson and Olin Nelson, Dr. Caroline “Chaz” Williams, Thomas “Tommy” Jones, Gary Pete, Alex Letty, Jerrel Singer, Mary Stoecklein, Kari Quiballo, and all of the others that have passed through my life. Lastly this work is in honor of all the loved ones I have lost, but take in confidence they are in places as beautiful as the one we live in now. Elden and Charlene Healey, Ronald Healey, Minus “Nana” and Conrad Stephenson, Howard Fischbach, and Dustin Armstrong. 5 DEDICATION For Minus “Nana” & Conrad Stephenson 6 Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................9 Introduction ........................................................................................................................12 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 25 Chapter 1: Literature Review .............................................................................................32 Survivance Theory ........................................................................................................ 66 Geosemiotic Theory ...................................................................................................... 71 Chapter 2: Stamps of Survivance .......................................................................................76 Sovereignty ................................................................................................................... 93 Self-Determination ...................................................................................................... 103 Identity ........................................................................................................................ 110 Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 118 Chapter 3: Geosemiotic Theory in Action .......................................................................123 Indexicality ................................................................................................................. 142 Dialogicality ................................................................................................................ 146 Visual Semiotics ......................................................................................................... 153 Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 161 Chapter 4: Conversations with American Indian Graffiti Muralists ................................165 Yatika Fields Introduction .......................................................................................... 166 A Conversation in the Wild: Yatika Fields ................................................................. 167 Jaque Fragua Introduction........................................................................................... 179 Vitality in the Public: Jaque Fragua ............................................................................ 181 Concluding Thoughts .................................................................................................. 202 Chapter 5: A Survey of Public Sentiment on American Indian Graffiti Muralism using Q Methodology ....................................................................................................................206 Q Methodology Background....................................................................................... 208 Q Sorting Research Methodological Phases ............................................................... 214 Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 244 Chapter 6: Conclusions ....................................................................................................249 APPENDIX A ..................................................................................................................269 APPENDIX B ..................................................................................................................273