The Aunties is more than a performance—it is a regional gathering with powerful storytelling, humor, and deep cultural insight led by Indigenous auntie storytellers. In Utah, Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk, Randy’L Teton, and Mickaela Allison invited the audience into living histories of strength, survival, and joy. Directed by Kendra Mylnechuk Potter and presented by Indigenous Performance Productions,…
Salt Lake City, UT—The Auntiesis more than just a performance—it is a gathering, a space for healing, sharing, and cultural transmission. Hosted by Utah Presents and Indigenous Performance Productions, the evening featured the storytelling talents of Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk, Randy’L Teton, and Mickaela Allison, each bringing their unique voice to the stage in a celebration of Indigenous heritage and joy. Directed by Kendra Mylnechuk Potter,The Aunties was an unforgettable night of humor, history, and community.
The performance unfolded not as theater in the traditional sense, but as a communal experience. These weren’t characters or roles being performed—they were lived experiences being shared. Each auntie, with their stories, their humor, and their strength, invited the audience into their world.
As Producer, Andre Bouchard, said in a presentation at the Hinkely Institute of Politics in a related talk,
Mainstream media is obsessed with Indigenous tragedy—trauma, loss, genocide. And while that pain is real, it’s not the whole story. Where is the intergenerational joy, the creativity, the playfulness?
~Andre Bouchard~
Minnesota Auntie and Supreme Court Justice Annie McKeig reflected on the broader purpose of storytelling and humor:
Justice Anne K. McKeig, the first Native woman appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court and a former Indian Child Welfare Act specialist, a Minnesota Auntie.
The Aunties offers exactly that: intergenerational joy, fierce honesty, and a reminder that humor is not just levity—it’s resistance and everything inbetween.
Sandy White Hawk
Minnesota Auntie, Sandy White Hawk, from a previous performance, described the Performance this way:
That joy and connection was palpable on April 3rd at the Utah performance—woven into every tale, every joke, and every moment of connection between the performers and their audience. After welcoming the audience with a Native Smoke ritual for renewal and clarity, we heard from our three regional Aunties.
Mickaela Allison
The night started off with Mickaela Allison (Navajo/Diné, Bitterwater Clan) @keikiscollection who brought forward themes of balance, beauty, and strength—speaking about walking in beauty, honoring ancestors, and embracing the duality of being an “urban aunty” who walks between worlds. With wisdom and humor, she reflected on the invisible guidance from those who came before, and the importance of carrying herself with grace: “I carry myself with beauty—balance.” Her words affirmed that aunties are caretakers not just of children, but of community, land, language, and even pets.
In many ways, the evening was a powerful affirmation of the importance of community and shared experiences. One of the most striking aspects of The Aunties was the rawness and authenticity with which the aunties shared their lives. There was an undeniable power in seeing Native women tell their own stories, to laugh, to cry, and to reflect on their experiences. Mickaela Allison echoed this sentiment onstage. That love was felt deeply throughout the theater, where the audience responded with warmth, understanding, and respect.
Through stories that ranged from humorous anecdotes to more somber reflections on the past, The Aunties highlighted the strength and beauty of Native cultures. Yet, this was not merely a history lesson—it was an invitation to engage, to listen, and to learn. The performance transcended traditional theater, becoming a living, breathing celebration of culture and identity. That insight lingered in the air long after the final bow, a reminder that storytelling, in its most powerful form, is an act of mutual learning. I was struck by how essential theater felt in that moment—not as performance, but as a space for intellectual and cultural awakening. It was less about acting and more about being present in a shared experience, grounded in identity, memory, and connection.
The Keiki’s Collection, which Allison introduced, includes handmade works that honor animals through beadwork and storytelling. “Our ancestors spoke with animals. Animals share this with us.” She reminded the audience that creating beauty is a sacred act—“This is the way of the Aunty—whether through our hands or our voices.”
It’s Her Story: Sacajawea book has been recognized as 2024 Amazons Top Selling Children’s book and 2024 Idaho Youth Selection award from the Library of Congress, Center for the Book.
author:Randy’L Hedow Teton (Shoshone-Bannock) illustrator: Aly McKnight (Shoshone-Bannock)
Randy’L Teton, a proud citizen of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, was born and raised on the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho, where she remains deeply rooted in her community and culture. Her story gained national recognition in 1998 when she became the Shoshone model for Glenna Goodacre’s design of the Sacajawea golden dollar coin—released to the public in 2000. Today, the U.S. Mint recognizes her as the “youngest and only living model” ever featured on U.S. currency.
Following the coin’s release, Randy’L toured the country in collaboration with the U.S. Mint, sharing the history and enduring legacy of Sacajawea. Over the years, she has continued this storytelling journey, offering insight into the powerful connection between representation, memory, and Native visibility.
During The Aunties, Randy’L captivated the audience with her graceful storytelling, grounding her words in personal experience, motherhood, and cultural continuity. Her voice carried both reverence and resilience as she reflected on the symbolic weight of being a living representation of a historical figure, while also honoring the women in her own lineage who shaped her path. Her presence reminded us that legacy isn’t only inherited—it’s actively lived and shared.
In addition to being a speaker and cultural ambassador, Randy’L is a mother of three, a writer, and a coin collector. She continues to live in Idaho, where she remains committed to uplifting Indigenous narratives and fostering pride within her community.
She shared how her path brought her to Santa Fe, to a studio on Canyon Road surrounded by Native artists and storytellers. Her role as a cultural ambassador also involved unexpected intersections with American celebrities, from Ronald Reagan to Harry Connick Jr., in a story arc that circled back to the larger significance of representation: replacing Susan B. Anthony on U.S. currency with a Native woman’s face.
Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk
Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk (Ute Mountain Ute Tribe of Towaoc), a lifelong resident of southwestern Colorado, calls the Ute Mountain Ute reservation home. An alumna of Montezuma-Cortez High School, she spent a decade in the information technology field, serving institutions like Chief Dull Knife College and both the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribes. In 2013, she was elected to the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Council, where her leadership further deepened her advocacy.
A dedicated steward of land, culture, and Indigenous knowledge, Regina has long spoken for the protection of air, water, and the non-human relatives that share our homelands. She currently serves as the Cross Cultural Programs Director at Montezuma Land Conservancyand previously held roles with the Bears Ears Intertribal Coalition and the Ute Indian Museum.
Regina’s performance in The Aunties resonated deeply with the audience. Through storytelling, she carries forward the wisdom of her ancestors, illuminating the intimate ties between cultural survival and the health of the land. Her presence on stage was both powerful and grounding, a reminder of the strength and grace of auntie leadership in action.
Now pursuing a Master’s in Environmental Management at Western Colorado University, Regina continues to educate and advocate across platforms—serving on boards like the Telluride Institute, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Torrey House Press, and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance. Whether through public speaking, song, or ceremony, Regina Lopez-Whiteskunk reminds us that healing and change begin with story.
In a world saturated with data, posts, and algorithms, sometimes the most radical act is to sit together, breathe the same air, and listen. That’s what happened at the University of Utah, where Indigenous Performance Productions presented The Aunties, a live storytelling event that doubled as ceremony, archive, and community gathering.
Yet the evening never felt too heavy. Instead, it was filled with the warmth of community, the kind where aunties are revered as carriers of truth, sass, love, and memory. The vibe was clear: “It’s a good time to be Indigenous. And it’s a great time to build community through art.”
In a final moment of casual brilliance, one storyteller said it best: “You just have to be in the right room, at the right time, with the right people.” That night at the U, we were.
The Aunties is Indigenous Performance Productions’ moving invitation to gather in celebration of the aunties—the women and two-spirit culture bearers who shape, heal, and uphold Indigenous communities. Through an evening of contemporary storytelling, this live event honors their lived experiences, cultural knowledge, and the enduring legacies they carry.
Executive Creative Producer/Founder of Indigenous Performance Productions, Andre is a cultural activist and leader in the Indigenous performing arts field. His work focuses on visibility, equity, and authentic storytelling for Native artists.
An enrolled citizen of the Lummi Nation, Kendra is a nationally recognized theatre artist and filmmaker. Her film performances have appeared at Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, and NY Human Rights Watch, and she is the award-winning subject and co-producer of Daughter of a Lost Bird, a documentary about her own adoption and reconnection with her Lummi heritage. Kendra is the co-founder of MT+NYC Collaborative, where she develops work rooted in personal storytelling, Indigenous identity, and community engagement. She brings decades of experience in performance, directing, education, and cultural advocacy to her role as director of The Aunties.
A Welsh-born writer and creative producer, Sean brings decades of experience in socially engaged media and storytelling. His current work spans documentary film, theatre, and cultural preservation projects worldwide.
LaRonn is a filmmaker and visual storyteller whose work challenges Indigenous stereotypes and centers Native voices. His cinematography reflects a powerful commitment to authentic narrative, cultural specificity, and creative integrity.
From The Aunties Program
The AuntiesPresented by UtahPresents
Ticket Info
General Admission: $30
U of U Students: $5 with Arts Pass
Note: Prices increase during the week of the show. Get your tickets early!
Location
Kingsbury Hall 1395 East Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 📍 View in Google Maps
✨ The Aunties gathered community in Logan and Salt Lake City, Utah through the power of story. ✨
Indigenous Performance Productions, in partnership with @utahpresents and @cachearts, hosted two evenings of contemporary storytelling. Auntie culture-bearers shared live stories, archival photographs, and works of legacy that honored the women who shape, heal, and uphold Indigenous communities.
These performances formed part of a broader storytelling series across Turtle Island. Each story from the stage now lives on in a documentary series, interwoven with the lands and communities from which they emerged.
Keola received her undergraduate degrees from Brigham Young University of Hawai’i in English and music and then went on to study English literature at Weber State University for her master’s degree. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in Writing and Rhetoric Studies at the University of Utah.
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