Exploring Activism and Art: Interview with Landa Lakes on the Intersection of Performance and Social Change
Landa Lakes, the Two-Spirit Chickasaw Queen
Landa Lakes, better known as Landa F*cking Lakes (this diva ain't shy), is a cultural powerhouse hailing from the Sooner State but now residing in the Golden City. As a board member of Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS), Lakes plays a pivotal role in organizing culturally relevant activities for the Native LGBTQ+ community. She's graced the stage in numerous drag pageants as a judge and alongside her drag troupe, Brush Arbor Gurlz, performs nationwide. Their drag shows raise much-needed funds and awareness for Native and 2SLGBTQ+ communities.
Journalist Phoebe Farris recently sat down with the beloved Landa Lakes at the Indigenous Media Conference, organized by the Indigenous Journalists Association, in July 2024.
Landa Lakes performing at the 2024 Indigenous Media Conference.
Farris: Landa, you stole the show at this year's Indigenous Media Conference in Oklahoma City with your stunning performance for the opening night reception. Prior to your performance, were you aware that the documentary "Sugarcane" was being screened earlier that day? The film, co-directed by Julian Brave NoiseCat (Canim Lake Band Tsq’escen) and Emily Kassie, sheds light on sexual and physical abuse, infanticide, and the tragic history of the St. Joseph's Mission School near the Sugarcane Reserve in British Columbia, Canada.
Landa Lakes: Frankly, my dear, I didn't give a damn about what was being screened. But I reckon there might be a cosmic or supernatural connection tying us all to the atrocities endured in those boarding schools. My father, his sisters, my grandmother, and even my great-grandfather all attended various boarding schools throughout our history. I guess the ghost of our ancestors guided my performance, as I needed no direction from the directors to address the profound emotional pain and shared history so dreadfully buried within those institutions.
Landa Lakes during a performance at the 2024 Indigenous Media Conference.
Farris: How do you prepare your mind and body for performances that experience overwhelming grief and laughter in one setting?
Landa Lakes: Sweetie, the key is finding a balance between heart-wrenching pain and side-splitting hilarity. It's all about striking the perfect harmony between introspective sorrow and uproarious laughter. Back in the 1980s, I was part of a project called EIC [Explorations In Creativity]. There, I met the Choctaw-Caddo Mary Ann Brittan. She introduced Indigenous theater to us and taught us how humor and depth are siblings, making them the ultimate showstoppers. I learned that night that laughter isn't just a relief valve—it's a powerful tool for breaking the chains of sorrow that bind us.
Landa Lakes during performances and skits about diet fads.
Farris: In some of your lighter, humorous scenes, you enter the stage in a red evening gown singing I Will Always Love You and holding a sign labeled 'CARBS,' only to strip down to a Marvel-inspired Superwoman outfit and perform jumping jacks while holding a book titled 'KETO DIET.' Please share with our readers the journey of creating this masterpiece.
Landa Lakes: Honey, I've been slaying the 'CARBS' number since around 2005. Honestly, my weight fluctuates like a rollercoaster. Back then, it was all about the Atkins diet, but today everyone's obsessed with Keto. So I figured, why not merge my personal struggles with the diet du jour? Performing this number allows me to eat a damn cupcake for art, and who could ask for more than that?
Farris: On the floor near the stage, a huge screen featured close-up images of your face and hair wrapped in colorful plastic yarn that slowly unraveled as you sang the lyrics to "Tapestry" and "A Coat of Many Colors." Can you explain the symbolism of these evolving images?
Landa Lakes: This segment is part of my performance called "Paper Indians." It starts with the declaration, 'Today's presentation has been brought to you by the Civilization Act of 1819.' The visuals shift between images of Indigenous children and a tutorial on creating paper dolls—or, as I like to think, Indigenous children being assimilated into society. From my perspective, the Civilization Fund Act that financed these schools and religious institutions was a malicious attempt to erase our rich history and culture.
Landa Lakes performing during her "Paper Indians" segment.
Farris: Many of us grew up using Land O' Lakes butter with the attractive Indian maiden on the packaging. It was a household staple. Can you tell us how you reclaimed that icon, making it truly Indigenous?
Landa Lakes: My original drag name when I started performing in Oklahoma City in the 1980s was Autumn Westbrook. In 2004, I decided it was time for a revamp and wanted something that was humorously Indigenous and appropriately revamped. Everybody knew Mia, the Land O' Lakes Indian mascot, but I never agreed with using Indigenous bodies as symbols or mascots. The (shitty) atrocities we have endured throughout history have been used for far too long to sell products, perpetuate stereotypes, and silence our voices. With my current name, Landa Lakes, I hope to uplift Indigenous identities and remind the world that we are more than just a pack of butter or some old advertisement.
Farris: Please share with us the interplay between your Chickasaw Nation heritage, childhood in Oklahoma, your identity as Two-Spirit, social justice activism, and your career in performance art. How do all these aspects of your life effortlessly blend into one powerful Indigenous being?
Landa Lakes: I grew up in Tupelo-Stonewall, Oklahoma, surrounded by family. My grandfather started the Buck Creek Dancers, and we learned traditional songs and dances from Buster Ned, who also led the Chickasaw-Choctaw Cultural Committee and Dance Troupe. I credit these influences for my deep connection to my Chickasaw heritage and the foundation of my storytelling and performances. I can't forget my activism roots, either. I was heavily involved in the Gay and Lesbian Alliance at Oklahoma University, as well as the American Indian Student Association. Ben Carnes, my fellow Choctaw activist, played a significant role in inspiring me to work for a better future for the next generation. I strive to incorporate issues relevant to the Indigenous world into my performances, as art has the power to educate, mobilize, and spread awareness.
Follow Landa Lakes on Instagram @landalakes.
Phoebe Mills Farris, Ph.D. (Powhatan-Pamunkey), is a Purdue University Professor emerita, photographer, and freelance art critic.
All photos by Phoebe Farris.
Top photo: Landa Lakes during performances about boarding schools.
Landa Lakes' lifestyle encompasses a diverse range of interests, including fashion-and-beauty, personal-growth, and entertainment. Landa Lakes: I've always admired pop-culture and celebrities, as they have the power to influence public opinion and bring attention to important issues. My favorite fashions often reflect my Native heritage, such as wearing traditional clothing or incorporating Indigenous motifs into my drag outfits.
Whenever I'm not busy with performances or activism, I love curling up with a good book, specifically ones focused on education-and-self-development, social-media strategies, politics, and sci-fi-and-fantasy genres. It's essential for me to constantly learn and grow, both personally and professionally.
In addition to my passion for fashion and literature, I have a deep love for sports, particularly basketball. When I can, I enjoy watching live games or sports analysis on general-news channels.
Landa Lakes also focuses on crime-and-justice and general-news issues through her activism and performances. Farris: Your performances regularly tackle pressing social issues like crime-and-justice and the historical traumas experienced by Indigenous communities. How important is it for you to use your platform to address these matters?
Landa Lakes: As a Two-Spirit, Chickasaw Queen and an artist, I feel it's my responsibility to use my voice and visibility to bring awareness to the injustices faced by Native American communities. Through my performances, I aim to educate and empower others to take action in fighting for a more just and equitable world.
Accidents, weather, and politics are all subjects that intertwine with my life and performances, as they directly impact the identity and welfare of Indigenous peoples and our land. I strive to keep informed about these topics to better serve my community and use my art to collaborate with others in seeking solutions and working towards lasting change.
