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Show An Indian vision, carved in limestone by Jonathan P. Decker, The Christian Science Monitor WASHINGTON - The newly opened National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is what its director likes to call NMAI looks nothing like the Museum of Indian and Westthat make ern Art in Indianapolis. Its the InstituSmithsonian not an anthropology museum. up tion. Its origins are also un- Its a museum of living culusual: It was conceived over tures. In fact, the $219 million years of consultation with different. Unlike past musetribal groups throughout the museum, home to one of the ums set up by outsiders, this Western Hemisphere. largest and most diverse colis showplace directed, curated, Its a significant departure lections of Indian art and artiand staffed largely by native in how a national museum facts in the world, is an instiAmericans. tells the story of native tution about, by, and for IndiWith its rough limestone expeople, says James Nottage, ans, and one in which its terior and curving walls, the chief curator of the Eiteljorg founders say they will define themselves. On permanent exhibit at the museum are nearly 8,000 artifacts culled from 24 tribes and representing 10,000 years from the era of the the through beginning 20th century. This museum is the cultural center for all the tribes in the Americas, says Lawrence Small, secretary for the Smithsonian Institution. This is the place where they can showcase their contributions to the world not only in the past, but also the vitality of their culture. The collection is regarded as one of the most comprehensive holdings of Indian cultural materials in the world, comprising more than 800,000 objects as well as an archive of 125,000 photographs - much of it assembled over six decades by private collector George Gustav Heye. The heir to an oil fortune, Heye was obsessed with Indian objects, and his collection - everything from Nootka whaleboats to Lenape wampum belts to nearly every kind of headdress - serves as the nucleus of the NMAI. We want this to be a living museum, says US Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R) of D.C. in The National Museum of the American Indian Washington, Colorado, a Northern Cheyto addition of newest The tribes. histories recounts the enne who was instrumental in multiple the Smithsonian Institution is reflected in a wetland feature. starting the museum and Photo by Andy Nelson, The Christian Science Monitor staff whose jewelry is on display. 17 other museums pre-Columbi- an THE SAN JUAN RECORD Wednesday, September 29, 2004 From the Indian perspective, this museum is a great opportunity to tell the real story of American Indians our way. Its a dream. long-awaite- Fridays mpoweVmentVemblJc5tudentFREEIt)fchafg mu-sea- museum on the National Mall.) the sound of jingling bells and pounding drums, the procession of more than 500 groups of native peoples wound from the ornate To Smithsonian Castle on the Mall to the new museum. The list of tribal groups attending the procession ranged from the ENJOY OUR Nights: CHIRESC Buffet & 7 Sat-Thur- s: Fri: 7 pm am-- 2 am-- 9 pm MONTICELLO 1 CROSS BOADS RESTAURANT Fri: 7 7 33 E. Central Monticeilo (435) 587-504- 8 am-- Sat-Thur- s: pm 2 am-- 9 pm (335503133 i Portraits by Award Winning Photographer Kent L. Shelton V0rksh9ps by Certified RCB Instructor Jed K. Norwood Redirecting Childrens Behavior) AS? IhOGhlk 0(7i?8 GG&ff C?Q Southwest tewlery Kacfiiia Dolls Pottom BLANDING: Sept 9 MONTICELLO: Sept 30, Oct T-shi- New Fall Hours ANNUAL rom tne, rortrait ouymngs metjues incata mu- cas, says Plains Cree, muAamjiwnaang to the Zuni seum curator and a member of tribes, and included groups from throughout the Western the Siksika nation. The major display areas of Hemisphere and some Pacific the museum are divided into islands. three themes. Our Universes This is an important mileis about different forms of stone for us, says Gregory tribal knowledge, cosmologies, Pyle, chief of the Choctaw nation. This museum will bring and spirituality. Our Peoples deals with events that native out the truth about how we Americans see as crucial to really lived. Its so important their histories, such as the sur- to dispel the many stereotypes vival of native people in the about American Indians. The museums place in hisface of the European onslaught. Our Lives shows tory and its honored position how Indians maintain their so close to the Capitol was not lost on many of the 20,000 Indistinct communities in a modern world. Exhibitions in each dians who journeyed to Washof the three sections will rotate ington for the museums openperiodically, in an effort to ing day. Th is tribute and this mueventually represent many of seum honor us in a way that the hundreds of tribes. Funding for the museum is so important, says Chad came from public and private Smith, principal chief of the First sources. The US government Cherokee nation. on the last while place peoples here, pitched in $119 million, Mall. Were finally being three tribes with thriving casino operations together raised FAMILIES 2004 ot contributing to the cultural and artistic life of the Ameri- HELPING OUR D ream f r X Catchers Zapotec R ms Cow?&5?e! 27-2- 1- -4 Schedule your portrait appointment and support your local schools and scouting programs 3 seum is getting a lot of attention - and not just from the media. Thousands of native Americans - some in buckskin and feathers, others in and jeans - joined a ceremonial procession on Tuesday to celebrate the opening of this sandwiched between the botanic garden and the air and space museum. (The NMAI is expected to be the last walking through the museum, is that this is not solely a facility devoted to dusty artifacts or to historical summary. It is a museum that avoids, as much as possible, confining Indians to the past. The museums founders go to great lengths to emphasize the positive even avoiding references to the violent encounters between native peoples and the US government. The message that the National Museum of the American Indian is giving is that native peoples are still here and that native peoples are PHOTOS H Tuesdays opening, the What becomes clear from COME I R D Page $30 million of the $100 million in private funds. Less than a day after d 254,000-square-fo- - Open: Thursday - Tuesday, 7 am 5 pm Wednesday, 7 am 7 pm 516 North Main Monticeilo 435-587-50- 63 |