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Well my list of Smithsonian Museums is very quickly becoming smaller (and almost complete) but not before I visited the National Museum of The American Indian. The museum I visited (on the Mall in DC) is actually one of three museums that make up the National Museum of The American Indian (one is in Suitland Maryland but you can only visit by appointment so probably won’t make it there and the other is in New York City at the Alexander Hamilton US Custom House so that is always a possibility) Of course the museum is filled with stories and art and exhibits of Natives throughout the Western Hemisphere. It was very interesting to read the similarities between them all. The building itself is also a statement of Native American Culture. Designed by a team of Native architects and consultants, the structure is described as a structure where nature’s rough beauty and architecture’s creative elegance come together in perfect harmony. It is filled with symbols and forms that reflect the Native Universe.
This is called Allies in War, Partners in Peace. It was a gift to the museum from the Oneida Indian Nation of New York. It honours the bonds of friendship forged between the Oneida Nation and the US during the American Revolution. Oneida fought alongside the colonist and helped sustain American soliders providing food and teaching soldiers how to cook corn, beans and squash.
The museum is separated into 3 main permanent exhibits, Our Universe, Our Peoples and Our Lives all three focusing on a different aspect of Native culture and history. Our Universe: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World focused on Native cosmology (the worldviews and philosophies related to the creation and order of the universe) and the spiritual relationship between man kind and the natural world. I read and head stories about the creation of the mountains to the constellations and everything in-between. The room was actually separated into eight smaller galleries. What I found the most fun though was that the section didn’t just focus on one Native community but eight (Pueblo of Santa Clara in New Mexico, Anishinaabe of the Great Lakes region and Canada, Lakota of South Dakota, Quechua of Peru,
Hupa of California, Q’eq’chi’ Maya of Guatemala, Mapapuche of Chile and Yup’ik of Alaska). It was very neat to the similarities (and differences) between these communities. As you walk through the room, it follows a solar year. Each separate gallery reflects each community’s interpretations, ceremonies and teachings that are handed down from generation to generation.
This is an infant charm. Often they would have been made from part of the umbilical cord. This charm was used for protection.
The next section I explored was Our Peoples: Giving Voice to our history. The room is dedicated to the events that shaped the lives and outlook of Natives people from 1491 to the present. They talk about “Three Reasons Why: swords, disease and complex political conditions", that enabled Europeans to exploit the Americas. This section portrayed a lot of negativity in history but a lot of optimism looking towards the future and of course the present. Once again there were eight smaller galleries that told the individual stories of events that have shaped them as distinct people.
This section focused on the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Tapirapé of Brazil, Kiowa Nation of Oklahoma, Tohono O'odham Nation of Arizona, Eastern Band of Cherokee from North Carolina, Nahua of the Rio Balsas of Mexico, Ka'apor of Brazil, and Wixarika of Bancos de Calítique of Mexico. Each told stories of disease or treaties or the introduction of Christianity and even the destruction of the rain forest and the use of insecticides that have threatened their traditional ways of life. They also talked of the resilience of each community that have kept their customs alive.
A cradle with charms warding off smallpox
A few of the gold objects made by the Aztec, Maya and Inka. Gold was used in jewelry, figurines and placed outside to absorb sunlight. It was not used by these civillizations as currency. There are not many large collections of these gold objects left. Europeans took native made gold objects and melted them down into gold bars to use as currency.
The final section I visited was Our Lives: Contemporary Life and Identities. This section examines the identities of Native peoples in the 21st century. I really liked this section. It showed a lot of different things like games and spiritual traditions and just everyday life. There was a large section about Igloolik in Nunavut. Seven other communities were featured as well, the Campo Band of Kumeyaay Indians of California, Urban Indian community of Chicago Illinois, Yakama Nation of Washington, Kahnawake and Saint-Laurent both of Canada, Carib Territory of Dominica and Pamunkey Tribe of Virginia. The stories from the Urban Chicago community were really interesting. Really they are about people trying to maintain or in some cases regain the traditions and cultures they learned as children. Many grew up on reserves but are now trying to pass on the traditions learned to their children while living in an urban setting.
Drum Dancer from Taloyoak Nunavut
A 1937 bombardier
Of course there is always a temporary exhibit at the museums as well. The one that is currently here is Identity by Design. It is a celebration of the tradition and change in native women’s dresses. Here are a couple pictures. The exhibit showed everything from everyday dresses to wedding dresses to powwow dresses.
Julie
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