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Have you HEARD?
Tales of Native American History
through Art
On our first visit to the
desert regions of the United States this past spring, my sister
and I immersed ourselves in the history and art of the 21 Native
American tribes of Arizona.
We drove to Phoenix and spent a captivating couple of hours at
the internationally renowned Heard Museum. Our two tour guides,
one a young local Apache woman, the other a twenty-something male
member of the Hopi tribe, told us of the museum’s founders,
and regaled us in native American folklore while we gazed up at
the vivid multi-colored wall mural painted by Navajo artist Steven
Yazzie. This 160 square foot pictorial history, entitled “Fear
of a Red Planet: Removal and Relocation,” towered over and
around us on three walls, and vivified the tale of generations,
from the long walk which forced native tribes from their homes
to reservation land, to the attempts to Anglicize the native Americans
in Indian boarding schools, and to later struggles to merge tradition
with contemporary life.
We were enthralled, yet appalled, by the story of the Indian boarding
schools told through photos and taped recordings of native Americans
who, as children, had been torn from their parents and their tribes
to learn to “become civilized” at these schools. The
exhibit, entitled “Remembering our Indian School Days: The
Boarding School Experience” is drawn from the memorabilia,
writings, photography and voices of former Indian school students.
It was a disturbing yet moving tale.
We dined outdoors, at the museum café in a courtyard resplendent
in an assortment of cacti, abloom in many colors.
The museum’s founders, Dwight and Maie Heard, had moved
to Phoenix in 1895 in search of a climate conducive to Dwight’s
recovery from lung problems. They built “Casa Blanca”
their Spanish style, palm-tree laden 6000 square foot home, and
began lives dedicated to their new community. Taking an avid interest
in native culture and art, they created a private collection of
Native American artifacts, crafts and historical materials. This
they housed in a designated portion of their own home, opening
it up to friends and neighbors. In 1929, shortly after Dwight’s
death, Maie formally opened the Heard Museum and became its first
curator and guide.
Recently renovated and now located at 2301 North Central Avenue
in the heart of midtown Phoenix, the Heard museum is a must-stop
for anyone interested in Native American history and culture.
Concealed
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