Education Chapter 15 Museum
I took my students to the Folk Art Museum. 11-year-olds. Near the end of the visit, several of the Pueblo girls came up to me, very concerned. "They have things that aren't supposed to be shown." "Those things are not for everyone to see."
They pointed out a couple of figures standing on top of the walls of the model Pueblo village. They'd been delighted to see the replica village with the dancers in the plaza and the adobe buildings perfectly rendered. There were Indian (South Asian) villages and Peruvian villages and West African dioramas and little figures from so many places in the world. I assumed that each was made by the people of that area, that culture. It is, after all, a folk art museum. I assumed the folk were involved.
When we brought the issue of the inappropriate figures to the museum representative (like me, a white woman), she told us that they'd had several complaints about it. My students, looking up at us. What were they learning now? I asked if the diorama had been made by a Pueblo person (was the art of the folk?) and was told that, no, it was made by a white man, and it was art and bequested to the museum and one can not remove part of a piece of art. My students, still looking up at us. What were they learning now? I was clearly not going to accept this as a reasonable end to the conversation. The woman said they'd had a Native American from the Native American museum come and check it out because there were so many folks with concerns. (So many folks? And the figures were still there?!?!?) The Native American (Cree? Navajo? Lakota? Menominee? Another Pueblo?) said it was fine. These were not ceremonial figures.
"But they're not supposed to show those things!" The girls wouldn't talk with the museum representative. They talked plenty with me.
We went home.
What can we learn now?
They wrote letters. I promised to deliver them.
"Your not a pose to show them and ther not a pose to be shone to pepol." They wrote for hours.
What were they learning now?
The governor of one of the pueblos took the letters, promised to "take care of it."
I told the girls.
What did the museum people learn?
What did the governor learn?
I'm a teacher, I can't help thinking like this. I say that I believe in working things out. Writing letters, speaking up, being respectful.
I guess now I need to go back to the museum, see if the artwork has been adjusted.
What will we need to learn next?
They pointed out a couple of figures standing on top of the walls of the model Pueblo village. They'd been delighted to see the replica village with the dancers in the plaza and the adobe buildings perfectly rendered. There were Indian (South Asian) villages and Peruvian villages and West African dioramas and little figures from so many places in the world. I assumed that each was made by the people of that area, that culture. It is, after all, a folk art museum. I assumed the folk were involved.
When we brought the issue of the inappropriate figures to the museum representative (like me, a white woman), she told us that they'd had several complaints about it. My students, looking up at us. What were they learning now? I asked if the diorama had been made by a Pueblo person (was the art of the folk?) and was told that, no, it was made by a white man, and it was art and bequested to the museum and one can not remove part of a piece of art. My students, still looking up at us. What were they learning now? I was clearly not going to accept this as a reasonable end to the conversation. The woman said they'd had a Native American from the Native American museum come and check it out because there were so many folks with concerns. (So many folks? And the figures were still there?!?!?) The Native American (Cree? Navajo? Lakota? Menominee? Another Pueblo?) said it was fine. These were not ceremonial figures.
"But they're not supposed to show those things!" The girls wouldn't talk with the museum representative. They talked plenty with me.
We went home.
What can we learn now?
They wrote letters. I promised to deliver them.
"Your not a pose to show them and ther not a pose to be shone to pepol." They wrote for hours.
What were they learning now?
The governor of one of the pueblos took the letters, promised to "take care of it."
I told the girls.
What did the museum people learn?
What did the governor learn?
I'm a teacher, I can't help thinking like this. I say that I believe in working things out. Writing letters, speaking up, being respectful.
I guess now I need to go back to the museum, see if the artwork has been adjusted.
What will we need to learn next?