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Press Release Contact: Michele Mountain,
MNA Marketing Director 928-774-5213 x273
2009
Press Releases
June 19, 2009
SUMMER FESTIVAL BRINGS THE HOPI PEOPLE TO FLAGSTAFF
Summer is the time of ceremonial dances, growing corn, and monsoon
rains to the Hopi people. And for the last 75 years, summer has also been
the time that this hardworking and spiritual people come to Flagstaff to
share their art and culture. This July 4 and 5, the Museum of Northern
Arizona will open its doors for its 76th Annual Hopi Festival of Arts and
Culture, “the Oldest Hopi Art Show in the World”.
The Museum comes alive with the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Hopi
people—evoking the very spirit of this Colorado Plateau culture. Explore
Hopi beliefs and current issues with Heritage Insights talks. Enjoy
meeting over 75 artists from the 12 Hopi villages, presenting
centuries-old art traditions kept alive through contemporary innovations.
And hear Casper and the 602 Band’s riveting Hopi reggae under the big
tent.
The Hopi village of Orayvi is considered the oldest continuously
inhabited settlement in the United States, dating back more than a
millennium. The Hopi have survived in their mesa homeland for centuries
and although their culture is changing, their core values remain intact
and central to their culture. At the Hopi Festival, these values are
expressed in many ways.
Museum Director Robert Breunig said, “This year’s Hopi Festival will
honor the life and career of noted katsina doll carver Ernest Moore Jr.
(1934–2008) with a display of his work. He came to carving late in life
and his exceptionally fine work elevated him to a master artist level in a
very short time. He was a recognized Hopi Festival artist for many years,
including at last year’s event. His skillful eyes and hands will be missed
in the art world, as well as the twinkle in his eye and his friendly
nature.”
New This Year
Heritage Program Coordinator Anne Doyle continued, “We’re really excited
about a new addition to the festival. Katsina doll carver and poet Ramson
Lomatewama has worked at the Museum for many years as a demonstrator and
educator. His more recent artistic interests have led him to glass
blowing. This year he’ll be outside, demonstrating how he creates his
glittering, glass blown spirit figures.”
Also new this year will be a chance to meet author Stewart B.
Koyiyumptewa. With seasoned American West history author Carolyn O’Bagy
Davis, he has coauthored The Hopi People, part of Arcadia
Publishing’s Images of America series. Koyiyumptewa is a member of
the Badger/Butterfly Clan from Hotevilla on Third Mesa and has worked for
the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office as the tribal archivist for the last
eight years. Through a collection of remarkable photographs, the outside
world will have a rare look into this unique culture. A book signing with
Koyiyumptewa is scheduled on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the book
is on sale in the Museum’s Bookstore.
Heritage Insights Presentations
The nuances of making Hopi basketry will be revealed by Ruby Chimerica and
her daughter Anita Koruh, as they present an ongoing demonstration on
weaving baskets, cradleboards, and rattles from sumac and rabbitbush.
A dynamic artist in his own right, Ed Kabotie is grandson and son to
two noted artists, Fred and Michael Kabotie. Ed Kabotie plays acoustic
guitar and Native flute, while incorporating teachings about the Hopi
language and its history into his music. He sings in Hopi, Tewa, and
English in his trilingual compositions.
Bob Rhodes and Dr. Robert Breunig will share their knowledge of Hopi
basketry. Rhodes is director of Hopitutuqaiki, the Hopi School’s Summer
Arts Program, and Breunig is the Museum’s director.
A rare opportunity for public participation in the exhibit creation
process, cultural educator and curator Susan Sekakuku will present early
ideas being explored for the Museum’s upcoming permanent Hopi exhibit. As
part of the exhibit’s development, Sekakuku will present proposed themes
and will be looking for feedback from the audience.
Clark Tenakhongva will talk about katsina doll carving—the history of
the art form, the spiritual aspects of katsina dolls, and what the
carvings represent.
Gary Tso, owner and operator of Left Handed Hunter Tours, is an
energetic speaker who will talk about Hopi culture, Hopi clan migrations,
the story of the four worlds, and the Europeanization of Hopiland.
Under the Big Tent
Only on Sunday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., Casper and the 602 Band will perform
their high energy, Jamaican-inspired reggae combined with Native roots.
Casper Loma-da-wa’s lyrics are filled with hope and power, telling stories
of contemporary reservation life. “Reggae,” he says, “is the music of a
struggling people—that’s what Jamaican music is. We, as Native people,
have been struggling all these years.” The band has opened for reggae
greats such as the Wailers, Culture, and Burning Spear.
The Nuvatukya’ovi Sinom Dance Group will perform the Polhikmana
or water maiden dance, and the koshari or clown dance to unite people and
make them happy. They will also perform a Supai dance celebrating
the Havasupai people. All of the dance troup’s regalia—the clothing,
weaving, and tabletas or headdresses—is designed and handmade by
the dancers, and all of the outfits have cloud designs for rain.
On Saturday only at 11 a.m., organizer and designer Maya David will
return this year with her team of seamstresses and models from throughout
the Hopi Mesas to present a fashion show of Native inspired creations.
Sidney Poolheco and Sandra Hamana will perform traditional Hopi songs,
while capturing elements of change in the Hopi culture through
contemporary tunes and lyrics. Poolheco’s music is often featured on KUYI
88.1 Hopi Radio.
Hopi Quilt Display
Quilting was introduced to Hopi women over 100 years ago by Mennonite
missionaries. Since then, Hopi quilters have incorporated cultural symbols
and designs to make quilts that are uniquely their own. Today quilts are
contemporary works of art and have become part of the Hopi matrilineal
society, given at special occasions such as weddings and baby naming
ceremonies. A number of quilts will be on display and available for sale
at the festival.
More Festival Activities
In addition to the 75 booth artists, the Museum staff has made several
trips to the Hopi Reservation to collect one-of-a-kind consignment items
for sale from individual artists. The collecting trips have always been an
important part of the Hopi festivals, allowing artists who produce only a
few items per year, or who might not have transportation to Flagstaff, a
chance to market their work. Hundreds of distinctive art pieces such as
quilts, rattles, pottery, katsinas dolls, paintings, and baskets are for
sale at this year’s festival.
While enjoying entertainment under the big tent, take a taste of
ages-old traditional Hopi foods—yeasted bread baked in an outside
wood-fired bread oven, and piki, a ceremonial food made from blue corn.
Alice Dashee, a potter and educator, will give presentations all day on
both days about the role of corn in Hopi culture.
Award-winning potters Dorothy and Emerson Ami take visitors on a
pottery making journey, discussing how they collect materials and build,
decorate, and fire pieces. They create pottery in the ancient traditional
way, from gathering the clay to using all natural pigments to paint their
pots and sheep dung to fire their creations.
Sash weaving will be demonstrated by Louis Josytewa. All types of Hopi
weaving are done by men. The long, colorful sashes that Josytewa makes are
primarily used as part of ceremonial clothing.
Always popular with families, the Creative Corner outside in the
courtyard will be the place for kids and the young at heart to decorate
Hopi birds, work with clay, and play a Hopi hoop game.
KUYI Live Remote
KUYI Hotevilla, your Native American public radio station and a project of
the Hopi Foundation, will be onsite for a live report broadcast.
Hopi Dancers at Heritage Square
The Nuvatukya’ovi Sinom Dance Group will be in Flagstaff’s Fourth of July
Parade on Saturday morning, and downtown at Heritage Square in a free
performance following the parade. On Sunday at noon, they will again
perform at Heritage Square.
76th Annual Hopi Festival Sponsors
The 2009 Hopi Festival of Arts and Culture is sponsored by the Arizona
Commission on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Arizona ArtShare,
Flagstaff Cultural Partners, BBB Revenues from the City of Flagstaff,
Arizona Humanities Council, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.
About the Museum
The Museum of Northern Arizona sits at the base of the San Francisco
Peaks, three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180.
Festival admission is $7 adults, $6 seniors (65+), $5 students, $4 Native
people, $4 children (7–17), and free to MNA members. Become a member today
in time to attend the Hopi Festival Members’ Preview, Arts Award Ceremony,
and Silent Auction on Friday evening, July 3, before the festival. For
more information, go to musnaz.org or call 928/774-5213.
-end-
June 12, 2009
CELEBRATING THE INNOVATION AND VISION OF MNA’S NEW EASTON COLLECTION
CENTER
Caring for our collective past grounds us in the present and
guides us towards the future. This core idea is the foundation of the
Museum of Northern Arizona’s yearlong $5 million Easton Collection Center
construction project. At a public dedication ceremony on Sunday, June 21,
the innovation and vision of MNA’s new 17,283 square foot building will be
celebrated.
Named after donors Elizabeth (Betsy) and Harry Easton of Sedona and
Flagstaff, this future home of MNA’s unparalleled and fragile
anthropological, biological, and fine art collections from the surrounding
Colorado Plateau will lead the way in the care and preservation of museum
collections nationwide. Its design elements honor and blend natural and
man-made materials and environments, and embrace the worldviews of the
region’s Native people.
“There is a pressing need for this building,” says Museum Director Robert
Breunig. “Conservators and consultants have been advising MNA for nearly
20 years that we needed to improve our level of care. With this new
facility, MNA will finally be able to fulfill its stewardship
responsibilities to take the best care possible of Museum, Federal, and
tribal collections. It represents the highest aspirations of the Museum.”
Breunig continues, “The three principles that have guided construction of
this new building a commitment to the highest standards of museum
collections care (including temperature and humidity, light levels, fire
suppression, security systems, and infestation controls), building as
green and sustainable as possible (with local building materials and reuse
of old materials whenever possible), and embracing Native sensibilities in
ways that increase Native access to MNA’s collections and illustrate the
respect MNA has for the people and cultures of the Colorado Plateau.”
It was also important to MNA to include regional Indian tribes in the
design process, so they feel comfortable in the building. Representatives
of the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Tribe, the Zuni Tribe, and the White
Mountain Apache Tribe—all significantly represented in the Museum’s
collections—formed a Native American Advisory Committee and participated
in planning discussions.
“In answer to the committee’s requests,” says Breunig, “The building has
an East facing entrance to greet the sun every morning; a circular shape
to invoke the cycles of life; and connections to the natural world with
its living roof, appropriate use of day-lighting, local materials whenever
possible, and views of the sacred San Francisco Peaks from both inside the
building and out.”
Total construction cost for the Easton Collection Center is estimated at
$7 million, including building construction, architectural and engineering
fees, living roof design and construction, and cabinetry. Funding for
steel collections storage cabinetry, equipment, and move coordination has
come from four major grants totaling $1,047,235: a 2009 Institute for
Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant of $114,924 for botany and
entomology cabinetry, a 2008 IMLS grant of $107,311 for textile and basket
cabinetry, a 2007 National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant of
$575,000 for a compactor track system, anthropology cabinetry, and move
coordination, and a 2006 Save America’s Treasures grant of $250,000 for
archaeology cabinetry.
The Collection Center sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks and
is built across Highway 180 from the Museum’s Exhibit Building, in the
heart of the Museum’s historic Harold S. Colton Research Center. MNA and
its architects brought a comprehensive philosophy of environmental
sustainability to the design of the building, with maximum energy
efficiency and minimum use of fossil fuels. It has a living roof of native
grasses and wildflowers to create greater insulation, deter runoff and
reduce erosion, and create additional habitat for birds and insects. The
use of efficient water fixtures, rainwater runoff harvesting, and native
plants saves water.
Its green building features embody MNA’s commitment to environmental
sustainability and make it eligible to be registered through the US Green
Building Council’s prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design® (LEED) certification program. Buildings are rated Certified,
Silver, Gold, or Platinum based on a number of rating categories such as
site selection, water and energy conservation, use and recycling of
materials, indoor air quality, education, design innovation, and
landscaping. Although the US Green Building Council determines the final
rating only after buildings are actually completed, MNA anticipates that
the Easton Collection Center will receive the highest LEED rating of
Platinum.
The building’s orientation, thermal mass, highly insulated roof, UV
filtered skylights, insulated windows, photovoltaic solar panels, and
energy saving fixtures reduce the production of greenhouse gases. The
building uses materials recycled from old buildings that were replaced.
And where possible, the design team selected regionally manufactured
materials to reduce transportation costs. In parts of the building, the
cellulose wall insulation is made from recycled newspapers, and paints and
other materials are low in volatile organic compounds to improve indoor
air quality.
Dedication Ceremony Details
The public celebration for the Easton Collection Center is on Sunday, June
21, the summer solstice, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A Collection Center open
house will be followed by a dedication ceremony at noon, refreshments, and
a silent auction with works donated by regionally renowned artists.
Tickets are free to members and children under 12; nonmember tickets are
$20. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 928/774-5213,
ext. 225 or online at www.musnaz.org/events/eastondedicate.html.
Observations from Colorado Plateau Tribes
Leigh Kuwanwisiwma, Director of the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office
“My general observation is that the facility shows the Museum's commitment
to the care that a lot of collections require. And, it shows commitment to
the Museum's mission, for now and into posterity.”
Michael Kabotie, a member of the Hopi people
“Our ancestral Native relatives have traveled, explored, and experimented
with life among the Colorado Plateau mountains and canyons for centuries,
leaving a legacy through the arts, of their migrations at sacred
settlements. A history that is still alive in our legends, rituals, and
ceremonies, now the new Easton Collection Center on the campus of the
Museum of Northern Arizona will house this ancient knowledge for
generations to come and assist to understand the meaning of life, to
realize that we are all citizens of this world, and to learn to appreciate
each other through these sacred objects being housed at this center.”
Tony Joe, Supervisory Anthropologist for the Navajo Nation Historic
Preservation Dept.
“It is of vital importance sacred objects and objects of cultural
patrimony of all indigenous tribes throughout the Colorado Plateau be
housed and protected from all natural elements as agreed by all
participating tribes. And no better place to house these important objects
than the Easton Collection Center, within the confines of the Museum of
Northern Arizona. The new collections building evolved into a masterpiece
that stands out with its architecture and beauty.”
The Creative Team
Jim Roberts, Principal Architect from Roberts|Jones Associates in
Phoenix, AZ
“Designing the Easton Collection Center has been a very rewarding process
of discovery for all of us involved in the creative process. The rewards
of our efforts come when we see how our search for sustainability,
functionality, and historical relevance all converge to yield solutions
that are both surprising and delightful. The visual and symbolic beauty
that we discover when we strive for these abstract goals reassures us of
the validity of our decision making. These happy rewards give us cause to
believe in the sustainable vitality of this new place that we have created
at MNA.”
Paul Kephart, Ecologist from Rana Creek Living Architecture in Carmel
Valley, CA
“The Easton Collection Center evokes the spirit of water, the connection
to life within its living systems, and the spirit of place. It is an
excellent example of the integration of natural process and ecological
function as part of structure. Rana Creek is very pleased to have been a
part of the design and implementation resulting in enhanced resource
efficiency, restoration of natural habitat, and the interpretation of
sustainable architecture.”
Pieter Schaafsma, Landscape Designer from Schaafsma Design in
Flagstaff, AZ
“Visiting the landscape is akin to being drawn through a canyon by the
continuity of visual elements which include native plants, attractive
boulders, sculpted stone walls and captured views.”
The Construction Team
Mike Thomas, Project Manager from Kinney Construction Services in
Flagstaff, AZ
“Kinney Construction Services has recently celebrated its 10 year
anniversary in Flagstaff and the Easton Collection Center has been one of
the finest projects we have ever been a part of. This project is unique in
so many ways. It has been a privilege and we appreciate the
forward-thinking of the MNA staff and the design team.”
More Information at www.musnaz.org/collcenter.html
About the Easton Collection Center
Key Green Building Strategies for the Easton Collection Center
Easton Collection Center Fact Sheet
Easton Collection Center Frequently Asked Questions
Importance of MNA’s Collections
Supporting Grants and Funding
Project’s Webcam
-end-
May 27, 2009
VISUAL TALES OF THE FRAGILITY AND TENACITY OF LIFE
Natural Languages: The Art of Judy Tuwaletstiwa
The Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff announces its new
exhibit, Natural Languages: The Art of Judy Tuwaletstiwa, opening
on June 7 and running through November 1, 2009. Tuwaletstiwa’s
installation combines photographs, mixed media paintings, sculpture, and
text to create a poetic visual language.
Tuwaletstiwa believes there are many ways to think of language. “Language
is not limited to words,” she writes. “Our first language is the rhythmic
beating of our mother’s heart. Our next language is the touch of our
mother’s skin. Nature has a language. In this series, I seek to create a
vocabulary of textures and images that speak to the primordial and the
intellectual within us.”
Tuwaletstiwa’s home and studio lie along the bosque of the Galisteo Creek
in the village of Galisteo, New Mexico. In the arid Southwest, a bosque
(Spanish for “woodland”) is a ribbon-like oasis of verdant vegetation
existing along the margins of a stream. On September 5, 2008, Tuwaletstiwa
began a one-year exploration of the bosque beside her studio. Through
photographing it daily, writing about it, gathering its materials to use
in sculpture and paintings, she reveals the gentle power of beauty and the
universal relationship between plants and animals, germination and decay,
the passing of time and seasons, and the cycles of life.
In The Bat: A Residue of Wings, a mixed media on paper,
Tuwaletstiwa finds beauty in the insect wings, antennae, and legs lying
under a bat’s roost. Viewers experience a scientific curiosity about the
creature’s eating habits while recognizing the fragility of life.
In Taking Apart a Bird’s Nest, a diptych measuring six feet by six
feet, she uses the material from one bird’s nest—twigs, monofilament,
aluminum foil, hair, and a nail—to create a painting that reveals the
complexity of the nest.
Language can create boundaries or dissolve them. Tuwaletstiwa seeks to
dissolve boundaries between man-made and natural materials, between image
and word, between photograph and painting. In the same way that words form
phrases, the exhibit’s works relate to each other, forming visual poems.
Throughout the exhibit we see Tuwaletstiwa’s devotion, celebration, and
documentation of the web of life and our place within it. “My work is to
integrate the dark and the light into a harmonious whole that speaks
directly to the soul,” she states.
She writes, “In this vast high desert, a thin membrane separates the daily
world and the world of the spirit. The elemental landscape of the bosque
continually reminds me of the fragility and tenacity of life. It holds a
deep reservoir of the unconscious.”
She continues, “The earth wraps around the bones of our ancestors, as it
will wrap around our bones. Ancient rocks tell stories and winds carry
tales in a language of eternal change. When I experience, rather than
observe the land, I become part of it as it becomes part of me.”
MNA Fine Arts Curator, Alan Petersen, states, “Tuwaletstiwa’s work is rich
and multifaceted, like the natural world she depicts. It is also more
conceptual than the artwork the Museum has exhibited in the past. The
importance of Tuwaletstiwa’s work lies in her ability to convey the
innermost essence of her subjects, all of which are microcosms of the
larger Colorado Plateau.”
“Tuwaletstiwa’s artwork reveals an exciting new perspective in the visual
arts for the Museum. Her conceptual approach allows viewers a great deal
of latitude in their interpretation of the work,” Museum Director Robert
Breunig adds.
Judy Tuwaletstiwa was born in Los Angeles in 1941. She earned a B.A. in
English Literature from the University of California at Berkeley in 1962,
concentrating on the English Medieval period. She earned an M.A.T. in
English Literature from Harvard University in 1963. She has produced two
limited edition books, The Canyon Poem, 1997 and Mapping Water, 2007. She
is married to Phillip Tuwaletstiwa of Kykotsmovi, a village on the Hopi
Reservation where they lived for 12 years before moving to the village of
Galisteo in northern New Mexico.
Natural Languages: The Art of Judy Tuwaletstiwa is open from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. daily at the Museum of Northern Arizona. The Museum sits at the base
of the San Francisco Peaks, three miles north of historic downtown
Flagstaff. More information is available at musnaz.org or
928/774-5213.
-end-
May 19, 2009
MUSEUM OFFERS SUMMER DISCOVERY FOR YOUTHS AGES 4–18
The Museum of Northern Arizona’s summer Discovery Program aims to
inspire a sense of love and responsibility for the Colorado Plateau, while
providing a pathway into the future. Discovery 2009 offers 50 classes and
summer camp sessions that connect youths ages 4–18 to this region and draw
out their natural curiosity, creating a thirst for knowledge through
direct experience.
Science investigations with experts, art projects with accomplished
artists, and field trips led by experienced, energetic outdoor educators
provide optimal learning experiences for Discovery’s students. Low
student-to-teacher ratios bring students of all ages in direct contact
with the cultural and biological heritage of this region. Through hands-on
explorations and adventures, children not only learn more about their
homeland, but they learn how to work together and individually discover
their own creative and investigative abilities.
Youth Program Coordinator Rosemary Logan states, “More than ever,
Discovery serves a vital role in northern Arizona. With proposed state
budget cuts in the arts and new research that suggests that children who
attend educational summer programs make significant academic and social
gains, MNA aims to provide affordable, quality educational programs to
children of all ages and backgrounds. Discovery’s average program cost is
$5.50 per hour and generous scholarships are available to families in
need.”
This year’s classes offer a diverse and exciting range of opportunities to
learn about the region’s incomparable traditions―fine arts, natural
sciences, Native cultures, and ecology. An all-time favorite class,
Urban Artist, inspires children to transform everyday objects into
extraordinary works of art, while two of the new classes reach out into
new subject areas. Archaeoastronomy Kids Camp-Out includes camping
at MNA and exploration of how ancient people used the sun, moon, and stars
to keep track of the passing seasons. In another class, Sheep to Shawl,
students learn to clean, spin, dye, and weave wool. Additionally,
Discovery’s Summer Among the Peaks, for ages 9–13, will celebrate
12 years of overnight camping adventures led by Dr. Andy Yazzie. These
multiday camps visit many of the nation’s national treasures, including
Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, and Mesa Verde National Park. They also engage
in immersive cultural experiences at the Navajo and Hopi Nations, and
participate in activities such as sheep herding, hiking, and camping in
Canyon de Chelly, and the annual Santo Domingo Pueblo Corn Dance.
This summer Discovery continues its commitment to reach children of all
ages. In addition to program expansions for preschool age children, MNA
has renewed its commitment to ages 13–18 with the Junior Counselor
program, Field Archaeologist, and Field Entomology classes.
Additionally, Sustainable Living on the Colorado Plateau, a new
program offered in partnership with the Grand Canyon Trust, will offer a
weekend exploration in sustainable farming and green building at Leupp
Family Farm.
Discovery’s Junior Counselor program is entering its fifth year. Junior
Counselors ages 13–18 assist Discovery teachers with programs. This
volunteer opportunity provides valuable job experience and allows
Discovery participants to stay connected in new ways. When asked about her
experience as a former Discovery participant and now three- year Junior
Counselor, Kelly Reid exclaims, “"I always looked forward to summer camps
at MNA as a participant. Now that I’m older, I still love camp, but return
each year because of the joy it brings me to pass on my experiences to new
kids.”
For reservations or information, contact the Discovery Office at
928/774-5213, ext. 241 or discovery@mna.mus.az.us. Scholarships
are available and are awarded based on financial need and student
interest. Class descriptions, scholarship information, and applications
are available at musnaz.org.
The following sponsors support MNA’s Discovery 2009:
Albertsons Community Partners
Anonymous Contributors
Arizona Commission on the Arts/National Endowment for the Arts
Arizona Community Foundation
Bashas’ Thanks a Million
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Flagstaff Community Foundation
Flagstaff Cultural Partners/City of Flagstaff, BBB Revenues
Forest Highlands Foundation
Grand Canyon Trust
McCoy Motors
New Frontiers
Sam’s Club
Vertical Relief Climbing Center
Walgreens
The Museum of Northern Arizona is surrounded by tremendous geological,
biological, and cultural resources in one of Earth’s most spectacular
landscapes. With a long and illustrious history, MNA evokes the very
spirit of the Colorado Plateau, including the Grand Canyon and Four
Corners regions, inspiring a sense of love and responsibility for the
beauty and diversity of the area. The Museum is located three miles north
of historic downtown Flagstaff, at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, on
scenic Highway 180.
-end-
April 6, 2009
CALL FOR MUSEUM VOLUNTEERS
Looking for a way to get involved in your community? Have a passion
for museums? The Museum of Northern Arizona needs volunteers to help move
its anthropological and archaeological collections into the
newly-constructed Easton Collection Center.
Detail-oriented people will enjoy constructing packing materials,
inventorying MNA’s collection, and packing objects for their move to the
new 17,000 square foot, sustainable building.
This is a great opportunity to work hands-on, behind-the-scenes, with
anthropological and archaeological treasures of the Colorado Plateau. Work
related to the move will begin immediately as collections staff prepares
for the big move, taking place after the June 20 and 21 dedication
weekend.
Please do not hesitate to contact Move Coordinator Carmen Li at
928/774-5213, ext. 269 or e-mail her at cli@mna.mus.az.us if you are
interested in joining the team that will facilitate this exciting move!
-end-
March 16, 2009
SPRINGS ECOLOGY EXPLORED IN NEW BOOK
Aridland Springs in North America: Ecology and Conservation,
a new book on springs ecosystems, has been published by the University of
Arizona Press. Edited by Lawrence E. Stevens and Vicky J. Meretsky, the
book addresses the science and politics of springs—a timely subject as
groundwater depletion across the continent and other human impacts rapidly
decimate these vital sources of life and water.
The 27 dynamic, interdisciplinary contributors gathered at two symposia in
Tucson, the first at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in 2000 and the
second at the Ecological Society of America meeting in 2002. This volume
is a comprehensive assemblage of chapters on subjects presented at those
gatherings, as well as others that arose from panel discussions.
Larry Stevens says, “Springs are the most biologically diverse,
productive, and highly threatened ecosystems on Earth, and we hope this
book is the first step in a national and global initiative to improve the
stewardship of springs.”
Dr. Stevens is curator of ecology and conservation at the Museum of
Northern Arizona and the senior science advisor for the Grand Canyon
Wildlands Council, Inc. in Flagstaff. Meretsky is an associate professor
of conservation biology at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs
at Indiana University in Bloomington.
In the book’s foreword, one of the Southwest’s best-known authors, Gary
Paul Nabhan of the Southwest Center of the University of Arizona, states,
“…a collection of writings about freshwater springs must be considered a
sort of historical wonder: that we have paid immense attention to both
river water and groundwater but not to one of the most vital linkages
between the aquatic habitats, where underground aquifers literally bubble
up to the surface, creating streams and wetlands.”
Nabhan continues, “We are beginning to fathom the geological, biological,
and cultural significance of springs, and this understanding will, we
hope, be inspiring enough to motivate us to protect and restore these
habitats before they blink out, one by one, like so many isolated candles
on a geological layer cake.”
“Here on the Colorado Plateau, there is a complex groundwater network of
springs,” says Museum of Northern Arizona Director Robert Breunig. “This
volume not only emphasizes the importance of these ecologically and
culturally significant habitats, but it presents a road map for future
springs ecosystem study and management.”
This book’s contributors provide an in-depth overview of issues critical
for improving the knowledge and conservation of springs, going beyond
examining the ecological importance of springs to provide practical and
productive ideas for their preservation. Aridland Springs in North
America is available in Flagstaff at the Museum of Northern Arizona’s
Bookstore or by calling 928/774-5213, ext. 261.
-end-
February 25, 2009
EXPLORE THE SCIENTIFIC WONDERS OF NORTHERN ARIZONA WITH THE EXPLORATION
PASS
Northern Arizona’s three premier scientific
attractions have joined together to offer the Northern Arizona Exploration
Pass. Lowell Observatory, Meteor Crater, and the Museum of Northern
Arizona are offering a $2 discount on admission with this pass.
Exploration Passes are available for no charge at the three attractions,
as well as the Flagstaff Visitor Center next to the train station in
downtown Flagstaff.
Lowell Observatory, Meteor Crater, and the Museum of Northern Arizona
share a history of scientific research and discovery. Visitors can now
peer through the historic Clark Telescope, stand on the rim of the
best-preserved meteorite impact crater on Earth, and experience a
93-million-year-old therizinosaur with this pass.
Lowell Observatory astronomers conduct a variety of research programs in
solar system, stellar, galactic, and extragalactic astronomy. Pluto was
discovered there in 1930 and today, advanced astronomical concepts are now
fun and accessible at the John Vickers McAllister Space Theatre. This
computer-based planetarium has 15-minute shows from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. and five-minute shows with the 24-inch Clark Telescope viewings in
the evenings. The Rotunda Museum offers historic exhibits and hands-on
children’s exhibits, and the Pluto Walk explores the scale of our solar
system. Lowell Observatory is located on Mars Hill next to Flagstaff’s
downtown and is open November through February from noon to 5 p.m. and
March through October from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nighttime programs begin at
lowell.edu or
928/233-3211.
Meteor Crater is over 4,000 feet across and 550 feet deep. There is a
crater observation area and for those with proper hiking shoes, there are
one-hour guided rim tours from 9:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., weather permitting.
The Visitor Center has new displays on the never-ending process of impacts
and collisions in our solar system. The Learning Center offers 24 exhibits
about space, meteorites and asteroids, the solar system, and the
Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet that impacted Jupiter. An actual Apollo space test
capsule complements the American Astronaut Wall of Fame. And a ten-minute
movie, Collisions and Impacts, about themes in the interactive displays,
shows twice each hour. There is also a Gift Shop, a Subway sandwich shop,
and an RV Park. Meteor Crater is located off of Interstate 40 at Exit 233,
35 miles east of Flagstaff. Crater information is at
meteorcrater.com or 928/289-5898.
Serving as a gateway to understanding this unique region, the Museum of
Northern Arizona evokes the very spirit of the Colorado Plateau. Visitors
experience Native cultures, tribal lifeways, natural sciences, and fine
arts in nine exhibit galleries. Therizinosaur—Mystery of the
Sickle-Claw Dinosaur exhibits the most complete therizinosaur skeleton
ever found from the newest and strangest dinosaur in North America. This
was a once-in-a-lifetime find by MNA paleontologists and now the actual
skeleton can be seen, just as it was found in the Tropic Shale rock in Big
Water, Utah. A 13-foot tall mold of every bone has been assembled into an
upright, in-motion stance, accompanied by interactive activities. The
Museum Shop and
Bookstore are also on-site. The Museum is located three miles north of
downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180.
Additional information is available at musnaz.org
or 928/774-5213.
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January 26, 2009
HAVASUPAI EXHIBIT OPENS WITH FREE PUBLIC RECEPTION
AT MNA
On Sunday, February 8 from 2–4 p.m., the Museum of Northern Arizona will
host a free reception open to the public to highlight its new exhibit I
Am the Grand Canyon: The Story of the Havasupai People. This exhibit
is owned by the Havasupai Tribe and was developed by the Grand Canyon
Association, with the guidance and blessings of the Havasupai people.
The I Am the Grand Canyon exhibit is a first-time photographic look
at the Havasupai people of the Grand Canyon—their origins, history, art,
and culture—from the 2006 book of the same name by author Stephen Hirst
and principal photographer Lois Hirst. Their book and the exhibit are the
outcome of their forty-year relationship with the Havasupai people and the
eleven years they lived in their midst as educators. Historic and
contemporary photos of the Havasupai people and homeland, some never
before shown, accompany examples of Havasupai music and language, one of
the oldest and most actively used indigenous languages of North America.
MNA Director Robert Breunig stated, “The Havasupai people call themselves
Havsuw ‘Baaja or people of the blue green water. Their land is
known worldwide for the beauty of Havasu Canyon and the dramatic blue
green waterfalls of Havasu Creek. But, the world may not know as much
about the Havasupai people’s efforts to preserve their land, and their
determination to preserve their ancient cultural heritage and language. I
am very excited that this exhibit and the Hirsts’ book give the Havasupai
people a new way to share this information.”
At the exhibit opening reception, Stephen and Lois Hirst will talk about
their experiences with the Havasupai and the recent flooding of the
village of Supai.
Terry and Lyntha Eiler will present photos and also share stories about
the years they lived with the Havasupai. Terry Eiler is director and
professor of photography in the School of Visual Communication at Ohio
University. Lyntha Eiler is a professional photographer. They lived and
worked in the Southwest for many years, documenting the lives of Native
peoples for such prestigious publications as National Geographic.
Residing at Havasupai in the 1970s, they provided the photographs for
Stephen Hirst’s Life in a Narrow Place, which documents the lives
of 400 Havasupai in the Grand Canyon.
A special appearance by the Havasupai Dancers is scheduled and a book
signing will immediately follow the program. Books will be available for
purchase from the Museum’s Bookstore and all author’s royalties have been
assigned to the Havasupai Tribe.
The Grand Canyon Association and the Museum of Northern Arizona are
co-sponsors of the exhibit reception, with Grand Canyon National Park and
the Flagstaff Photography Center.
The Museum of Northern Arizona sits at the base of the San Francisco
Peaks. It is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on
Highway 180 and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information is
available at 928/774-5213 or online at musnaz.org.
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January 16, 2009
TERRY TEMPEST WILLIAMS TO APPEAR IN FLAGSTAFF
Terry Tempest Williams, well-known writer and naturalist whose writing
explores relationships between environmental issues and social justice,
will be reading selections from her new book Finding Beauty in a Broken
World on February 9 at 7:30 p.m. at High Country Conference Center on
the campus of Northern Arizona University.
Hosted by the Grand Canyon Trust and the Museum of Northern Arizona, the
public is cordially invited to attend this free literary event.
Williams is the recipient of the Grand Canyon Trust’s Trees Fellowship,
which was established to foster broader public appreciation of canyon
country conservation challenges by publicly exploring the steps society
must take to sustain the health of this magnificent part of the world.
Always an advocate for a just relationship between the natural world and
humankind, Williams has broadened her concerns to include a
reconfiguration of family and community in her search for a deeper
understanding of what it means to be human in an era of physical and
spiritual fragmentation.
Williams is a Utah native, descended from five or six generations of
Mormon pioneers. “I write through my biases of gender, geography, and
culture,” she says. “I am a woman whose ideas have been shaped by the
Great Basin and Colorado Plateau.”
Williams is perhaps best known for her book Refuge: An Unnatural
History of Family and Place (Pantheon, 1991), in which she chronicles
the epic rise of the Great Salt Lake and the flooding of the Bear River
Migratory Bird Refuge in 1983, alongside her mother's diagnosis with
ovarian cancer, believed to be caused by radioactive fallout from the
nuclear tests in the Nevada desert in the 1950s and 60s. Refuge is
now regarded as a classic in American nature writing, a testament to loss
and the earth's healing grace.
Williams’ other books include Red: Patience and Passion in the Desert,
2001, a collection of essays; An Unspoken Hunger; Desert Quartet: An
Erotic Landscape; Coyote's Canyon; and Pieces of White Shell: A Journey to
Navajoland. She is also the author of two children's books: The
Secret Language of Snow; and Between Cattails.
In 2004 Terry Tempest Williams published The Open Space of Democracy,
in which she defined how we can break down the partisanship and
polarization in our society so that we can come together to solve the
political and environmental problems which threaten our democracy and our
land.
Contact Darcy Allen at Grand Canyon Trust at 774-7488 or dallen@grandcanyontrust.org;
or Cheryl Blume at the Museum of Northern Arizona at 774-5213, ext. 219 or
cblume@mna.mus.az.us for more information on the event.
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January 8, 2009
2009 HERITAGE PROGRAM: Connecting through Stories
and Art
MNA’s four festivals continue to foster communication and create
connections through the exchange of stories and artistic expression
between Colorado Plateau cultures. An in-depth mix of art, music,
dance performances, and Heritage Insights presentations focus on authentic
expressions of cultural traditions, creating a community of cultural
understanding and a forum for dialogue.
19th Annual Zuni Festival of Arts and
Culture
Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24
The Museum of Northern Arizona partners with the A:shiwi A:wan Museum and
Heritage Center and Zuni artists for this festival of Zuni life, language,
and creativity. The finest Zuni artists travel to Flagstaff to share their
art, music, and dance. Prepare to be amazed and inspired by weavers, inlay
jewelers, fetish carvers, and painters. See historic film footage and
learn about Zuni farming practices.
76th Annual Hopi Festival of Arts and
Culture
Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5
Award-winning Hopi artists, carvers, painters, jewelers, potters,
quilters, and basket and textile weavers bring the Hopi mesas to Flagstaff
during the Fourth of July weekend. Watch Hopi pottery being shaped and
painted. Walk the Museum’s Rio de Flag Nature Trail with a Hopi medicine
woman. Take part in insightful discussions about the Hopi values of
humility, cooperation, respect, balance, and earth stewardship.
60th Annual Navajo Festival of Arts and
Culture
Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2
The largest tribe in the Southwest, the Navajo or Diné are known for their
spectacular weavings and innovative expressions of traditional art forms.
More than 65 of the best Navajo artists share their work with visitors
during this weekend. Enjoy music, dancing, storytelling, and art
demonstrations. Hike with an ethnobotanist and learn the Native uses of
local plant life at this colorful and exciting event.
6th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente
Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25
The Museum comes to life for Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, an
ancient Meso-American holiday held throughout Mexico, Latin America, and
the Southwestern United States. This event is created in partnership with
the Flagstaff Hispanic pioneers, Nuestras Raices. Musicians, ballet
folklorico dancers, traditional and contemporary Latino artists, and
ofrendas (altars) are all part of this colorful celebrationonnecting
through Stories and Art
Museum of Northern Arizona
3101 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 • 928/774-5213 • musnaz.org
Festival admission: $7 adults, $6 seniors (65+), $5 students, $4 Native
people, $4 children (7–17)
Attend the Friday night Members' Previews by becoming a Museum member
High resolution jpg images are available by e-mail.
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