 MNA Home |
MNA
Press Gallery Press Releases from the Museum of Northern Arizona
Press Release Contact: Michele Mountain, MNA Marketing Director 928-774-5211 x273 December 4, 2006 Monday, January 8 Tim’s Cave by Andy
Seagle Monday, February 12 The
Arizona-Chilean Connection by Dr. Larry Stevens Monday, March 12 Arizona Women
Artists from the First Half of the Twentieth Century by Fran Elliot Monday, April 9 Sneak Peak of Upcoming
Therizinosaur Exhibit by Dr. Dave Gillette The Church of the Red Rocks is located at 54 Bowstring Drive in Sedona. Tickets are $6 for members and $7 for nonmembers per lecture, or $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers for the entire series. Tickets are available at 6:45 p.m. at the lectures and advance tickets can be purchased at the Museum of Northern Arizona at 928/774-5213 or in Sedona at 928/282-4786. If a lecture sells out, late arrivals with tickets may not be able to be seated and will receive a refund. Proceeds from the Sedona Lecture Series benefit the Museum of Northern Arizona. The Museum of Northern Arizona is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. -end- November 21, 2006 MNA’s Ventures is celebrating its 30-year anniversary with exceptional outdoor experiences and trip schedules at a new website, www.mnaventures.org, and is offering an Early Bird Discount of $50 on most trips booked before February 15. MNA Director Robert Breunig was the founder of the Ventures program. He says, “Our ultimate objective was to help people, through direct experiences, to better understand the incredible range of places and the myriad of ways of looking at the Colorado Plateau. We believed 30 years ago, as we do today, that the best hope for the future of this region is an educated public that shares MNA’s passion for this place.” MNA Ventures offer unparalleled opportunities to discover and explore the Colorado Plateau—130,000 square miles of spectacular mountains, mesas, and canyonlands in the Four Corners region of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Venturers experience the rich natural wonders and cultures of this region through the eyes of scientists, writers, artists, cultural consultants, and guides. Ventures trips range in length from a day to a week. Diverse itineraries for the uninitiated to the ultra-experienced include hiking, backpacking, river rafting, biking, and photography excursions on the Plateau. Groups are small to allow maximum interaction between participants and trip leaders. For those wishing to explore the Southwest’s treasures:
The Museum of Northern Arizona is one of the great regional museums of our world, 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. Located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180, the Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. More information about MNA is available at www.musnaz.org or 928/774-5213. -end- November 21, 2006 The Vesper Bells handbell choir from the Federated Community Church will perform a musical selection that will ring in the holiday season. Performance begins at 10 a.m. At 11 a.m., Havasupai storyteller Jolene Watahomigie, in traditional Havasupai dress, tells her culture’s winter songs and stories about hunting, traveling, and living in the winterlands. At noon, Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy (FALA) students present holiday choir and ballet performances. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., MNA’s community partners will be making hands-on learning activities for kids of all ages to take home with them. The Flagstaff Children’s Museum, in conjunction with the Trappings of the American West exhibit, will assist children in designing their own ranch brands to make holiday cards, while the Nuestras Raices Mexican/Mexican American/Hispanic pioneer families have planned a collage project, and FALA students will be helping holiday celebrants create marbled paper for seasonal wrapping. Cookies, hot chocolate, and coffee will add to the fun, along with bite-sized samples from Amanda Stein and Mary Garland’s new cookbook, Sharing the Table at Garland’s Lodge. Authors Steve and Lois Hirst will also have their book available, I Am the Grand Canyon: The Story of the Havasupai People, and both sets of authors will sign their books. The Museum’s galleries will be open during the celebration. Trappings of the American West, a sales exhibit of fine and functional art of the American cowboy, Timeless Excellence with artworks from the Museum’s fine arts exhibit, and woodblock prints and accompanying writings from the 1930s in the Everett Ruess and the Search for Beauty exhibit will all be viewable. And remembering those who are less fortunate this season, MNA requests that you bring canned food items to the Community Holiday Party, in support of the Care and Share Food Bank. The Museum of Northern Arizona is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Additional information is available at 928/774-5213. -end- October 27, 2006 Ruess was a young artist and writer who wandered the wilds of the Southwest and mysteriously disappeared in the Escalante Canyons in 1934, at the age of twenty. His travels on the southern Colorado Plateau earned this itinerant artist local notoriety. When he mysteriously vanished in Davis Gulch, outside the small town of Escalante, his burros were found near his camp, but his fate was unknown. Ruess became a larger-than-life romantic legend and a symbol of the wilderness he revered. The love and respect Ruess felt for the places he roamed were expressed in his poems and essays, as well as in the images he carved for his precious block prints. He would trade or sell these prints to the occasional tourist and passerby to help pay his way for himself and his burros. Thus, the few extra dollars brought him to another vista, and eventually to another piece of art. His wanderlust and his art became inseparable. Ruess's woodblock prints and writings have captivated many and inspired them to seek out remote corners of the region, in their own search for beauty and the peace that can be found in the rugged, sandstone canyons and open spaces of Plateau country. This collection spans the last five years of Ruess's short life, from the age of fifteen to twenty. His work portrays a variety of scenic landscapes from his travels along the California coast, high into the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and in the deserts and canyons of Utah and Arizona. More than 70 years later, these images still speak to us with vigor and force, chronicling the evolution of a maturing talent, fully capable of capturing nature in bold and simple terms. Ruess sought artistic advice from well-known artists of his day: landscape painter Maynard Dixon, and photographers Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, and Edward Weston, and was influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, popular in the early twentieth century. This exhibit is sponsored by the Utah Arts Council (www.arts.utah.gov) and is co-curated by MNA Guest Curator of Fine Art Alan Petersen. Additional information about Ruess can be found at www.everettruess.net. The Museum offers two public programs in conjunction with Everett Ruess and the Search for Beauty. Both programs take place at the Museum and are included with admission. The Legend of Everett Ruess ● November
18, 2 p.m The Landscapes of Everett Ruess ●
December 2, 3 p.m The Museum of Northern Arizona is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Contact 928/774-5213, ext. 220 for additional information. -end- October 3, 2006 Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead originated in Mexico before the Spanish conquest. It has been speculated that this holiday may have originated from the Olmecs, perhaps as many as 3,000 years ago, and been passed to other cultures such as the Toltecs, Maya, Zapotec, and Aztec. It is a joyous occasion, when memories of ancestors and the continuity of life are celebrated and the souls of the departed return to visit the living. Dia de los Muertos is not a time of mourning. Instead, candles and marigolds brighten the eyes, sugar skulls sweeten the tongue, dancing and music warm the heart, and colorful strands of papel picado banners herald the celebration. “The Museum of Northern Arizona is committed to exploring our region’s diverse heritages and is proud to once again partner with Nuestras Raices to present Flagstaff's Day of the Dead event. Celebraciones de la Gente reveals the antiquity and the richness of Latin American traditions and reminds us of the role that Hispanic pioneers played throughout the Southwest,” said MNA Director Robert Breunig. Performers “We want people to know the splendor of the Aztec and Mexicah peoples is alive and well, and not an imagination of the past,” says dance leader Martin Tellez. “We have all learned the tradition of La Danca Azteca (Aztec dancing) from our barrio of Tlacopan in Mexico City.” The dances are performed in handmade, traditionally authentic outfits adorned with feathers, headdresses, shields, shells, beads, and ancient symbols. Blessings are offered with copal incense, multiple drums and conch shells add to the excitement, and dancers move around and over a central flame. Martin Espino, of Tepehuano and Yaqui ancestry, brings authentic sounds of ancient Mexico and his ancestors to life on bamboo instruments he makes or gathers. The mysterious music he plays with its many moods and sounds has been researched and shared among indigenous musicians throughout the Americas over many years. Since the 1980s, he has pioneered interactive performances of ancient languages and percussion instruments. The 150 pre-hispanic bamboo, gourd, and clay instruments he plays are flutes, panpipes, turtle shells, log rums, water drums, rattles, and rain sticks, to name a few. A more authentic and historical group than the Santa Cruz River Band would be hard to find. Ted Ramirez, Michael Ronstadt, and Gilbert Brown from Tucson perform in Spanish, English, and American Indian languages. With passionate intensity, their Mexican and American folk songs and original compositions reflect their Southwestern heritage. Filled with the mystical lore of the region, their imagery and harmonies captivate and elevate the listener. The group’s music crosses cultural, as well as generational lines, as it speaks directly to the heart. Vocalist and guitarist Ted Ramirez, vocalist and guitarist Michael Ronstadt (brother and former band member of Linda Ronstadt), and requinto and mandolin player Gilbert Brown have a new CD, The Mexican Album, with classic folk songs which instill in them a great love and pride for their Mexican heritage. Their musical program is interspersed with the history of instruments, the relationship of modern instruments to ancient ones, and the origins and meanings of the Mexican songs. Flagstaff’s Ballet Folklorico de Colores will perform folkloric dance traditions of Mexico, including Danza, indigenous dances that are generally religious in nature and are performed in ritual and community settings. Also typically religious in nature, Mestizo dances are indigenous dances reflecting European influences in either the steps, themes, instrumentation, or costuming. Bailes Regionales, or regional dances, are primarily social in origin and are performed by most of the ballet folklorico performing groups in Mexico and the U.S. Insight Programs NAU Associate Professor of Anthropology and MNA's newly named Curator of Anthropology Dr. Kelley Hays-Gilpin will introduce an illustrated lecture, “Common Roots/Raices Comunes: Hopi Aztlan, and Teotihuacań” The Mexican concept of Aztlan as homeland and Hopi accounts of Palatkwapi, an ancient city south of the border from which many Hopi clans are believed to have originated will be discussed. La Charreria is a New World cultural tradition. This style of rodeo originated in Mexico in the sixteenth century and blends equestrian games and competition with music, dance, food, and religious activities. La Charreria draws upon Spanish and Moorish equestrian skills, modified to meet the needs of ranching on the northern frontier of New Spain―what is now Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and California. Trappings of the American West exhibit artist Heather Hafleigh has photographed this cultural tradition for 12 years. On Saturday only, she presents Viva La Charreria Mexicana!, a slide show documenting four generations of the Franco family's Carreria traditions. Xavier Reynoso of southern Arizona joins Hafleigh to demonstrate specific roping techniques used in La Charreria. Artist Demonstrations Fred Lopez has been demonstrating Spanish Colonial tinwork at the festival since 2000. This Santa Fe artist is known for his intricate tinwork picture frames, mirror frames, candelabras, and boxes. Lopez will demonstrate and sell his tinwork throughout the weekend, and create a work visitors can help craft. Additional artwork will be shown and sold by Juan Olale, wood carvings and nichos; Francesca Anatra, jewelry; and Emma Gardner, paintings and jewelry. Verne Lucero, La Posada Hotel’s tinwork artist’s work will also be on display. Altars Storytelling and Craft Demonstrations Craft demonstrations will include multi-colored, hand-cut, festive papel picado paper art by Susan Wilcox, Guatemalan pine needle basketry by Marina Vasquez, and tortilla making and crocheting by the Guadalupanas from San Francisco de Asis Catholic Parish. Workshop Kids Activities Sponsors About MNA’s Heritage Program The Museum is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff, on Highway 180. It is open daily (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. -end- September 22, 2006 Lectures At 12 noon, Northern Arizona University’s Dr. Jane Marks from the Stream Ecology Lab at the Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research discusses the scientific research involved in restoring Arizona’s Fossil Creek, bringing functioning ecological systems back to the river and working towards an increase in biological diversity. Nature Hikes Kids Activities At a Paleozoic puppet show offered throughout the event, enter an era characterized by the development of the first fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and land plants, and meet “Stromy the Stromatalite and His Seafaring Friends.” At Creative Corner, kids make Play Dough ammonites, sea creature crayon rubbings, and continental drift puzzles. About the Museum The Museum is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. For more information, contact 928/774-5213 or online at www.musnaz.org. -end- September 11, 2006 Stevens is an independent ecologist and a recent board member, with an M.S. in biology and a Ph.D. in zoology, both from Northern Arizona University. He has accepted this position with the hopes of developing projects and funding to support his full-time efforts. “Larry Stevens is perhaps the most gifted scientist ever to work on the Colorado Plateau, exploring more dynamics of the natural world in this region than any other biologist or geologist in history,” says Gary P. Nabhan, Director of NAU’s Center for Sustainable Environments. “He offers more than just his technical skills to safeguard and restore this ecosystem of global renown; he is also a compelling storyteller and an ardent and effective conservation advocate. He embodies all the values and skills that MNA has dedicated itself to since its founding. “If a single person can be said to serve as the eyes and ears of the Grand Canyon, it would be Larry. He is intimately aware of subtle changes in its insect, bird, and fish faunas; in its flora and vegetation; in its flooding regimes and responses to drought and damming. No scientist has collected more specimens, made more field observations, or detailed more ecosystem processes in the Grand Canyon than Larry has. And no one has fought harder and more effectively to maintain its integrity.” Stevens supports Director Breunig’s goal of restoring biology at MNA to a prominent position in the eyes of the local community, and to re-establish its credibility in the scientific community. Asked for a historical perspective of his new position, Stevens responded, “In science, we stand on the shoulders of giants. Some of those who have held this position include Lyndon L. Hargrave, Walter McDougall, Steven W. Carothers, among other great scientists. Stevens says, “The Coltons, MNA’s cofounders, clearly stated the need to protect the wildlife and habitats of northern Arizona from needless destruction. Most of us live in northern Arizona because we love the environment, but we are loving it to death. In this new position, I will continue to work with the Grand Canyon Wildlands Council and the Grand Canyon Trust to figure out how to maintain the natural ecosystems and native species here. “MNA is unique, as far as I can tell. No other museum in the world has taken on the task of preserving and promoting all aspects of regional culture, from the sciences to contemporary fine arts and education. As MNA promotes appreciation of the Colorado Plateau by developing a “sense of place,” those of us in the sciences labor to understand the region's mysteries, helping to make this also "a place of sense," making sense of this fascinating place.” -end- July 14, 2006 More than 70 artists and cultural interpreters from many Navajo clans will take visitors on a journey into the arts, stories, and symbols that define this culture. World champion hoop dancer and Navajo medicine practitioner Jones Benally will perform Navajo and inter-tribal dances in ornate, handmade traditional clothing. And a traditional children’s dance troupe, Pollen Trail Dancers, returns with colorful social dances. Visitors will have the opportunity to hike with ethnobotanist Theresa Boone Schuler, a Diné educator from Flagstaff and a popular presenter at past festivals, to learn Native uses of local plant life on the Museum’s Rio de Flag Nature Trail three times each day at 10 a.m., 12 noon, and 2 p.m. “Once again the Museum of Northern Arizona is honored to host the Navajo Festival of Arts and Culture,” said Museum Director Robert Breunig. “The art, music, language, and culture of the Navajo people have much to offer to all peoples and this weekend is an annual time of cultural celebration and sharing. We are looking forward to this event and we are particularly excited to share with the public a focus on the role of sheep and weaving in Navajo life.” This year’s weaving extravaganza Eleven well-known weaving demonstrators will work on traditional upright or sash looms throughout the Museum, including award winners D.Y. Begay, Morris Muskett, Suzanne Harvey, and Mona Laughing (see below for sidebars on Begay and Muskett). Rug weaving is customarily considered to be a woman’s art form. However, master weaver Roy Kady is one of the men who has learned the traditional and spiritual art. Visitors will have a chance to meet Kady and learn more about his love of weaving and the importance of sheep. Roy Kady is also the project director of Diné Bé iina or DBI, the Sheep is Life Project. DBI honors the central role sheep play in Navajo culture―for their long wool, tender meat, and rich milk―and helps to promote the return of the Navajo-Churro sheep. This breed is the first and oldest to be continuously produced in Northern America. It had dwindled to a few hundred purebreds, but is now rebounding by some accounts to a population ranging from 3,000 to 5,000. In conjunction with the Navajo Festival, the Navajo-Churro Sheep Association is celebrating its 20th anniversary. On Saturday, July 29, a sheep show will extend from the Museum’s Exhibit Building across Highway 180. Saturday events at the Navajo Festival will also feature demonstrations by La Posada Chef John Sharpe, Navajo sheepherder Leon Tsosie, and weaver Lorraine Herder. Contemporary music makers an acoustic-oriented rock sound with Native themes of today. Blackfire, Flagstaff’s own Diné trio of siblings, combines Native roots with youthful raw energy. Known as activists, they’ll play acoustic versions from their CD “One Nation Under.” Heritage Insight talks by prominent
artists MNA 2006 Heritage Program festivals
are generously sponsored by: About the Museum -end- (featured artist sidebar) (featured artist sidebar) July 6, 2006 The Southwest Native American Film and Video Festival highlights the Southwest's unique offerings by contemporary Indigenous media makers and seeks to provide an opportunity for audiences of all ages to further their understanding of Indigenous cultures today.
This two-day festival will feature 25 films including dramatic works, documentaries, shorts and youth films, a panel discussion exploring Native filmmaking issues, and a special presentation on experimental Native filmmaking. Invited filmmakers will answer questions about their work.
Screenings will be held at the Museum of Northern Arizona in the Branigar/Chase Auditorium and at Coconino Center for the Arts. Daily and weekend festival passes for students and general admission can be purchased in advance at the Museum and at Coconino Center for the Arts. General and student admission fees will also be collected at the door. For additional information, call 928/779-2300 or visit these websites for a schedule of events: www.indigenousaction.org, www.musnaz.org, and www.culturalpartners.org.
2006 SOUTHWEST NATIVE AMERICAN FILM AND VIDEO FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Schedule subject to change. The films presented at the Festival do not necessarily represent the views of Flagstaff Cultural Partners, the Museum of Northern Arizona, or Indigenous Action Media.
Friday, July 14―Museum of Northern Arizona 3101 N. Fort Valley Road 7:30–10:00 p.m. $10 general admission, $6 students
Welcoming statement by Klee Benally from Indigenous Action Media
Rez Hope Director: Norman Brown Dramatic Short Running Time: 30 minutes Rez Hope follows a group of Navajo students during a day at school. This short film tackles a number of issues facing Native American teens today such as alcohol and drug abuse, violent relationships, sexual activity, depression, and suicide.
Grace
Director: Darwyn Roanhorse Running Time: 11 minutes A young runaway named Pearl meets Grace, a poor woman who sells banana bread at the local government offices. From this first encounter with Grace, Pearl gets the idea that she can sell the bread herself. What ensues is a life lesson Pearl learns by observing Grace and her inherent goodness.
Trudell Feature Documentary Running Time: 80 minutes This award-winning documentary is about legendary Native poet, musician, and activist John Trudell. Trudell won the Special Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2005 Seattle International Film Festival and the Jury Prize for Human Rights at the 2005 Artivist Film Festival.
Saturday, July 15―Museum of Northern Arizona 3101 N. Fort Valley Road 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Screening and Panel Discussion
Free admission Taking It Back Director: Leahn Cox Running Time: 12 minutes A screening of Taking It Back will be followed by a panel discussion by Native American film students, discussing the challenges they face. Media makers will discuss questions such as, “What is Native film,” “What unique challenges face contemporary Native media makers?,” and “What is the future of Native filmmaking?”
Saturday, July 15―Coconino Center for the Arts 2300 N. Fort Valley Road 1–2 p.m. Experimental Native Film Screening and Discussion Free admission
Director: Shonie De La Rosa Experimental Short Running Time: 36 minutes Ed, who lives in seclusion, has lost his wife and son to a super strain of tuberculosis unleashed by terrorists that has killed millions around the globe. Ed has contracted the deadly disease, but continues to go about his day-to-day routine in his home with a radio as his only connection to the outside world.
Saturday, July 15―Museum of Northern Arizona 3101 N. Fort Valley Road 2–5 p.m. Youth, Student, and Shorts Presentations $5 general admission, $3 students
Running with Tradition Director: Angelo Baca Documentary Short Running Time: 20 minutes This documentary takes a look at modern Native American runners and the people that drive them to succeed. The film focuses on a younger generation of high school and collegiate runners and discusses influences ranging from Olympic dreams to diabetes risk.
Siriusly Funny Director: Darren Gordy Comedy Short Running Time: 5 minutes See a "revolution" in radio. Originally made for Howard Stern’s film festival.
Marble Gangsta Director: Youth Media Project Youth/Student―Dramatic Short Running Time: 4 minutes A young girl wakes from a nightmarish future where skateboarding is illegal, only to be confronted by her greatest fear in a mysterious form.
Meth on the Rez Director: Tori Nez, Red Mesa High School Youth/Student―Documentary Short Running Time: 10 minutes Meth is a growing problem on the Navajo reservation. This student documentary examines the issues related to meth use.
Mountain King (Strong language, discretion advised) Director: Leahn Cox, Rough Rock High School Youth/ Student―Dramatic Short Running Time: 7 minutes An encounter with a mysterious creature changes a young man's perspective.
Interview with a Werewolf Director: Youth Media Project Youth/ Student—Mocumentary Running Time: 3 minutes In a rare interview, a werewolf shares his personal side.
EDG Cease the Fire Director: Shonie De La Rosa Music Video Running Time: 4 minutes A music video featuring the band Ethnic Degeneration.
Native Wind Director: Robby Romero Short/PSA Running Time: 1 minute A public service announcement about the vast wind energy potential on tribal lands of the northern Great Plains.
Agape Director: Darren Gordy Dramatic Short Running Time: 19 minutes A film inspired by unconditional love. Two friends explore online dating.
Tavake Director: Paul Stoll Dramatic Short Running Time: 14 minutes Set in the Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific Islands, this film looks at the influence and encroachment of Western culture, as shown in the relationship of a young man and his traditional father.
Hoop Dance Director: Brian Hammil Documentary Short Running Time: 40 minutes A look into the world of hoop dancing.
Saturday, July 15―Museum of Northern Arizona 3101 N. Fort Valley Road 7–10:30 p.m. Evening Screenings $10 general admission, $6 students
Sa'ah Director: Sarah Del Saronde Documentary Short Running Time: 20 minutes Sa'ah means "over there" in Navajo. This documentary follows a journey to the reservation to seek a Navajo medicine man. The internal journey speaks about the ongoing cultural changes within families and the wider community.
Conversion Director: Nanobah Becker Dramatic Short Running Time: 9 minutes In the 1950s, a visit by Christian missionaries has devastating consequences for a family in a remote part of the Navajo reservation.
The Repatriator Director: Angelo Baca Dramatic Short Running Time: 18 minutes A professional Native American thief steals sacred items from museums, private collections, and galleries and returns them to Native people.
The Last Great Hunt Director: Shonie De La Rosa Comedy Short Running Time: 7 minutes This comedic short stereotypes the Native American on a whole new level.
My Darkest Hour Director: Happy Frejo Dramatic Short Running Time: 22 minutes Based on true events, this story focuses on a young girl named Joy who is deeply affected by the separation of her parents. Blaming her mother, Joy is controlled by her hate and lack of forgiveness which leads to substance abuse. While leading a self-destructive life, she plans her suicide and has a vision that changes her life forever.
Mormon Shoshonie Experience Director: Angelo Baca Documentary Short Running Time: 7 minutes This brief documentary describes early Mormon and Shoshone interactions, from both perspectives, before and after the creation of the state of Utah.
The Ballad of Peter LaFarge Director: Sandra Schulman Documentary Short Running Time: 13 minutes This film contains rare photos and never before published information about the untold story of Native America’s protest pioneer and the writer of the song "The Ballad of Ira Hayes."
A Beautiful Dawn Director: Klee Benally Music Video Running Time: 4 minutes Music video featuring Navajo singer Radmilla Cody.
Alcatraz Is Not an Island Director: James Fourtier Feature Documentary Running Time: 57 minutes The 1969–71 occupation of Alcatraz Island was a watershed in American history. The tumultuous days of "Red Power" live again in occupation footage and interviews with participants. -end- June 9, 2006 The MNA Fine Arts Collection has its origins in Native artwork collected by its founders, the Coltons. The Museum’s Hopi and Navajo Festivals were also important occasions for early acquisitions. Early Anglo artists came to visit and paint the region in the early years of the area’s exploration. The earliest works in the exhibit are by Vincent Colyer in 1869 and Samuel Colman in 1870. They represent a growing number of artists from the East at this time who explored the Colorado Plateau. They were followed by Fredrick Dellenbaugh and William Henry Holmes, who worked for John Wesley Powell in his survey of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon region and painted in 1880. These four artists gave easterners their very first glimpses of landscapes that would draw tourists to the West in ever-increasing numbers. DeWitt Parshall and Louis Aiken were commissioned by the Santa Fe Railway to produce paintings for brochures and travel posters, advocating travel to “America’s Wonderland.” They both produced a number of works in exchange for travel and lodging expenses along the rail line. Timeless Excellence includes a number of important works by some of the most prominent artists who worked in the Studio Style. Fred Kabotie, Robert Chee, and Harrison Begay represent a major shift for Indian art as prior to attending U.S. government boarding schools, Indian artists had no tradition of painting on paper or canvas. In the Studio Style, two-dimensional shapes are highly stylized and frequently depict Indian life in an idealized manner. An additional highlight of the exhibit is a large number of paintings by Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, a painter of great talent from the early twentieth century. Her paintings of dramatic southwestern landscapes, and Hopi and Navajo people, show influences from popular early-twentieth century Art Deco-style paintings and graphics, and from Japanese woodblock prints. Later twentieth century artists like Michael Kabotie and Helen Hardin work with elements of traditional, even prehistoric, imagery, but are no longer bound by sentimental and or clichéd illustrations. And despite the influence of modern art movements, naturalistic work such as Earl Carpenter’s and Wilson Hurley’s are still among the most popular works, with the visual language of nineteenth century Romanticism still important to artists on the Colorado Plateau. The Museum of Northern Arizona is one of the great regional museums of our world, 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. Presenting Native cultures, tribal lifeways, natural sciences, and fine arts, the Museum serves as a gateway to understanding this magnificent region. MNA is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on scenic Highway 180. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 adult, $4 senior (65+), $3 student, $2 child (7–17) and always free for members. -end- June 9, 2006 From July through October, Heritage Program volunteers assist with Museum festivals that celebrate the diverse and living cultures of the Colorado Plateau. They serve as gallery and hospitality hosts, facilitators of hands-on children's activities, shuttle drivers, judging assistants, and more. Opportunities to interact with the public and be part of an enriching experience abound at the Museum of Northern Arizona throughout the year. If you are interested in volunteering, attend the volunteer training sessions listed below or contact Dianna Van Sanford, Docent/Volunteer Programs Manager, at 928/774-5213, ext. 206 or e-mail her at dvansanford@mna.mus.az.us. Hopi and Navajo Festival Volunteer
Training Friday, June 16, 9–11 a.m., Branigar
Hall Friday, June 23, 9–11:30 a.m.,
Branigar Hall Friday, July 14, 9–11:00 a.m.,
Branigar Hall Friday, July 21, 9–11 a.m., Branigar
Hall Questions? Please contact Dianna Van Sanford, Docent/Volunteer Programs Manager, Museum of Northern Arizona, 928/774-5213, ext. 206 or dvansanford@mna.mus.az.us. -end- June 6, 2006 73rd Annual Hopi Festival of Arts and Culture in Flagstaff on Saturday and Sunday, July 1 and 2 to gain insight from carvers, painters, jewelers, potters, basket makers, and textile weavers. Take part in insightful discussions about the Hopi under the big tent, and enjoy music, dances, and food. First held on the July Fourth weekend in 1930 as the Hopi Craftsman Exhibition, the event was a way to preserve Hopi artistic traditions and provide a marketplace for Hopi goods. Craftsmen were encouraged to submit items used in daily life, as well as finely decorated works that collectors might purchase, and artists were encouraged to sign their work. Over the years, these shows became a local tradition, offering a balance of ancient and modern to provide a deeper insight into Hopi culture. MNA Director Robert Breunig said, “Since 1930, the Hopi Show has represented a partnership between the Hopi people and the Museum of Northern Arizona. This legacy of partnership continues today in the Hopi Festival of Arts and Culture and has been reinforced by the strengthening of ties between the Hopi Tribe and the Museum. “We are excited about the many artists, cultural presenters, and performers who will be at the Museum to share their art, language, and worldview with the public. The Hopi Festival represents a unique opportunity for the public to gain insights into this culture with deep, historic roots into the Colorado Plateau.” 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. Renewed collecting efforts on the Hopi Mesas by MNA staff have gathered hundreds of distinctive art pieces such as quilts, rattles, katsinas dolls, paintings, and baskets that will be available for sale at this year’s festival. New this year Hopi radio KUYI’s Station Manager Lisa Youvella will speak about incorporating Hopi language with public broadcasting of health, social, and cultural issues. KUYI, 88.1 FM Native American Public Radio from the mesa tops of northeastern Arizona, hosts its own news program “Indian Country New Bureau,” reaches all Four Corners states, and serves the Hopi, Navajo, and Ute Native communities with its eclectic sound. Learn about MNA’s Hopi Iconography Project from Dr. Kelley Hays-Gilpin, an associate professor of anthropology at NAU who is researching mural and pottery paintings of Hopi and other Pueblo people and is working with the Hopi Tribe to develop an exhibit that will explore key aspects of the Hopi World to Euroamerican and Native visitors. An exciting, contemporary entertainment addition this year is Hopi Chairman Ivan Sidney‘s band, the Hopi Clansmen. This contemporary rock and country band was formed in the 60s and reformed in the 90s with the original members and their sons. Returning highlights Several walks along the Museum’s Rio de Flag Nature Trail each day are schedule with ethnobotanist Michelle Sockyma, who gathered her knowledge of plants of this region from her mother, Theodora Homewytewa, a Hopi medicine woman. Casper and the Mighty 602 Band returns this year with an expanded band to play its modern reggae sounds combined with Native roots, incredibly high energy, and music filled with hope and power. The traditional Lomayaoma Dance Group will add new dances to its eagle and rainbow dances. While enjoying cultural discussions and entertainment under the big tent, take a taste of Hopi yeast bread made by Dianna Shebala and baked in an outside oven, and piki made by Rebecca Namingha. Vivian Sockyma will make parched corn and Alice Dashee will give presentations all day on both days about the role of corn in Hopi culture. The Hopi are descendants of the ancient Puebloan people, whose cultural history is documented throughout the Four Corners region for thousands of years. The Hopi villages are located on mesas in northeastern Arizona. Traditionally, the Hopi are dryland farmers who specialize in the cultivation of corn, beans, and squash. One purpose of Hopi religious ceremonies is to attract rain and snow to the mesas for the benefit of farming and all life forms. Hopi blue corn is adapted to the arid climate and plays an integral part in Hopi ceremonial life. Learn about Hopi lifeways at this year’s festival. Locally-sponsored awards Hopi Days The 2006 Heritage Program is
generously sponsored by the following: The Museum of Northern Arizona sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, the highest mountains in Arizona. It is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180. Festival hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and admission is $7 adult, $4 senior (65+), $3 student, $2 child (7–17), and free to members. Become a member today, in time to attend the Hopi Festival Members’ Preview, Arts Award Ceremony, and Silent Auction on the Friday evening before the event. For more information, go to www.musnaz.org or call 928/774-5213. -end- (sidebar) June 1, 2006 June 13—Branigar/Chase Discovery
Center July 11—Branigar/Chase Discovery
Center July 18—Branigar/Chase Discovery
Center August 1—Branigar/Chase Discovery
Center August 15―Branigar/Chase Discovery
Center The Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, the highest mountains in Arizona. As the gateway to understanding the Colorado Plateau, it offers changing exhibits, informative programs, Indian and Hispanic festivals, and custom outdoor adventures that reveal the natural sciences, Native cultures, and artistic traditions of the region. MNA is three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on scenic Highway 180. It is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For further information, call 928/774-5213 or visit www.musnaz.org. -end- May 22, 2006 Explore the unique world of preservation
and stewardship on the Colorado Plateau, in Sunday, June 4—Museum of Northern
Arizona, Special Exhibits Gallery, 2 p.m. Monday, June 5—Montezuma Castle
National Monument, 11 a.m. Saturday, June 17— Museum of Northern
Arizona, Special Exhibits Gallery, 2 p.m. Saturday, July 8—Museum of Northern
Arizona, Special Exhibits Gallery, 2 p.m. Saturday, July 22—Museum of Northern
Arizona, Special Exhibits Gallery, 2 p.m. Sunday, August 13—Museum of Northern
Arizona, Special Exhibits Gallery, 2 p.m. Saturday, August 19—Museum of Northern
Arizona, Special Exhibits Gallery, 2 p.m. Saturday, August 26—Museum of Northern
Arizona, Special Exhibits Gallery, 2 p.m. -end- May 11, 2006 This juried sales exhibition features the work of 75 artists from 14 western states, Hawaii, and Canada who have been chosen for their outstanding artistic skills. This is the only exhibition in the U.S. to combine finely tooled saddles, braided rawhide, hitched horsehair, boots, hats, knives, bits, and spurs with paintings, photography, and bronze sculptures. Emerging and established artists include members of the Cowboy Artists of America, the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association, and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. Flagstaff photographers included in this year’s exhibition are Sue Bennett, Dave Edwards, Shane Knight, John Running, Raechel Running, and Gene Balzer. Flagstaff luthier Bill Burke will also submit work. MNA Director Robert Breunig stated, “The Museum of Northern Arizona is very pleased to join with the Dry Creek Arts Fellowship for the Trappings of the American West exhibition. The Museum represents the heritage of all of the people of the Colorado Plateau and Trappings allows us to explore the richness and complexity of cowboy life. Through cowboy gear, artistry, and various expressions of western folk culture, the Museum is connecting the public to a significant component of our region’s unique heritage.” Dry Creek Fellowship Director Linda Stedman said, “For 5,000 years, the unified bond of man and horse has allowed civilization to flourish and prosper. Trappings acknowledges the cultural diversity of artistic traditions within the horse culture. We are thrilled to bring this significant part of the region’s history to the Museum.” MNA and DCAF share a focus on the exploration and interpretation of the land and peoples of the Colorado Plateau. Through Trappings, they seek to encourage a broader understanding of cowboy culture. A full schedule of Trappings events will be posted August 1 online at www.musnaz.org and www.drycreekarts.com. With a long and illustrious history, the Museum of Northern Arizona 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 sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, Arizona’s highest mountains, and is surrounded by tremendous geological, biological, and cultural resources in one of Earth’s most spectacular landscapes. Located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180, MNA is open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the Museum and the Trappings exhibition is free for MNA and Fellowship members. General admission is $5 adults, $4 seniors (65+), $3 students, and $2 children (7–17). Ample free parking for cars and buses is available and the Museum is handicap accessible. For more information, contact the Museum at 928/774-5213 and online at www.musnaz.org, or the Dry Creek Arts Fellowship at 928/774-8861 and online at www.drycreekarts.com. -end- April 14, 2006 MNA’s outdoor event on the lawn at Sedona’s Radisson Poco Diablo Resort is sure to be an evening to appreciate the lighter side of life from a cowboy with both boots on the ground. This no-nonsense, unaffected author and nationally-syndicated weekly western columnist seems to effortlessly boil life down, finding the remarkable in the everyday with his own brand of humor. The Washington Post says of Black, “He could make a dead man sit up and laugh.” Black grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico and became a large animal veterinarian. In his mid-thirties he gave speaking engagements at agricultural banquets on the side and “people just kept calling.” He says it was “just sort of an accident” that he became a poet. “I thought I was a songwriter.” Black can also be heard on National Public Radio and seen on RFD-TV, the 24-hour satellite and cable TV network for rural America, horse lovers, farmers, and ranchers. Baxter Black is the real thing, “because it’s hard to be what you aren’t.” He lives in Benson, Arizona, “between the Gila River and the Gila monster, the Mexican border and the Border Patrol, and between the horse and the cow―where the action is.” He still doesn’t own a television or a cell phone. And everything about Black is cowboy: his hat, his mustache, his personality, and his humor. Tickets for “An Evening with Baxter Black” are $30 for Museum members and $35 for nonmembers. Members’ tickets are available only at the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff or by calling 928/774-5211, ext. 219. Nonmember $35 tickets are available at Olsen’s Grain locations (Flagstaff, Dewey, Clarkdale, Chino Valley, and Prescott) and at Poco Diablo. Because parking at the Poco Diablo is limited, bus shuttles to the hotel will operate beginning at 6 p.m. from the Jewish Community Center and Christ Lutheran Church off of Highway 179, between Meadowlark and West Chapel Road. Please carpool to the shuttle sites, if possible. MNA’s annual friendraiser is sponsored, in part, by KNAU Arizona Public Radio. Proceeds will benefit research, collections, and educational efforts to inspire a sense of love and responsibility for the beauty and diversity of the Colorado Plateau. -end- April 13, 2006 Introduction to Ripsmatta Weaving Rep Weave Workshop Natural Dye Workshop Let the Museum of Northern Arizona be your gateway to understanding the richly diverse cultures, landscapes, and ecology of the Colorado Plateau through exhibits in nine galleries, summer festivals, outdoor adventures, and hands-on programs. More information is available at www.musnaz.org. -end- April 6, 2006 These programs offer a gateway to the
wonders of the Colorado Plateau and a summer’s worth of creative,
relevant, and meaningful exploration and fun. Program manager Lisa
Lamberson states, This year’s classes offer a diverse and exciting range of hands-on opportunities to learn about the region’s incomparable traditions―fine arts, natural sciences, Native cultures, and ecology. Science investigations with experts, art projects with accomplished artists, and field trips led by experienced, energetic outdoor educators instill in young people a personal connection with the natural world around them. Summer Among the Peaks, Discovery’s summer camp, is offering its ninth year of games, hikes, art projects, experiments, and overnight camping adventures with educator Andy Yazzie. Eight programs can be attended by the week or for the entire summer, at which campers explore the Hopi, Navajo, and Zuni cultures, the San Juan River, Chaco Culture, Grand Canyon’s North Rim, Bryce and Zion National Park, and a hike and bike week. To assure a quality learning environment, Discovery has a maximum of fifteen participants and a minimum of two staff in every youth program. For reservations or information, contact the Discovery Office at 928/774-5213, ext. 241 or llamberson@mna.mus.az.us. Partial scholarships are available and are awarded based on financial need and student interest. Scholarship information and an application are available at www.musnaz.org. The following sponsors support MNA’s Discovery 2006: Albertsons Community Partners, Arizona Commission on the Arts, Arizona Community Foundation/Flagstaff Community Foundation/Forest Highlands Foundation, Flagstaff Cultural Partners/City of Flagstaff, Bashas’ Thanks a Million, Flagstaff Rotary Club, Sam’s Club, Walgreens, Wells Fargo, and an anonymous contributor. 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. It is located
three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff, on scenic Highway 180
-end- March 17, 2006 During the late nineteenth century, Burr lived in New Jersey and was employed as an illustrator for Scribner’s Magazine and Harper’s Magazine. His artwork garnered attention along the East Coast and in the Midwest. In an effort to improve his health, Burr and his wife, Elizabeth, moved to Denver in 1906, where he completed a series of etchings he named Mountain Woods and a critically acclaimed set called The Desert Series, some of which are included in MNA’s exhibit. In 1924, again seeking a more healthful climate, Burr and his wife moved to Phoenix where they lived until his death in 1939. Burr’s prints of the Southwest are among the finest examples of the art of etching. His compelling views of the American West emphasize the wide open spaces and atmospheric light of the dramatic landscapes that became his focus. Often described as impressionistic, his work is related visually and thematically to the work of American romantic artists such as Thomas Moran and Albert Bierstadt, who worked in the West during the later nineteenth century. Burr |