This exhibit is part of the exhibit series, They Don’t Love You Like I Love You: Indigenous Perspectives on Sovereignty, developed out of community curator group discussions with representation from all five Native Nations about community and the idea of sovereignty. Each curator agreed that there is no better authority on how to care for the people, homelands, culture and language than their own. The idea of sovereignty coming from within, and in the face of outside forces/decisions, was an underlaying theme in each exhibit. At the opening reception at Himdag Ki:, community curator April Ignacio (Tohono O’odham) addressed the crowd, “This exhibit is a love letter to you, our hajun (family/relatives).” This sentiment was shared at each of the exhibit openings.
Watch the exhibit series introductory video Enter the exhibit
Gila River and Salt River are known as Akimel O’odham, or River people. Their collaborative exhibit, Su:dagi/Shu:thag: Rekindling Our Connections, focuses on the loss of their water resources due to encroachment of settlements and city use. Through this loss, all other areas of their cultural community were affected. Over the last 100 years they have been at the forefront of water rights litigation, and cultural reparations while turning to each other to lead the way. The exhibit was conceived as a message to their youth that there is strength in traditional knowledge, which should be harnessed to create a healthy future.
Community Curators:
Jacob E. Butler Sr., Onk Akimel O’odham
Aaron Sabori, Akimel O’otham
Arizona State Museum exhibit team:
Jennifer Juan (Tohono O’odham), Lead Curator/Assistant Director of Community Engagement
Lisa Falk, Project Manager/Head of Community Engagement
Ruben Urrea Moreno, Preparator
Andie Zelnio, Exhibit Designer
Patrick Lyons, Director
Diane Dittemore, Ethnological Collections Associate Curator
Max Mijn, Photographer
Gina Watkinson, Conservation Lab Manager
Jannelle Weakly, Photographic Collections Manager
View Other Exhibits In this Series
Our Song Is Our Strength | Invisible NO MORE!
