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Native art, artifacts now just a click away

The National Museum of the American Indian launches online access for the public, posting the first 5,500 objects from its extensive collection

Courtesy of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian
The online Collection Search page, from the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian website, is designed to give the public access initially to 5,500 of the 800,000 objects in the museum's collection. It debuted Feb. 2, 2009.

Courtesy of Jeri Redcorn
Jeri Redcorn examines a piece of pottery that she created in the tradition of her Caddoan ancestors. Redcorn is credited with bringing back the pottery arts that Caddo had practiced for millennia. In the background are other pieces she's made. "They were masters in working in that clay," Redcorn said. "They achieved the highest level of ceramics."

Courtesy of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian
Jeri Redcorn's pot is named "Taysha," the Caddo word for fried. The Caddo also used it for people they hadn't met, she said. They referred to the Spanish by that name, and the Spanish, hearing the sound as an "x," made the word "Texas," she said.

Courtesy of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian
Jeri Redcorn believes her Caddo Head Pot is a unique design—both modern in its asymmetrical shape and ancient in its design. "I really do like that one," she said.

Courtesy of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian
The intertwining scrolls are common in Caddo designs. "It isn't complex if you draw it out on the flat paper, but when you're drawing it on the pottery, you have to pay attention," Redcorn said. "I struggled with that design at first, but now I can pretty well eyeball things."

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Classical Native movement resonates with museum

A growing number of Native American composers create distinctive, yet highly individual themes in classical music

Courtesy of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian
Quapaw-Cherokee composer Louis Ballard (1931-2007). Ballard wrote such symphonies as "Incident at Wounded Knee" and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

Photo by Katherine Fogden
Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian
Jerod Impichchaachaaha Tate, who is Chickasaw and lives in Norman, Okla., performs at Classical Native, a concert series held annually at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Tate's symphonies and works for chamber groups have been performed across the U.S.

Courtesy of Raven Chacon
Composer Raven Chacon is Navajo and lives in Albuquerque, N.M. His compositions have been performed at Classical Native, a concert series at the NMAI. A performer of electronic music, he is also learning from his grandfather to sing Navajo songs.

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NMAI finds itself center stage for history

The museum sees massive crowds for the inauguration, then hosts the installation of the new leader of the Smithsonian Institution, followed by the State of Indian Nations address

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The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian is located in Washington, D.C. The Museum also operates the George Gustav Heye Center in New York City, and the National Museum of the American Indian Cultural Resources Center in Suitland, Md.

The National Museum of the American Indian is committed to advancing knowledge and understanding of the Native cultures of the Western Hemisphere, past, present and future, through partnership with Native people and others. The museum works to support the continuance of culture, traditional values, and transitions in contemporary Native life.

The NMAI E-Newservice is a free news service to news media serving Native America from the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. The NMAI E-Newservice provides articles, photographs and editorial content for news outlets to use free of charge. Please credit the NMAI E-Newservice, AND use bylines as provided. Kara Briggs, a Yakama and Snohomish journalist, is the editor. She owns Red Hummingbird Media Corp., which contracts with the National Museum of the American Indian to provide this service. Contact her at editor@nmaie-newservice.com or by phone at 503-577-0012 if you have questions, comments or requests, or if you wish to subscribe.

Kara Briggs, Editor
Eileen Maxwell, NMAI Director of Public Affairs
Leonda Levchuk, NMAI Copy Editor
Sarah E. Smith, Red Hummingbird Media Corp., Copy Editor
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