OUR LIVES Smithsonian Exhibit

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian "Our Lives" main exhibit entrance, Washington DC, 2005.

From the Smithsonian placard:

OUR LIVES:

Our Lives is about the life and identities of Native people in the 21st century.

The central areas of the gallery look at key elements that have affected Native identity, such as definition, social and political awareness, language, place, and self-determination. These areas reveal that identity is not a thing but a lived experience.

In the community galleries, eight Native communities share aspects of their lives that show the diversity and vibrancy of Native people in a changing world. To create each gallery, NMAI staff members worked closely with a group of community residents, who were chosen by their peers.

These community curators decided which stories to tell and how to tell them. Everything you see, hear, and read reflects their voices, perspectives, and, ultimately, their identity as Native people.

- Jolene Richard and Gabrielle Tayac, curators, central areas
- Cynthia L. Chavez and Ann McMullen, curators, community galleries

PHOTO SHOOT and digital production contributed by Hank and Shirley Murphy.
Webmaster design by GARY G BALLARD, San Diego.