Michael Jordan (Texas Tech University)
Recent research on the Denver Museum of Nature and Science’s Southern Plains beadwork collection has provided opportunities for community outreach and engagement. DMNS has collaborated with beadwork artists from the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. In addition, the museum hosted a delegation of over fifty Cheyenne and Arapaho elders. The project has served as a catalyst for cultural revitalization efforts, as indigenous community members have utilized information recovered through the study of DMNS collections to develop programs designed to reinvigorate culture practices. Ultimately, the project serves as a model of museum-community collaboration.
Part of 02-07 Folklore and the Transformation of Museum Collection Practices, Thursday, October 13, 10:30 am–12:30 pm