“Diné Family on Horseback” by Donovan Quintero is part of “Developing Stories: Native Photographers in the Field,” which opens at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis on Saturday. The exhibition features photo essays by three Native American photojournalists showing different perspectives of Native life.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Unique perspectives of the Native American experience radiates from each image.
A line of horseback riders cross over a bustling Arizona highway using a raised pedestrian bridge. A tiny baby is tucked snugly into a traditional cradleboard.
Code talkers, who used Native language to pass secretive information during wartime, pose for a photograph during World War I. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and member of the Oglala Lakota tribe address a government panel.
A pair of new exhibitions at the Eiteljorg Museum invites visitors to consider different aspects of Native American life. “Why We Serve: Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces” tells the stories of service the Native American population has contributed to the country’s history for more than 200 years.
“Developing Stories: Native Photographers in the Field” is a set of three photo essays by Native artists focused on issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, blood quantum requirements and a more than 250-year-old community in New Mexico.
“The purpose is what we do is telling amazing stories and trying to connect with different humanities, and let them see how the stories we’re telling can relate to their lives, backgrounds, livelihoods,” said Bert Beiswanger, director of marketing and communication for the Eiteljorg.
The two exhibitions, which both open Saturday, feature vastly different images from a wide array of perspectives. But taken together, they offer insight into Native American life many people have never had.
“We hope people take away not only a sense of relatability, but to see the Eiteljorg as a place where they can see a part of themselves but also a place where they can learn about current Native art and events and people,” said Dorene Red Cloud (Oglala Lakota), curator of Native American art at the Eiteljorg. “To realize Native peoples are still here. They have family in the military. They have complex issues like we all have.”
“Why We Serve” and “Developing Stories” are both traveling exhibitions developed by the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of the American Indian. Through a grant from Lilly Endowment, the Eiteljorg learned of and was able to pursue the opportunity to host two exhibits that were originally developed by the museum.
“Both exhibitions squarely fit with the Eiteljorg’s mission of celebrating Native American arts, histories and cultures, and will be of interest to the Eiteljorg’s visitors,” said Jamie Simek, development director for the Eiteljorg, in an email.
“Why We Serve” examines the service of Native Americans and Native Alaskans in the military, even before the United States was a country. According to the Smithsonian website, the exhibition addresses their service, which some think doesn’t make sense, considering how Indigenous people have been treated throughout history.
“Why would Indians serve a country that overran their homelands, suppressed their cultures and confined them to reservations? Native people have served for the same reasons as anyone else: to demonstrate patriotism or pursue employment, education and adventure,” the Smithsonian website said.
Subjects in the exhibition are varied. Visitors can see a portrait of William Pollock, a Pawnee tribe member who was one of Theodore Roosevelt’s most respected Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War, as well as the Native American Women Warriors group visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C.
“People are going to want to know about why there are so many Native Americans and Native Alaskans who serve in the armed forces, and have been doing so since the country started,” Red Cloud said. “I think it’s a very interesting history, a shared history. Everybody has a veteran in the family or a friend, so I think it’s going to be really relatable.”
To go with the Smithsonian’s images, Eiteljorg organizers have added thematic artworks from its own collection to go with the exhibition.
“Developing Stories” takes a different approach to showcase Native life. The exhibition features three photo essays by Native photojournalists.
Tailyr Irvine, a member of Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, presented a photo essay called “Reservation Mathematics: Navigating Love in Native America.” Her work explores the challenges of blood quantum requirements — a system originally created by the United States government to determined the amount of “Indian blood” a person possessed.
Now, the idea is used by Native American tribes to determine membership.
“For instance, with my tribe the Oglala Sioux, you have to be a quarter or more to be a citizen and member. But it really depends on each tribe or nation or village or pueblo,” Red Cloud said. “Nowadays, different tribal members have married different tribal members, so each family has to decide, ‘Should I enroll in your tribe or my tribe?’”
“The Genizaro Pueblo of Abiquiú” by Russel Albert Daniels (Diné descent and Ho-Chunk descent) tells the story of an Indigenous/Hispanic community in New Mexico that has persisted for more than 250 years.
Donovan Quintero, a member of the Diné tribe, focused his essay on the impact of the pandemic in “The COVID-19 Outbreak in the Navajo Nation.” His images show the resilience of the Navajo people as their reservation became a hotspot for the virus.
“Both historically speaking in times past, up until the present day, it’s a very interesting look at different aspects of life,” said Bryan Corbin, public relations manager at the Eiteljorg.
To go with the two exhibitions, the Eiteljorg has planned a series of activities and special programs, also made possible through the Lilly Endowment grant. During the “Why We Serve” opening on Saturday, a presentation on the Navajo code talkers will feature Peter MacDonald Sr., one of the last surviving code talkers from World War II, and Laura Tohe, a Navajo Nation poet laureate and author of “Code Talker Stories.”
“The code talkers are pretty well-known, but a lot of people don’t realize that Code Talkers were used in World War I, and it wasn’t just Navajo language that was used,” said Alisa Nordholt-Dean, director of education and public programs for the Eiteljorg. “Many Native languages played a role in both World War I and World War II, so (Red Cloud) is going to talk about that as well.”
On April 27, a panel of Native American veterans and artists will speak about the influence their service had on their life and work. Throughout the run of “Why We Serve,” visitors can upload a two-minute video focused on personal stories of military service.
“A lot of people have connections to service, either through themselves or through their families. We thought it would be important to give people an opportunity to talk about that service, and let us know why they served or serve,” Nordholt-Dean said.
A panel discussion featuring Quintero, Daniels and Irvine is planned for March 30, as each artist will talk about their works in “Developing Stories.” Area Girl Scouts have the chance to take part in a junior photography workshop led by Roberts Camera on April 14.
“We’re really encouraging that younger generation to use the camera that we all have (on our phones) to document social issues in their lives,” Nordholt-Dean said.
Access to both exhibitions is included with regular museum admission. Veterans and current service members of the U.S. Armed Forces will receive free admission to the museum from Saturday through Aug. 1, in conjunction with “Why We Serve.”
“It’s an opportunity to connect with different audiences and form partnerships, and bring people into the museum through these exhibitions and expose them to the museum’s mission,” Nordholt-Dean said.
IF YOU GO
Eiteljorg Exhibitions
Opening: Saturday
“Why We Serve: Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces” — an exhibition honoring the generations of Native Americans and Alaska Natives who have served in the U.S. military since the American Revolutionary War. The exhibition runs through Aug. 1.
“Developing Stories: Native Photographers in the Field” — the exhibition is composed of three very different photography essays created by Native photojournalists, exploring issues in contemporary Native lives. The show runs through July 7.
Public programs
The Eiteljorg will host public programs related to both shows, some of which have additional fees:
Navajo Code Talker presentation, 11 a.m. Saturday: Peter MacDonald, Sr., a World War II veteran and one of the last surviving Navajo Code Talkers, will discuss his wartime service; the talk is moderated by former Navajo Nation poet laureate and author Laura Tohe. At 1 p.m., Tohe will discuss her book, “Code Talker Stories,” and hold a book signing. The fee for both programs is $30 for non-members, $10 for museum members. Register at: https://eiteljorg.org/eiteljorg-events/navajo-code-talker-presentation/. Veterans and military can attend both programs at no charge.
Photographer Panel, 1 p.m. March 30: Photographers Russel Albert Daniels, Tailyr Irvine and Donovan Quintero will discuss their photographs in “Developing Stories.” It’s included with regular admission; and there’s no charge for museum members, veterans and active duty military.
Junior and Ambassador Digital Photography Workshop, 2 p.m. April 14: Girl Scouts can participate in a workshop with Roberts Camera. The fee is $10 per scout and $1 per chaperone. Register at: http://tinyurl.com/ywa9vhz8.
Native American Veterans Panel, 1 p.m. April 27: Hear from Native American veterans about the influence of their military service on their life and work. It’s included with regular admission, with no charge for members, veterans or military.
Information: Eiteljorg.org
