ALICE B. KASAKOFF LECTURE SERIES IN
NATIVE AMERICAN AND GENDER STUDIES
Guest Speaker: Dr. Barbara Duncan
Cultural Revitalization and Collaboration at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian
Through a process of collaboration, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian works with tribal
community members to revitalize traditions of stamped pottery, language, dance, clothing,
and craft. Projects initiated by community members are supported by research conducted by
the Museum's scholar and community members. In this process, tribal members choose
elements from their historic or prehistoric traditions that become part of their living culture in
the twenty-first century. These elements may be reproduced exactly, as in some of the
stamped and effigy pottery, but are also the inspiration for new creativity among potters and
artists. The surviving traditions of dance, pottery, and craft that have been passed down from
generation to generation provide an essential base for this revitalization. When the inevitable
process of cultural change is infused with Cherokee tradition rather than other traditions, the
revitalized tradition can become a source of inspiration for the next generation of Cherokee
children. For example, the Warriors of AniKituhwa have built upon their traditions of
Cherokee dancing (not powwow) that they learned as children, to bring back the War
Dance/Welcome Dance and other dances, as well as the tradition of dancing in red body paint
and wearing 18th century clothing. Their work has created an image of strength, physical
wellness, and authentic Cherokee culture that is inspiring younger Cherokee people. Funding
from a variety of sources supports ongoing education and outreach for revitalization efforts.
The Museum of the Cherokee Indian is a non-profit organization that represents the Eastern
Band of Cherokee Indians, a federally recognized tribe that still remains on a part of their
ancestral homelands in the southern Appalachians.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
3:30 – 5:00 pm [Reception to follow]
Hamilton 318
http://www.cherokeemuseum.org/
Sponsored by the Department of Anthropology & the Linguistics
Program