Reflecting Joy
In her Jemez Pueblo home studio, artist Kathleen Wall creates imaginative ceramic figures and paintings that depict a jubilant look into everyday life.
Arts and Cultures
The Language of Hula
Hawaiian students are revitalizing their Native tongue and an ancient method of storytelling through graceful dance.
Stories Unbound: Exhibition of Narrative Art Shows More than a Century of Native Life on the Plains
This exhibition depicts more than a century of Native life on the Plains through pictorial art on a wide range of items from the NMAI collection, from paintings on tipis to drawings on ledger paper.
Built on Solid Ground: Indigenous Architects are Reinforcing Cultural Identities on Ancestral Lands and Beyond
Indigenous architects are reinforcing Native cultures through their contemporary creations that are being built on tribal lands and beyond.
Of the Land: DY Begay’s Tapestries Weave Memories Together with Her Ancestral Diné Home
A new NMAI exhibition showcases the innovative works of Diné tapestry artist DY Begay, who weaves together her memories and the stunning vistas of her ancestral home on the Navajo Nation.
A Radical Revival: Indigenous Music Strikes Chords that Cross Borders
The Indigenous music industry is booming, with both traditional and contemporary sounds reaching new audiences across the United States and Canada.
Celebrating a World of Diversity: Folklife Festival Marks More Than Three Decades of the NMAI Amplifying Indigenous Voices
This year’s Smithsonian Folklife Festival marks the founding of the National Museum of the American Indian and honors the Indigenous voices across the Western Hemisphere it has amplified for more than three decades.
A Chronicle of Endurance: A Century Later, Edward Curtis’s Images are Connecting Descendants with Their Indigenous Ancestors
A century after photographer Edward S. Curtis photographed American Indian tribes in the western United States and Alaska, his great-grandson is photographing their descendants and recording their stories.
Tapping Into Ancestral Wisdom: Reviving the Nearly Lost Art of Native Hawaiian Tattooing
A few dedicated artists are revitalizing the traditional Native Hawaiian protocols and methods of “kākau uhi”—creating tattoos by tapping intricate designs into skin.
Sharing Honors and Burdens: Smithsonian Exhibition Shows Indigenous Artists Carrying Their Ancestors’ Messages Forward
Smithsonian exhibition features six Indigenous artists who through their dedication and innovation are carrying their ancestors’ traditions and messages forward.