National Museum of the American Indian: Beauty Surrounds Us
(americanindian.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/exhibitions/BeautySurroundsUs-brochure.pdf)
Grades 2-12, with parental supervision; young students may enjoy looking at the photographs in this collection.
This PDF, from the National Museum of the American Indian, presents a “breathtaking presentation of Native American art.”
Enjoy scrolling through the photos and reading the descriptions:
- Nurturing Identity – clothing
- Recreation and Pastimes – objects used for games
- Honor and Respect – items designating individuals of importance
- Elegance of Presentation – adornment
- Communication Through Sound – musical instruments
- Tools of Existence – knives, arrows, tools, tool cases, bowls, etc.
- Containing Culture – bags for holding things
- Expressions of Movement – dancewear
- Power of Transformation – masks
- Design as Identity – traditional/indigenous designs and the incorporation of new materials and art forms
The point of this presentation is to increase appreciation for the beauty with which Native peoples have always had a natural desire to surround themselves.
