she Sang Me a good luck song
EXHIBITION FOR THE SANTA CRUZ MUSEUM OF ART AND HISTORY
“Natives are beautiful people. When you look back over history, we really got a raw deal and there’s a long way to go still.” -- Dugan Aguilar
When Dugan Aguilar saw an exhibit on California Indians at a museum in Denver, he was frustrated the display showed California Indians in the past tense. From that moment, Dugan decided his purpose was to show “natives alive and well” from his Native perspective.
This exhibition offers an authentic and current view of California Indian people, communities, and land through photographs by Dugan Aguilar and photographs and artifacts from the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. It was made in partnership with Dugan Aguilar, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, Exhibit Envoy, Heyday, The Native Fund, and Theresa Harlan.
The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band is comprised of the living descendants of the Mutsun speakers of the greater San Juan Bautista area, and the Awaswas speakers of the greater Santa Cruz area. They have continually occupied the greater Monterey Bay area for countless generations prior to European contact.
Dugan Aguilar comes from the Mountain Maidu, Washoe, Pit River, and Walker River Paiute People of California and Nevada. He was staff photographer for the California Indian Basketweavers Association and California Indian Storytellers Association. He resides in Northern California and attended UC Santa Cruz.
This exhibition offers an authentic and current view of California Indian people, communities, and land through photographs by Dugan Aguilar and photographs and artifacts from the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. It was made in partnership with Dugan Aguilar, the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, Exhibit Envoy, Heyday, The Native Fund, and Theresa Harlan.
The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band is comprised of the living descendants of the Mutsun speakers of the greater San Juan Bautista area, and the Awaswas speakers of the greater Santa Cruz area. They have continually occupied the greater Monterey Bay area for countless generations prior to European contact.
Dugan Aguilar comes from the Mountain Maidu, Washoe, Pit River, and Walker River Paiute People of California and Nevada. He was staff photographer for the California Indian Basketweavers Association and California Indian Storytellers Association. He resides in Northern California and attended UC Santa Cruz.
Amah Mutsun Work and Learn Gathering
"As Mutsun People, we never felt that we owned the land – rather that we belong to it. When we talk about “our land” – or ‘makke pire,’ we are referring to the land to which we belong…rather than the land which we ‘own." -- Amah Mutsun Tribal Chairman Lopez
On view at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History from April 7th 2017 - July 23rd 2017
See Exhibit Webpage
See Exhibit Webpage
