Contemporary Indigenous Discourse Series—Native Voice Scholarship on Indigenous Self-Representation in Museums and the Arts panel will offer commentary on the need of critical writing focused on the role of art discourse and scholarship in the contemporary Native American and Indigenous museum world. It will explore the complexities of writing about Indigenous museums and the arts that moves beyond the celebratory and descriptive literature that dominates the field. Native scholars and writers need to play a leadership role in developing critical scholarship on Native museum practices and the arts.

This discussion will address both the successes and ongoing challenges that remain in developing this important area of scholarship. Moderated by MoCNA’s Membership and Program Manager Andrea R. Hanley, (Navajo).

Panelists

• Yve Chavez (Tongva), Andrew W. Mellon Fellow, Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian
• Deana Dartt (Coastal Band Chumash), Independent scholar, curator, activist, and 2017–2018 School of American Research Anne Ray Fellow
• Tony Chavarria (Santa Clara Pueblo), Curator of Ethnology, Museum of Indian Arts and Culture