January 26, 2009
On Sunday, February 8 from 2–4 p.m., the Museum of Northern Arizona will host a free reception open to the public to highlight its new exhibit I Am the Grand Canyon: The Story of the Havasupai People. This exhibit is owned by the Havasupai Tribe and was developed by the Grand Canyon Association, with the guidance and blessings of the Havasupai people.
The I Am the Grand Canyon exhibit is a first-time photographic look at the Havasupai people of the Grand Canyon—their origins, history, art, and culture—from the 2006 book of the same name by author Stephen Hirst and principal photographer Lois Hirst. Their book and the exhibit are the outcome of their forty-year relationship with the Havasupai people and the eleven years they lived in their midst as educators. Historic and contemporary photos of the Havasupai people and homeland, some never before shown, accompany examples of Havasupai music and language, one of the oldest and most actively used indigenous languages of North America.
MNA Director Robert Breunig stated, “The Havasupai people call themselves Havsuw ‘Baaja or people of the blue green water. Their land is known worldwide for the beauty of Havasu Canyon and the dramatic blue green waterfalls of Havasu Creek. But, the world may not know as much about the Havasupai people’s efforts to preserve their land, and their determination to preserve their ancient cultural heritage and language. I am very excited that this exhibit and the Hirsts’ book give the Havasupai people a new way to share this information.”
At the exhibit opening reception, Stephen and Lois Hirst will talk about their experiences with the Havasupai and the recent flooding of the village of Supai.
Terry and Lyntha Eiler will present photos and also share stories about the years they lived with the Havasupai. Terry Eiler is director and professor of photography in the School of Visual Communication at Ohio University. Lyntha Eiler is a professional photographer. They lived and worked in the Southwest for many years, documenting the lives of Native peoples for such prestigious publications as National Geographic. Residing at Havasupai in the 1970s, they provided the photographs for Stephen Hirst’s Life in a Narrow Place, which documents the lives of 400 Havasupai in the Grand Canyon.
A special appearance by the Havasupai Dancers is scheduled and a book signing will immediately follow the program. Books will be available for purchase from the Museum’s Bookstore and all author’s royalties have been assigned to the Havasupai Tribe.
The Grand Canyon Association and the Museum of Northern Arizona are co-sponsors of the exhibit reception, with Grand Canyon National Park and the Flagstaff Photography Center.
The Museum of Northern Arizona sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks. It is located three miles north of historic downtown Flagstaff on Highway 180 and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. More information is available at 928/774-5213 or online at musnaz.org.