American Indian Initiatives Mission

On their long journey to Tuuwanasavi, located on the Hopi Mesas, [the creator] told the ancestors of the Hopi to leave behind itaakuku (our footprints) as evidence they had fulfilled their spiritual responsibilities. These footprints today comprise the ruins, potsherds, petroglyphs, and other remains that many people now call archaeological sites.

T. J. Ferguson and Chip Colwell-Chanthaphonh (2006)
(Full reference)

Collaboration with American Indians on a wide variety of initiatives of mutual interest constitutes the third of Crow Canyon's mission areas, cross-cutting and augmenting the Center's research and education missions.

Working closely with the Native American Advisory Group and other American Indians, the Center seeks to broaden and enrich the perspectives gained through its archaeological research, incorporate indigenous voices in its education curriculum, and initiate research and education projects that are relevant to the concerns of American Indian communities today.

Our commitment to American Indian partnerships distinguishes the Center and helps guide our vision for the future.

Principles That Guide Our Work

• Everyone's history matters.
• Archaeological sites are sacred to contemporary American Indians and must be treated with respect.
• Archaeological research and indigenous perspectives are essential to building a more inclusive story of the human past.
• Tens of thousands of Pueblo Indian archaeological sites in the Four Corners area are a record of four millennia of history, and Pueblo oral histories are invaluable in interpreting these places.
• Many non-Pueblo archaeological sites are also found in the Four Corners area, and we seek to work with descendant groups to better understand the histories represented by those sites.
• American Indian perspectives inform the content and enhance the quality of Crow Canyon's research and education programs, making them meaningful and relevant to students of all ages.
• Crow Canyon provides a place where researchers, educators, students, and American Indians work together to understand the human past.
• Understanding and respecting other cultures and worldviews enriches us all.

Initiatives

Crow Canyon is currently collaborating with American Indians on a number of formal initiatives designed to further Crow Canyon's mission and address the needs of American Indian communities.

Pueblo Farming Project

Farming is a fundamental part of Pueblo identity—one that is integrated into every aspect of traditional Pueblo culture. Read more. . . .

American Indian Student Education Project

American Indian educators and community leaders have identified a pressing need for culturally relevant class content that addresses the needs of American Indian students. Read more. . . .

American Indian Scholarship Program

The Crow Canyon Archaeological Center offers scholarships to American Indian schools and individuals to attend its on-campus experiential education programs. Read more. . . .