The Heard Museum, Phoenix

Because our flight was in the evening, it was possible for us to devote most of the day to the Heard Museum. This is a wonderful museum which tells the stories of  American Indian Cultures which has been one of the most interesting aspects of the 7 weeks that we have spent in the southwest of the US.

We were delighted to discover some sculpture by Allan Houser, whose work we had seen a lot of in Santa Fe and whose work both Jim and I love. This two sculptures are part of the American Indian Veterans National Memorial. The top one is the last sculpture by Allan Houser and, I think, the second one is by Michael Naranjo.

  This is in the entrance to the Exhibition Native People in the Southwest. It is an Art Fence based on an ocotillo (type of cactus) fence which mixes contempory touches with the traditional.

Traditional Hopi Wedding Dress

Examples of the Tohono O'Odham basket weaving.

Some of the sculptures in the exhibition celebrating a century of the Houser/Haozous family.

A sample of petrified wood.

Part of the exhibition on sport and native people.

This is the basketball uniform worn by the famous girls' team of Fort Shaw. There was a very interesting video presentation on this boarding school and the success of the girls' team. However, it left them all with a crisis of identity.

We spent hours in the Heard Gallery and it deserved even longer. It was full of information about the Native American tribes and the differences and similarities in their way of life, their beliefs, their languages. Fascinating!