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Dimensions of indigenous heritage discourse and the use of technologies of display in an ethnographic exhibition: a case study of the "Song for the Horse Nation" exhibition (National Museum of the American Indian, New York)
Conference proceeding

Dimensions of indigenous heritage discourse and the use of technologies of display in an ethnographic exhibition: a case study of the "Song for the Horse Nation" exhibition (National Museum of the American Indian, New York)

Proceedings of the 2012 iConference, pp.641-643
iConference '12
02/07/2012
DOI: 10.1145/2132176.2132321

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Abstract

This poster reports on a study of an ethnographic exhibition put together by three indigenous curators and hosted by the National Museum of the American Indian in New York ("A Song for the Horse Nation"). Its aim is to contribute to the scarce Library and Information Science literature on indigenous heritage. The study explores the discourse of indigenous heritage and its actualization in this particular exhibition. It analyzes both the exhibition (artifacts and technologies of display) and the views of the curators expressed through direct communication with the author and the exhibition album. The study identifies two main dimensions of the indigenous heritage discourse: (1) indigenous subjectivity as entitled to self-representation through object display and (2) indigenous history as recovery of meaningful aspects from a violent colonial past in view of community regeneration and a hopeful future. It also shows how these dimensions are conveyed by appropriate technologies of display.
museums indigenous heritage cultural informatics museum curators cultural heritage cultural information

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