Lakota Emergence Online Exhibit

"That night, they dreamt of unknown landscapes..."

Mixed Media by Michael Two Bulls, Oglala Sioux Tribe

CAIRNS (the Center for American Indian Research and Native Studies) recently published an online exhibit titled Lakota Emergence. The main feature of this exhibit is a collection of vignettes that revolve around the Lakota emergence narrative, "How the Lakota Came Upon the World." The short narrative is divided into 16 pieces, each of which is paired with practical and historical Lakota museum objects, and an original piece by a modern Lakota artist who "creatively interpret[s] the passages and museum objects from a contemporary Lakota point of view." The culmination is a vignette that reveals a portion of the emergence narrative through not only word, but also artifact and art. Together, history and passion weave the narrative.

As part of the online exhibit, CAIRNS has also provided a number of resources for educators and students. Each vignette is accompanied by the digital version of a museum plaque; the artist is introduced, the artwork is described, and the historical significance of the objects is explained. Also woven into the vignettes is a mini-lesson on counting from one to 16 in Lakota. Beyond the vignettes, CAIRNS provides both a background and a foreground. The background documents set the stage by helping readers understand the spirits of the underworld and the Pta people (the Lakota underworld ancestors). The foreground documents provide readers with a brief history of the Oceti Sakowin (Dakota, Nakota, and Lakota), focusing on the Titonwan (Lakota) nation.

Overall, it looks to be an excellent resource for many classrooms, particularly for those who are looking to add diversity to the curriculum or to add more depth to the Oceti Sakowin components of the curriculum.