Special Theme
An Approach of the Info-Forum Museum

Decolonizing Museum Catalogs: Defining and Exploring the Problem

  • Kelley Hays-Gilpin
    Museum of Northern Arizona and Northern Arizona University
  • Atsunori Ito
    National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
  • Robert Breunig
    President Emeritus of Museum of Northern Arizona
DOI: http://doi.org/10.15021/00009509
(Published March 31, 2020)
Index PDF

Notes

1) Harold S. Colton and Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton were the co-founders of the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1928. He was a scientist and she was an artist. Together, they founded the museum on the principle of melding science and art into the museum’s mission.
2) There is no "ch" sound in the Hopi language. The correct Hopi spelling is "katsina." "Kachina" is an Anglicized version of the Hopi word "katsina" and is commonly used by English speaking writers and speakers addressing a non-Hopi audience.

References

Allen, L. G.
1984
Contemporary Hopi Pottery. Flagstaff, AZ: Museum of Northern Arizona.
Boast, R. and J. Enote
2013
Virtual Repatriation: It's Virtual, but it's not Repatriation. In P. Biehl and C. Prescott (eds.) Heritage in Context of Globalization: Europe and the Americas, pp. 103-113. New York, NY: Springer Briefs in Archaeological Heritage Management.
Breunig, R.
1982
Cultural Fiber: Function and Symbolism in Hopi Basketry. Plateau 53(4): 8-13.
Clifford, J.
1997
Routes: Travel and Translation in the Late Twentieth Century. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Colton, H. S.
1959
Hopi Kachina Dolls, with a Key to Their Identification. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press.
Crowell, A.
2016
“Sharing Knowledge: Alaska Native Collections Online.” in the Minpaku International Workshop System Development for the Info-Forum Museum: Philosophy and Technique. National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, Japan, February 11-13, 2016.
Enote, J.
2015
Museum Collaborations Manifesto. (http://ashiwi-museum.org/collaborations/museum-collaboration-manifesto/) (Retrieved March 11, 2020)
Hays-Gilpin, K.
2011
Crafting Hopi Identities at the Museum of Northern Arizona. In S. Byrne, A. Clarke, R. Harrison, and R. Torrence (eds.) Unpacking the Collection: Networks of Material and Social Agency in the Museum, pp. 185-208. London: Springer.
Hays-Gilpin, K. and R. Lomatewama
2013
Curating Communities at the Museum of Northern Arizona. In R. Harrison, S. Byrne, and A. Clarke (eds.) Reassembling the Museum Collection: Ethnographic Museums and Indigenous Agency, pp. 259–284. Santa Fe, NM: School for Advanced Research Press.
Isaac, G.
2008
Mediating Knowledges: Origins of a Museum for the Zuni People. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Press.
Ito, A.
2005
Marketing Hopi Jewelry in Japan: An Analysis of the Promotional Characteristics of Hopi Arts & Crafts in/to Japan. European Review of Native American Studies 19(1): 25-28.
2011
Toward Collaborative Management of Museum Collections: The Native American Zuni Museum's Approach to the Collection in the National Museum of Ethnology. Bulletin of the National Museum of Ethnology 35 (3): 471-526. (In Japanese)
Ito, A. (ed.)
2017
Collections Review on the Katsina Dolls Labeled “Hopi” in the National Museum of Ethnology: Reconnecting Source Communities with Museum Collections 1 (Senri Ethnological Reports 140). Osaka: National Museum of Ethnology.
2019
Collections Review on 24 Items Labeled “Hopi” in the Tenri University Sankokan Museum: Reconnecting Source Communities with Museum Collections 2 (Info-Forum Museum Resources 2). Osaka: National Museum of Ethnology.
2020
Collections Review on 186 Items Labeled “Hopi” in the National Museum of Ethnology: Reconnecting Source Communities with Museum Collections 3 (Info-Forum Museum Resources 3). Osaka: National Museum of Ethnology.
Ito, A., K. Dougherty, and K. Hays-Gilpin (eds.)
2020
Collections Review on 446 Silverworks and Related Items Labeled “Hopi” in the Museum of Northern Arizona: Reconnecting Source Communities with Museum Collections 4 (Info-Forum Museum Resources 4). Osaka: National Museum of Ethnology.
Maxson, R. E., C. Colwell-Chanthaphonh, and L. W. Lomayestewa
2011
Lost in Translation: Rethinking Hopi Katsina Tithu and Museum Language Systems. Denver: Denver Museum of Nature & Science Annals. https://dmnsdocuments.s3.amazonaws.com/DMNS-Annals-2-low-res.pdf (Retrieved March 11, 2020)
Peers, L. and A. Brown
2003
Introduction. In L. Peers and A. Brown (eds.) Museums and Source Communities: A Routledge Reader, pp. 1-16. London and New York: Routledge.
Srinivasan, R., K. M. Becvar, R. Boast, and J. Enote
2010
Diverse Knowledges and Contact Zones within the Digital Museum. Science, Technology & Human Values 35 (5): 735-768.
Wallace, R. and N. Jakobsen
2016
“The Reciprocal Research Network (RRN): Attempting to build an Online Research Community,” in the Minpaku International Workshop System Development for the Info-Forum Museum: Philosophy and Technique. National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, Japan, February 11-13, 2016.
Wright, B.
1977
Hopi Kachinas: Complete Guide to Collecting Hopi Kachina Dolls. Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Press.
Wright, M.
1972
Hopi Silver: The History and Hallmarks of Hopi Silversmithing. Flagstaff, AZ: Northland Press.

Films

Ito, A.
2018a
National Museum of Ethnology, H75677, General Statement, 2015/04/14. Filmed April 14, 2015 by ESPA in Osaka. 0:38.
https://vimeo.com/395908709/39cb07a4fc
2018b
Self-Introduction and thoughts on the “reconnection” project, Ramson Lomatewama, 2015/04/13. Filmed April 13, 2015. by ESPA in Osaka. 3:28.
https://vimeo.com/395908739/8b696069de
2019a
New Mexico State University Museum, 1980.17.476, Gerald Lomaventema. Filmed August 28, 2017 by Mirei Ito in New Mexico. 2:36.
https://vimeo.com/395908610/ac313d2884
2019b
Interpretation by the Artist, Gerald Lomaventema, 2018/10/21. Filmed October 21, 2018 by Mirei Ito in. 1:11.
https://vimeo.com/394908339/8101c9d6b0
2019c
National Museum of Ethnology, H12289, H75653～H75656, Comments, 2015/4/23. Filmed April 23, 2015 by ESPA in Osaka. 12:10.
https://vimeo.com/395906888/11f31966b1
2020a
National Museum of Ethnology, H0281581, Jerolyn Honwytewa, 2018/11/18. Filmed November 18, 2018 by Mirei Ito. 01:02.
https://vimeo.com/394907934/27d399e6b5
2020b
Museum of Northern Arizona, E11286, 2015/12/10. Filmed December 10, 2015 by Mirei Ito. 14:27.
https://vimeo.com/395907415/e1d4cb8060
2020c
Museum of Northern Arizona, E11060, 2015/7/22., Filmed July 22, 2015 by Mirei Ito. 03:12.
https://vimeo.com/395907853/5a54d24985
2020d
Denver Museum of Nature & Science, A1713.26, 2017/1/18. Filmed January 18, 2017 by Mirei Ito. 17:03.
https://vimeo.com/395908019/c9580d7471
2020e
Reviewers’ Self-Introduction and Remarks, Gerald Lomaventema, 2015/7/22. Filmed July 22, 2015 by Mirei Ito. 03:03.
https://vimeo.com/395908403/12d0b6e68d
2020f
Self-Introduction and Remarks on the “Reconnecting Project,” Delwyn “Spyder” Tawvaya, 2017/01/16, Denver Art Museum. Filmed January 16, 2017 by Mirei Ito. 04:11.
https://vimeo.com/395908495/d78a10e70f

Websites

Arctic Studies Center of the National Museum of Natural History
Alaska Native Collections: Sharing Knowledge.
https://alaska.si.edu.
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)
A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center
Amidolanne.
http://ashiwi-museum.org/collaborations/amidolanne/.
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)
Cree Cultural Institute: Aanischaaukamikw.
http://creeculturalinstitute.ca/
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)
Ito, Atsunori (supervised)
2018 RECONNECTING Source Communities with Museum Collections.
https://ifm.minpaku.ac.jp/hopi/.
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)
Museum of Anthropology of the University of British Colombia
Reciprocal Research Network: First Nations items from the Northwest Coast (RNN) .
https://www.rrncommunity.org/.
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)
National Museum of Ethnology
An Info-Forum Museum for Cultural Resources of the World: A New Development at the National Museum of Ethnology.
https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/english/research/activity/project/ifm/summary.
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)
Re-Collection and Sharing Traditional Knowledge, Memories, Information, and Images: Problem and the Prospects on Creating Collaborative Catalog.
https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/english/research/activity/news/ifm/20140128-29.
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)
Collection Review: Methodology and Effective Utilization for the Museum and the Source Community.
https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/english/research/activity/news/ifm/20141005-10.
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)
Collection Review: The way of Source Community Engagement and Anthropological Documentation.
https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/research/activity/news/ifm/20150416-17.
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)
System Development for the Info-Forum Museum: Philosophy and Technique.
https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/english/research/activity/news/ifm/20160211-12.
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)
Reconnecting Archaeological Materials with Descendant & Source Communities: Collections Review, Field Trip, Art Work Creation, and Exhibition Planning.
https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/english/research/activity/news/ifm/20170828-0902.
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)
Reconnecting Source Communities with Museums for Education: Revitalizing Hopi Silversmithing Traditions.
https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/english/research/activity/news/ifm/20171003-04.
(Retrieved December 4, 2019)

Appendix I

Six Minpaku International Workshops regarding the Hopi Reconnecting Project

* Presenter's affiliation indicates at the time.
** The original presentations of the articles in this special theme are marked with a star mark (☆).

(1) Re-Collection and Sharing Traditional Knowledge, Memories, Information, and Images: Problem and the Prospects on Creating Collaborative Catalog

January 28th and 29th, 2014, at Minpaku, Osaka, Japan

https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/english/research/activity/news/ifm/20140128-29 (Retrieved March 11, 2020)
Opening Remarks "Brief overview of Minpaku Collection and Foresight."
Ken'ichi Sudo (National Museum of Ethnology)
“Introduction.”
Atsunori Ito (National Museum of Ethnology)
"Info-Forum Museum Project at the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka, Japan."
Nobuhiro Kishigami (National Museum of Ethnology)
"Documenting Information Heritage on the Indigenous Taiwanese."
Atsushi Nobayashi (National Museum of Ethnology)
"Creating Collaborative Catalogs Project of AAMHC."
Jim Enote (A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center)
"Collection Reviews for the Source Community."
Octavius Seowtewa (Jewelry Artist and Zuni Religious Leader), Jim Enote (A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center)
"MNA's Collection Management with Source Communities."
Robert Breunig (Museum of Northern Arizona)
Commentary "Information Museum as a Place of Formation and Sharing of the Ethnographic Knowledge."
Shota Fukuoka (National Museum of Ethnology)
Commentary "Ainu Objects in Oversea Museums."
Koji Yamasaki (Hokkaido University, Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies)
Discussion
Closing Remarks
Atsunori Ito (National Museum of Ethnology)

(2) Re-Collection and Sharing Traditional Knowledge, Memories, Information, and Images: Problem and the Prospects on Creating Collaborative Catalog

October 5th to 10th, 2014 at Minpaku, Osaka, Japan

https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/english/research/activity/news/ifm/20141005-10 (Retrieved March 11, 2020)
October 5 (☆) Special lecture Series “Reconnect Museum and Source Community.”
Robert Breunig (Museum of Northern Arizona), Kelley Hays-Gilpin (Northern Arizona University), Atsunori Ito (National Museum of Ethnology)
October 6 (☆) Special lecture Series “Lost in Translation: Rethinking Hopi Katsina Tithu and Museum Language Systems.”
Chip Colwell (Denver Museum of Nature & Science)
(☆) Special lecture Series “Demonstrational Lecture of the Collections Review Research.”
Cynthia Chavez Lamar (National Museum of the American Indian), Jim Enote (A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center)
October 7 Special lecture Series “Host Museum and Source Community Responsibilities in Collection Reviews.”
Cynthia Chavez Lamar (National Museum of the American Indian), Jim Enote (A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center)
October 8 Special lecture Series “Confluences: tracing Hopi connections through UK Southwestern collections past and present.”
Henrietta Lidchi (National Museums Scotland)
October 9 Special lecture Series “Hopi Life and Katsina Doll.”
Gerald Lomaventema, Merle Namoki, Darance Chimerica, Ramson Lomatewama

(3) Collection Review: Source Community Engagement and Anthropological Documentation

April 16th and 17th, 2015 at Minpaku, Osaka, Japan

https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/research/activity/news/ifm/20150416-17 (Retrieved March 11, 2020)
April 16 Observe Collections Review Research by Hopi (Ramson Lomatewama, Bendrew Atokuku, Merle Namoki)
Discussion
April 17 Observe Collections Review Research by Hopi (Ramson Lomatewama, Bendrew Atokuku, Merle Namoki)
Discussion

(4) System Development for the Info-Forum Museum: Philosophy and Technique

February 11th and 12th, 2016 at Minpaku, Osaka, Japan

https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/english/research/activity/news/ifm/20160211-12 (Retrieved March 11, 2020)
February 11 Opening Addresses
Ken’ichi Sudo (National Museum of Ethnology)
“Info-Forum Museum Project.”
Nobuhiro Kishigami (National Museum of Ethnology)
“Sharing Knowledge.”
Aron Crowell (Arctic Studies Center)
“Reciprocal Research Network.”
Susan Rowley, Ryan Wallace, Nicholas Jakobsen (UBC, MOA)
“Collaborative Collection Review with Source Community.”
Cynthia ChavezLamar (National Museum of the American Indian)
General Discussion
February 12 “Amidolanne.”
Jim Enote (A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center)
(☆) “Database as Collaborative Environment.”
Robin Boast (University of Amsterdam)
(☆) “Hopi Collection Review Project in the US and Japan.”
Kathy Dougherty (Burke Museum), Atsunori Ito (National Museum of Ethnology)
“Test Program of Info-Forum Museum.”
Yuzo Marukawa and Hirohumi Teramura (National Museum of Ethnology)
“Comment from Museum Anthropology.”
Kelley Hays-Gilpin (Museum of Northern Arizona)
Concluding Discussion
Closing Remarks
Nobuhiro Kishigami (National Museum of Ethnology)

(5) Reconnecting Archaeological Materials with Descendant & Source Communities: Collections Review, Field Trip, Art Work Creation, and Exhibition Planning

August 28th to September 2nd, 2017 at New Mexico State University Museum and Geronimo Springs Museum, Las Cruces and Truce or Consequences, NM, USA

https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/english/research/activity/news/ifm/20170828-0902 (Retrieved March 11, 2020)
August 28 Collections Review on the items held at the New Mexico State University Museum (Las Cruces)
August 29 Collections Review on the items held at the New Mexico State University Museum (Las Cruces)
August 30 Mimbres sites
August 31 Mimbres sites
September 1 Collections Review on the items held at the Geronimo Springs Museum (Truce or Consequences)
September 2 Collections Review on the items held at the Geronimo Springs Museum (Truce or Consequences)

(6) Reconnecting Source Communities with Museums for Education: Revitalizing Hopi Silversmithing Traditions

October 3rd and 4th, 2017, at MNA, Flagstaff, AZ, USA

https://older.minpaku.ac.jp/english/research/activity/news/ifm/20171003-04 (Retrieved March 11, 2020)
October 3 Opening remarks
Carrie Heinonen (Museum of Northern Arizona)
(☆) “MNA and Hopi Jewelry.”
Robert Breunig (Museum of Northern Arizona)
(☆) “Reconnecting Source Communities and Museum Collections.”
Atsunori Ito (National Museum of Ethnology)
“Hopi Silversmithing and Mimbres Pottery: Focusing on the activities of Fred Kabotie in 1940s.”
Atsunori Ito (National Museum of Ethnology)
“Reviving Hopi Jewelry Tradition: Focusing on the activities of Gerald Lomaventema in 2010s.”
Atsunori Ito (National Museum of Ethnology)
“Impressions from the workshop in New Mexico.”
Ramson Lomatewama, Ed Kabotie, Gerald Lomaventema
“MNA pottery collections review.”
Ramson Lomatewama, Ed Kabotie, Gerald Lomaventema
“Learning Mimbres designs through drawing and cutting”
All
October 4 “Mimbres Culture and Pottery.”
Fumi Arakawa (New Mexico State University Museum)
“Sikyatki Culture and Pottery.”
Kelley Hays-Gilpin (Museum of Northern Arizona)
“Hopi initiatives within the context of modernism.”
Henrietta Lidchi (National Museum of World Cultures)
“My grandfather Fred Kabotie.”
Ed Kabotie
“Designing jewelry using MNA potteries and textiles.”
Gerald Lomaventema
“Manner and stance being professional artist: General overview of the Reconnecting Project.”
Ramson Lomatewama
Remarks
All
Closing Remarks
Robert Breunig (Museum of Northern Arizona)