Paths of Life

Orientation Area: American Indians of the Southwest

For each culture represented, a specific theme is traced through three periods—Origins, History, and Life Today. The theme for each exhibition section was developed to reflect issues of special importance to that culture. For example, water has always been of critical importance to the Tohono O'odham of the southern Arizona desert. Other issues such as relationships with the land, ceremonialism, and blending of cultures are relevant to many Native American cultures today.

In each section, the history of the group is told from its own perspective. A people's view of their origins can help us to understand how they see their place in the world. Their own view of historical events does not always agree with the accounts in history books. Their life today is shaped by the past and traditional values that have been passed down through generations. As you view the exhibition, the Origins, History, and Life Today sections will remind you that while a culture changes through time, the threads that bind a people remain unbroken.