New Interactive Exhibit Showcases Past And Present Day Life Of Native Americans
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Penn Museum opens a new interactive exhibit this week that showcases the past and present day life of America's native people.
Titled, Native American Voices: The People - Here and Now, the exhibit provides a contemporary, real world view of the world through the eyes of Native American people living, leading and thriving today.
"I'm Nanicoke Lenni-Lanape and we're from Bridgeton, New Jersey," says Tina Pierce Fragoso. She is an active member of the native community and consulted on the exhibit, which she changes stereotypes.
"It's going to show you a connection between tribal communities, it's going to show you a continuation of people that you thought no longer existed were right here - and this is what they look like they're on the subway with you, they're in your classroom," she says.
The exhibition includes 500 objects, representing more than 100 Native tribes.
Lead curator Lucy Fowler Williams says it combines native artifacts with interactive touch screens and video interviews of Native Americans.
"You are actually going to come face to face with native people who are actually incredibly sophisticated in the work that they are doing, helping their communities hold on to languages and other preservation issues," says Williams.
The exhibit opens on March 1st with a celebration of native music and dance. To listen to the full podcast of the interview with Lucy Fowler Williams, click here:
Lucy Fowler Williams, Ph.D.
For more information, visit: http://www.penn.museum/
