"Continuums of Indigeneity: How Arizona Museums are Fighting Against Colonial Histories and Empowering Indigenous Voices"

Practicing Anthropology Cover. Photo credit: Taylor & Francis

If you care about museums, representation, and who holds narrative power — read this.

A new scholarly article examines how museums across Arizona are confronting colonial legacies and working to elevate Indigenous voices in exhibition spaces.

It explores:

• How museums historically shaped harmful public narratives

• The shift toward collaborative, Native-led storytelling

• The difference between inclusion and structural transformation

• Why representation is fundamentally about power

The research includes interviews with museum professionals across the state and offers a grounded look at what decolonizing practices look like in action — and where tensions still exist.

For anyone involved in cultural institutions, education, public history, design, or community leadership this is important context.

Arizona is not just a backdrop in this conversation. It’s an active case study.

By Hailey Jenell Borden Originally published - 11 March

Read the essay here: LINK