Southwest Native Americans

Students are learning how important symbolism, animals and nature are to the various Native American cultures. They learned about the "Talking Pots" of the Southwest. No, these pots do not actually talk, they tell the stories of the people who made them--their beliefs and values. Students viewed Daughters of the Anasazi video and Legacy of Generations video.

Begin your study of the southwest cultures with any question that interests you. You do not need to go in any certain order. Click on the underlined words in the question or on the URL address to go to the sites.

1.	Find out what the Anasazi were like. How did they live? What did they eat? What happened to the Anasazi? Answers to frequently asked questions about the Anasazi from Anasazi Heritage Center, Bureau of Land Management, CO.
2.	Who were the Chaco Anasazi? Where did they live? Learn more about the history of the Anasazi. What cultures came before the Anasazi? Zoom in on the map to see the region the Anasazi occupied. What questions do you have about the Anasazi? Maybe some of you questions are answered here. Pueblo Indian History - Crow Canyon Archaeology Center. Study guides and online lesson plans. Take a virtual field trip. Lots to see on Crow Canyon Archaeology site. See Woods Canyon Pueblo: Life on the Edge an interactive story investigating theories about why ancient Pueblo Indians chose to build their homes on the edge of a steep canyon more than 800 years ago. Wood's Canyon Pueblo- Glossary (definitions) Learn more about Chaco Canyon - Traditions of the Sun: Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Interactive Web site.
3.	Study Anasazi architecture. See the Kin Tl'iish Great House. Visit a 3-D model of a prehistoric "great kiva" a subterranean architectural feature that served a ceremonial function in many Anasazi communities. Enter the Kiva here for a tour using advanced computer technology. Listen to the sound of the ceremony (click on player) See short videos of ceramic pottery. (need Quick-Time) Faster loading view without the latest in technology (older version of the site)
4.	Take a look at pottery of the Mimbres people. Compare the different styles of painting seen in the collection of the Logan Museum (scroll down). Select a culture to investigate further. Learn more! Web Resources for the Mongollon Mimbres Culture
5.	Visit a Pueblo pottery gallery. Beautiful work of various Pueblo cultures of the past. View map of Pueblo locations. Read about Pueblo life -- What is a Pueblo? Brief History of Pueblo pottery. Internet Public Library: Pueblo Pottery Gallery Click on any of the small images to get a closer look. Go to the glossary for words you do not understand.
6.	Learn about a very famous Pueblo potter. Touched by Fire: The Art, Life, and Legacy of Maria Martinez -- this online exhibition complements the temporary exhibition of the same name and showcases the life and work of the legendary San Ildefonso potter. How was Maria influenced from the past? What similarities did you you see to the mimbres bowls? Go to Artistry to view pots in Quick time (click on pats to open up window). Maria Martinez Biography Go to this site and see how valuable the works of renowned potters are today--particularly Maria Martinez of the Santa Clara Pueblo. Why are these works so highly valued today? See some pottery from famous Pueblo Potters at Andrea Fisher Fine Pottery. Some of these pieces are quite valuable.
7.	Find out more about the Pueblo then and now form the Pueblo Indian Culture Center. Go to 19 Pueblos then look at History and Etiquette.
8.	New England - Native American technology: Pottery. How does the pottery of New England compare to that of the Southwest. Native Tech: Pottery and Clay Look at how the clay is made, forming techniques and selections from the catalog.
9.	Find out the meaning of Native American symbols. Here is another site that illustrates and lists meaning for common Pueblo symbols.
10.	Pottery by American Indian Women: The Legacy of Generations - The Avant-Garde -- from Purdue University. This site features women from the video of the same name "Legacy of Generations - inspired by an exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Work of Nora Naranjo Morse and Roxanne Swentzell (my favorites). Swentzell's Emergence of Clowns (no longer on Getty ArtsEdNet). See how Roxanne Swentzell makes her sculptures. See some of the traditional Acoma works shown on the video at Canyon Art.com.
11.	Hopi-Tewa Vessels Learn about the pottery of Nampeyo - Tewa potter. Read and study the discussion questions (from the Getty ArtsEdNet site - no longer online). How was this potter influenced by the potters of the past?
12.	Compare the various pottery styles of contemporary Pueblo potters. How are the styles similar? How are they different?
13.	Hopi traditional pottery. How have these contemporary potters continued the traditions? What is similar to the work of their ancestors?
14.	Read some famous Native American quotes. Write up a reaction to one of the quotes.
Visit the sites below to learn more about Southwest pottery and Native American Culture
Singing the Clay: Pueblo Pottery of the Southwest Yesterday and Today Exhibit at the McClung Museum. The diversity of these peoples and the continuation of centuries-old cultural traditions is evident in this exhibition of beautifully made and painted pottery vessels and figures from 12 pueblos in New Mexico and Arizona. Two Grey Hills Fine Indian Art - site has contemporary Pueblo pottery. Compare to that of their ancestors. (Site found by a student) Twentieth century pottery formed in traditional ways with designs of their ancestors. See some beautiful historical examples - 1880's to 1910 Pueblo Pottery.com - site found by a student - has excellent contemporary examples of Hopi - Santa Clara - Sand Ildefonso and others Collectors' Guide Here are some links to Pueblo styles. Collecting Indian Pottery -- Glossary -- Methods of construction -- Symbol (Swastika) Tribal Collectors - Here are some beautiful Contemporary pots - carrying on traditional designs Indian Territory: Pueblo Pottery - Here are several examples by culture (cultures listed in left table). See site table of contents to see other Indian artifacts. ArtLex Gives names of many Native American artists-- currently under construction. I hope they plan on continuing the page. Indian Traders: Pottery - Methods of construction and several cultures. Internet Public Library- Pottery Exhibit Logan Museum - Painting Styles Ancient Cultures of the Southwest. Many cultures represented. Information about the people, timeline and pottery. Rose Garcia, Acoma Pueblo ( featured in "Daughters of the Anasazi" video) Canyon Art - Pueblo Pottery (commercial site) Native Pottery Link - Guide to Native American Pueblo Pottery and Storytellers from Hopi, Navajo, Taos, Jemez, Acoma, Kansas/Kickapoo, Santa Clara, Isleta, Choctaw and the Village of Mata Ortiz, Mexico (commercial site). Includes essay on pottery traditions. WWW Virtual Library- Native American Artists scroll down to Potters- see a list of contemporary potters WWW Virtual Library - Native American Resources -- Lots of Southwest links -- Index of Native American Archaeology & Anthropology Resources on the Internet Pueblo Culture and Pottery WebQuest by Susie Jameson, Vince Meo and Clyde Gaw. Designed for interdisciplinary unit for fifth grade - social studies, reading, language arts and visual art. New Palestine Elementary, Indiana. (check links before using with students).
Come back later for more inquiry into the Indians of the Southwest. Click here to find out more about the art of ceramics. Click here to learn about Native Americans

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