Introduction
Indigenous Brilliance
Like the physical exhibition in Oklahoma City, this online exhibition begins with the mural Indigenous Brilliance. Working with the Oklahoma State Arts Council, First Americans Museum commissioned artist Joseph Erb (Cherokee Nation) to create a large-scale work of art to represent the stories of the 39 tribes.
✏️ Use this organizer to see the mural's design in detail and to analyze this work of art.
Up Next
You will dive deeper into three sections of our stories—Ancient Roots, Uprooted, and Regrowth—to learn how cultural values have sustained tribal nations across the centuries. A Moving Fire storytelling moment follows each section. These circles evoke our stories, both tragic and triumphant, that describe Native people’s experiences in ancestral lands, the hardship of removal and assimilation, and our hopes for the future.
At key moments in the online experience, you will have an opportunity to think about and respond to compelling questions such as:
- What does it mean to be sovereign?
- How do stories of resistance inform what we understand about US history?
- How does culture sustain tribal members today?
Each section will include activities and organizers to complete. You will need to log into your Google Docs account to use these materials, or your instructor will provide you with a copy.