Reflections from the Heard Museum, and the plight of the Native American Indians

Not since my visit at Auschwitz 8 years ago have I been heavily disturbed visiting a museum.  The Heard museum in Phoenix, Arizona sure has a lot to talk about the plight of the Native American Indians.

May 2012, the Heard Museum has a special exhibit for the Apache Indians, with specific feature on the most popular Apache Indian, Geronimo.

The saddest part, the depiction of Geronimo is nothing but evil, conniving, anti-government and downright subversive.  Probably one of the most misunderstood personalities in the World History.  And this was made complex by incorrect depictions of him from Hollywood movies and social media.  This is magnified by the Chewing Gum brand below, including a very nasty description of  Gum #25 - Geronimo.   

Only in the past 10 years has Geronimo been getting the rightful recognition as a genuine American hero.  Well, until Hunt for Osama bin Laden which again dragged his name.

Apart from the Apache exhibition, the Heard Museum has a solid collection of Native American Indian artifacts as seen in the photo below.

Another interesting section features the collection of Indigenous cultures around the world, including a feature on the Kalingas and the Muslim Mindanao. 

But the most disturbing was the section about the Indian Boarding School.  I had no idea this has happened, and only learned it thru very sad pictures and artifacts.

For many years, young Native American Indians were taken away from their respective families and brought to Boarding Schools in Oklahoma, and other states to educate them like "white" people.  It was really more of a cleansing activity done to the Native American Indian Youth.  They were no longer allowed to speak their native language, nor wear their traditional garments.

worse.  their hair was forcibly cut.

This was all part of the decree to Americanize the Native American Indian.  An excerpt of which is documented below.

Reading the documentation is simply harrowing.  But the exhibit captured the experience thru the series of posters below.  Here, the pictures tell the story.