Village of Hawikku 4A:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Hawikku
When our ancestors settled in this area, we expanded and developed communities to help increase the land for agriculture, as well as other reasons. The distance may have helped the different creative approaches to everyday tools now considered art.
Village of Hawikku 3A:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Thriving villages
It may be difficult to believe but many of our villages thrived for years before explorer contact. In Hawikku it is estimated that over 900 people lived in this multi-storied community.
Village of Hawikku 2A:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Still here
While many scholars and outside prospectives believe these sites are ruins or no longer occupied. We have been taught these villages are spiritually active and should be treated with respect. We always enter and leave with the proper greetings
Hawikku model (2002-11-02) by ShiwiSun Productions, AAMHC, and Hawikku: Echo's From our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Change
Our ancestry's survival may have caught the attention of early explorers who were seeking riches. The immediate difference of "valuables" were soon to be tested.
Spanish contact (2002-11-02) by ShiwiSun Productions, AAMHC, and Hawikku: Echo's From our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Search for gold
a 1539 expedition who's scout Estevanico, a Moor came to Zuni. It is believed Estevan violated Zuni morals. The immorality caused a conflict and Estevanico is said to be killed. It is rare Zuni will take life, as it is against our beliefs. This act is only in defense.
A golden mistake (2002-11-02) by ShiwiSun Productions, AAMHC, and Hawikku: Echo's From Our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
De Niza's misunderstanding
Fray Marcos De Niza, leader of the expedition heard of Estevanico's fate and returned to Mexico stating they found the fabled "Cities of Gold." Some wonder if the evening light caused the adobe village to appear golden?
Spanish contact (2002-11-02) by ShiwiSun Productions, AAMHC, and Hawikku: Echo's From our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Coronado's Quest
A bigger expedition led by Fransisco Vasquez de Coronado was sent to secure the cities of gold, only to find our humble villages.
Protecting the communities
It is said our defenders met Coronado and made a line of cornmeal to symbolize a boundary. With no common language, this may have been interpreted as a threat. A battle ensued. Our ancestors valued life and retreated to preserve it.
Spanish Influences (2002-11-02) by AAMHC and Hawikku: Echo's From our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Spanish Influences
While Spanish introduction was abrasive and aggressive. Some important positive resources were introduced.
Oven and peach trees (2022-11-02) by ShiwiSun Produc, AAMHC, and Hawikku: Echo's From our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Welcoming new tools
Spanish introduction and presence also came with new foods and food preparation. The outside ovens are now a important cooking tool for baking foods, like oven bread.
Hawikku Church alter (2022-11-02) by AAMHC and Hawikku: Echo's From our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Alter of Mission La Purísima Concepción de Hawikku
Established in 1629 the church at Hawikku was built by our ancestors. The labor was anything but voluntary. Subsequently, the church was burned down twice. The first in 1632 and the last time in 1672.
Pueblo Revolt (2002-11-02) by Phil Hughte, ShiwiSun Produc, AAMHC, and Hawikku: Echo's From Our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Pueblo Revolt 1680 by Phil Hughte
After years of cultural oppression and forced conversion to the church. Zuni along with other Pueblo relatives, our combined ancestry fought to survive. After the rebellion our people sought refuge atop Dowa Yallanne for 12 years, until our safety was ensured.
Research and Researchers (2002-11-02) by Phil Hughte, ShiwiSun Productions, AAMHC, and Hawikku: Echo's From Our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Research and the researchers
Early assimilation attempts by US government also brought researchers to document our culture. Many were intrusive and neglected our sensitivities. Actions that we understood as taboo, our ancestors had to engage in.
Hawikku Excavation - Mural (2002-11-02) by Arnold Pena, AAMHC, and Hawikku: Echo's From Our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
1917-1923 Hawikku Excavation
Hawikku's past had prompted the curiosity of Archaeologist Fredrick Webb Hodge. We have come across corresponding letters that mention, if Hawikku wasn't excavated, it would have been left off our federal trust lands. Our ancestors may not have had a choice.
Excavation at Hawikku (2002-11-02) by AAMHC and Hawikku: Echo's From Our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Camp Harmon at Hawikku
The excavations and research caused factions in the village. One defiant leader communicated his frustrations to outsiders by saying, "We have been studied to death, we know who we are!"
Shipping artifactsA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Taking Zuni's Cultural Patrimony
during the exhibit build, one elder that saw the excavation was interviewed and he, "wondered where they took everything." Over 30,000 artifacts were taken, including 996 remains of our ancestors. Remains, that will never return from advisement from our elders.
Hawikku Artifact Loan
In the early 1990’s AAMHC staff, with community and tribal government support, started the process to have the ancestral village of Hawikku’s excavated items, loaned to the Zuni community.
The Hawikku exhibit installed in 2002 consists of 221 representative Hawikku pieces selected by Zuni representatives from the Hawikku collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.
Hawikku is one of our most important ancestral villages because it was there that the A:shiwi first made contact with Europeans. The exhibit describes Hawikku as it was before the Spanish invasion and during the period of Spanish influence, the Pueblo Revolt, the change experienced in Zuni during the 1700s through the 1800s, the arrival of anthropologists and ethnographers to the Pueblo, and the controversial excavation of Hawikku conducted by the Hendricks-Hodge Expedition from 1918 to 1923.
Side potA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
All loaned artifacts were screened beforehand by community members for Zuni cultural sensitivity. In the early 2000’s, this was the largest loan from the Smithsonian to a source community. Other tribes have or are exploring loans of their cultural materials.
Effigy potA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Ethics of items returning, what can safely return
First and foremost was which items can return. Some items, like human remains and other sensitive items will not return, as advised by our elder leadership. Return of these items may be catastrophic to our spiritual well being.
BowlA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Challenges of being a Zuni Museum
We are engaging in a profession that can challenge our traditional beliefs. We understand the history of Museums can cause uncomfort for our community and strive to create an atmosphere that can create conversations to better guide future generations of Zunis.
The AAMHC is currently not set up as a collections facility. However, we have accepted items that showcase the mastery of utilitarian art.
The pottery pictured are created by Shiwi potters: Jennie Laate, Eileen Yatsattie, Bobby Silas, Tim Edaakie, Rowena Him, Josephine Nahohai, Milford Nahohai, and Randy Nahohai.