By A:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center
Museum FrontA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
History and Mission
With encouragement and support from the Pueblo of Zuni, leadership, the Museum was established by a small group of Zuni tribal members in 1992.
A:shiwi A:wan (Belonging to Zuni)
The A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center is a Pueblo of Zuni Tribal Program dedicated to serving the Zuni community with programs and exhibitions that help us reflect on our past and are relevant to our current and future interests.
Fun Fact
Our logo is inspired by a bowl from the ancestral village of Kechibawa. We believe this beautiful bird is either a Dona (Turkey) or Mula (Macaw). Both very important to Zuni life.
Giving a voice to our collections
As part of our vision, we promote, facilitate and conduct collaborative initiatives with several museums and collecting institutions located in the U.S. and abroad.
From us, for everyone.
One of the main purposes of these collaborations is to “set the record straight”: to correct inadequate, inaccurate and/or wrong representations of our collections housed at satellite museums and archives.
Background mini potA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Strengthen the spheres of knowledge
Museum collaborations enable us to negotiate access to our own cultural patrimony and work towards regaining control over the circulation of our objects and knowledge associated with those objects, thereby reconciling historical asymmetries of power.
Oldest pitcherA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Culture in art
Similarly, art is an elemental part of our culture. Whether through performance, two-dimensional or three-dimensional works, we strive to broaden the potential of artistic expression in our community.
BowlA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Inspiring and educating
From our collection of ancient Zuni art, exhibitions of Zuni school art, to our A:shiwi Map Art collection, we provide a venue and forum for local artists to study and reflect on the possibilities of art in our community.
Exhibitions
Our Museum currently has exhibitions that show a Zuni perspective of our history, giving a visual context of culturally significant areas, and a display of student work from the Bureau of Indian Affairs school system.
Hawikku: Echo's From Our PastA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Current Exhibitions (Permanent)
Hawikku: Echo's From Our Past, opened on November 2, 2002, see how our ancestry adapted to the outside influences. Featuring one of the largest loans, from the Smithsonian to a source community.
Zuni Day School Exhibition (2022-10-22) by ShiwiSun Productions - AAMHCA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Special Exhibition - Zuni Day School
A collection of Zuni Day School student work, yearbooks, and photos collected by ZDS Principal Clara Gonzalez and from the University of New Mexico. Learn how our educational system started.
Colorado River and Tributa by Ronnie Cachini - AAMHCA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Special traveling exhibition
The A:shiwi Map Art exhibition shows different cultural landscapes from a Zuni perspective. Guided by Cultural Advisors, 12 Zuni artists contributed to 31 original paintings and one poster.
Resources: Collection of historic audio, photos, films and other Zuni interest items.
Historic digital audio
A collection of oral history, winter stories, and voices from the 1960's.
Historic photo collection (2022-11-17) by AAMHCA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Historic Photos
Explore the photo collections and see our ancestors, surrounding communities, and daily activities. While. these photos are useful for us today, when they were taken, Zuni was not the primary audience.
Historic films (1923-01-01) by Owen Catell, Hendricks-Hodge Expedition, Smithsonian, AAMHCA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
Shiwina (Zuni) in 1923
Silent motion pictures of Zuni and surrounding areas. Learn how the filming helped shape our sensibilities on photo and film documentation. A ongoing effort on what is ethically appropriate.
AAMHC Library (2022-11-17) by AAMHCA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
AAMHC Library
Our collection of published materials on Zuni. We have also received donations of documents, news letters, books another paper materials from collectors.
The Shiwi Messenger Archives (2022-11-17) by The Shiwi Messenger - AAMHCA:shiwi A:wan Museum & Heritage Center
The Shiwi Messenger
Incomplete collection of a Zuni newspaper that was circulating from the 1990's to the early 2000's.
