Native American Resource Center

(This picture is described only as “Native American Family, 1910) 
Retrieved from one of the exhibits from this museum

The source that I chose to look into for this blog post was the Native American Resource Center at the University of North Carolina Pembroke. “The mission of the Native American Resource Center is to educate the public about the prehistory, history, culture, art and contemporary issues of American Indians, with special emphasis on the Robeson County Native American community” (Native American Resource Center) The museum has Native American artifacts, crafts, art, literature, spoken stories and so many other kinds of history to learn from. From viewing the pictures of the homes and schools from the early 1900’s it amazes me how much detail must of gone in to each and every piece to create it by hand to work perfectly. The perspective to this page is definitely from an educational stand point. The university is trying to share its great wealth of knowledge and history through the use of pictures and stories of Native American life. This museum site explores many aspects of any everyday life for Native Americans from their music and art to their beliefs and culture that they are striving to still protest and preserve.

I believe this web source was selected because of its authenticity and rich history with many different types of artifacts and history. I think this sight was selected not only for its academic caliber but for the fact that it was research and compiled by not only history experts but also students of Native American studies. “The University of North Carolina at Pembroke was established in 1887 as an institution for Native Americans. Since 1953, it has had a multi-racial student body. Because of its heritage, the University, through this Department, offers a program to educate students about the rich diversity of American Indian history and culture, to promote research and scholarship concerning American Indian issues, and to prepare students for professional or scholarly careers.” (Native American Resource Center) Not only was the school once for Native Americans but it continues to teach and support the Native American traditions with their students.

The more I continue to learn about Native Americans and life in the time the more I am amazed by the complexities of tasks that they did by hand. Their levels of ingenuity and resourcefulness in a time with no Walmart’s or grocery stores are something that could not be matched by the lazier generation of today. I am awed by their levels of resourcefulness and making the best of and eventually thriving in lands and locations that many people would find unsuitable and undesirable today.

References

Native American Resource Center. (n.d.). University of North Carolina Pembroke. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from http://www.uncp.edu/academics/opportunities-programs-resources/opportunities-programs/native-american-resource-center