Bridging Cultures is an immersive experience located in the heart of the Pueblo world; this deeply contextualized study allows us to closely examine essential concepts related to cultural diversity and unity. Authentic research experiences will shed light on ways that anthropologists reconstruct Pueblo history and conceptualize the boundaries of cultural identity. The contributions of Pueblo scholars, and visits to ancient and modern Pueblo communities, provide a window into how Pueblo culture formed, how it has endured, and how it is expressed in diverse communities today. This institute showcases an important example of how locally situated differences can be maintained and simultaneously assimilated into a larger cultural whole.
During week one of the institute, we will focus on core subject matter and introduce the faculty members who guide our study. We will explain and clarify the required readings and assignments, and provide an orientation to the resources available at Crow Canyon. Throughout this week, we will work on developing basic knowledge through experiences with artifact assemblages, visits to key archaeological sites including Mesa Verde National Park, and participation in Crow Canyon’s current research project that is examining the origins of Pueblo culture.
In week two of the institute, we will move beyond the immediate area around Mesa Verde and examine the tremendous growth and change that occurred during the Pueblo II time period—focusing particularly on the interactions with people from the large settlements in and around Chaco Canyon. Along with archaeologists who are specialists from each of these regions and Pueblo scholars, we will visit sites within Chaco Canyon, as well as sites further north that reflect Chacoan characteristics. Some of the sites we will visit in week two are among the largest and most elaborate constructed by ancient Pueblo people, and they all contain the remains of buildings that today are referred to as great houses. Visiting these great-house sites provides the setting whereby we can explore the cultural diversity that comprised the ancient Pueblo world and examine how Pueblo culture was shaped by interaction among diverse groups, including those far to the south in Central America.
Week three of the institute focuses on migration and the connections between the Pueblo past and present. Institute faculty will guide the examination of these topics using evidence from multiple sources; we will rely particularly on the expertise of the Pueblo scholars who will be our hosts as we visit their home villages of Santa Clara and Cochiti. They will also be our guides as we visit some ancient villages in the region that are part of their cultural/historical legacy. In order to have easy access to these locations, we will spend two nights in northern New Mexico.
We will be selecting 25 teachers of grades K-12 from throughout the United States. They will be chosen for the breadth of their interests, experiences, and skills. The group will represent a wide range of ethnic, racial, geographic, and gender diversity. Each NEH Summer Scholar will receive a $2,700 stipend to cover the cost of travel and living expenses for the institute. We will also offer the option of earning graduate credit for an additional fee.
Further description of the program can be found in the institute’s Dear Colleague letter. For more information about this program, please e-mail us at NEHsummer2011@crowcanyon.org. Application deadline is March 1, 2011.
