Dance, Pueblo of Santa Clara, N.M., circa 1889
Charles F. Lummis (American, 1859 - 1928)
cyanotype, 4 1/2 x 6 3/4 in. (11.4 x 17.1 cm) (image)
Museum purchase, 1997
1997.5.1
Charles F. Lummis was a journalist, photographer, and Indian activist whose transcontinental walk in 1884 introduced him to the Southwest. He returned to live in San Mateo, NM, in 1888, beginning a new career as a prolific freelance writer, writing on everything that was particularly special about the Southwest and Indian cultures. He was one of the key journalists to popularize the region, encouraging increased tourism through his vivid depiction of the Native people in word and image.
Reflective Questions and Activities:
| E/S | Observing this photograph very carefully, what do you see in the foreground and background? | |
| E/S | Compared to other Indian dances you’ve seen in paintings or photos, or observed yourself, what is curious about the ratio of tourists to dancers? Do you think the photographer is showing us an authentic ritual or something else? What do you see that informs this answer? | |