Date of Award
Spring 5-7-2022
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
MA Museum Professions
Department
Communication and the Arts
Advisor
Gregory Stevens, M.A.T.
Committee Member
Renee Robinson, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Ruth Tsuria, Ph.D.
Committee Member
McKenna Schray, Ph.D.
Keywords
Indigenous Culture, Museums, Storytelling, Native Americans, Narrative Theory, Museum exhibitions
Abstract
Museums and Indigenous communities have shared tensions resulting from the way Native Americans have been discussed and depicted by museums, institutions which in the past have displayed indigenous cultures and artifacts alongside extinct animals and outdated dioramas. Despite this, Indigenous cultures and museums share an emphasis on storytelling practices, both as a means of education as well as preservation. This study sought to examine the use of storytelling and narrative exhibition development in museum exhibitions focused on Native American art, history, and culture. Through the course of a qualitative comparative cross case study, three key themes were identified, being Indigenous-led development, multimedia storytelling, and an emphasis on people rather than things, which when implemented more holistically represented Indigenous subjects.
Recommended Citation
Cherry, Ian T., "They Tell Their Stories Still: The Use of Storytelling and Narrative Exhibition Development to Communicate Native American Art, History, and Culture in Museums" (2022). Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs). 3017.
https://scholarship.shu.edu/dissertations/3017
