I chose to review the online resource www.theamericanindiancenter.org, which is the website for The American Indian Cultural Center and Museum. If you click on the "Project Timeline" tab, you can read how the NACEA (Native American Cultural & Educational Authority) was established in 1994; they are the creators of this project. This center was partially built but construction was suspended in 2012. It's clear that much thought and planning went into this proposed organization, but presently there is no finished facility (or finish date) so the site serves as a map for what the organizers still hope will come to life (if funding is secured).
I think this website is very well-organized. It’s clean and free of clutter, while still offering a good deal of content and visual stimulation. The point of the site and information about the center are clearly stated; and while the main identity for the site is to provide info for the (constructionally abandoned) center, I found a couple of useful educational materials under various tabs. Under “Tribes”, you can search by “Oklahoma Tribes, USA Tribes, or Canadian First Nations”. Selecting Oklahoma Tribes alone will provide a list of dozens of tribes, all complete with contact information. I think that I formerly believed that native communities tended towards avoiding engaging heavily in technology. Under the “Connect” page on this site, one can sign up for an e-newsletter, add the group on Facebook or Twitter, or connect to their blog. I’m impressed by how everything looks very current and professional.
However, I don't feel that this site should be included in educational materials, because the main goal of the site at this time is marketing for their project, with the education portion of the site being miniscule. The best chunk of actual education is under http://www.theamericanindiancenter.org/oklahoma-tribal-history; it's a timeline of the history of the Oklahoma Tribes.
Resource reviewed:
www.theamericanindiancenter.org
Lindsey,
ReplyDeleteGood observations. I hope that they can complete the project, it seems like an awesome educational place to get some background on the Native American Culture.
I think it is good that the website provides some background on the history and current day. Especially about Oklahoma because there is so much history about Indian Territory and the migration. A lot of tribes were forced to move to Oklahoma by the U.S. government.
In the atlas we read about the Trail Of Tears and how the majority of the tribal population in the Southeast was relocated to Indian Territory, Oklahoma (Treuer p.69).
ReplyDeleteIn the atlas we read about the Trail Of Tears and how the majority of the tribal population in the Southeast was relocated to Indian Territory, Oklahoma (Treuer p.69).
ReplyDeleteLindsey,
ReplyDeleteGood observations. I hope that they can complete the project, it seems like an awesome educational place to get some background on the Native American Culture.
I think it is good that the website provides some background on the history and current day. Especially about Oklahoma because there is so much history about Indian Territory and the migration. A lot of tribes were forced to move to Oklahoma by the U.S. government.