Colonized through Art: American Indian Schools and Art Education, 1889-1915

The federal government used art education to colonize American Indian children, emphasizing education and assimilation. Despite this, Indigenous ideas about art often emerged from below, with art teachers such as Arizona Swayney and Angel DeCora promoting the abandonment of cultural heritage and the production of "Native" crafts.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 450 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2021
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press

Colonized through Art delves into the profound impact of the federal government's utilization of art education for American Indian children, revealing its role in the "colonization of consciousness." Through this strategy, the government aimed to implant the values and ideals of Western society while simultaneously preserving a hierarchical structure encompassing political, social, economic, and racial aspects.

The study focuses on three key institutions: the Albuquerque Indian School in New Mexico, the Sherman Institute in Riverside, California, and the world's fairs and local community exhibitions. Marinella Lentis examines how the United States government approached the "Indian problem" at the end of the 19th century, emphasizing education and assimilation as the solution.

At that time, educational theories considered art as the cornerstone of morality, serving as a means to foster virtues and personal growth. Art became a valuable tool in the hands of policymakers and educators, enabling them to achieve their assimilationist objectives of transforming "savage" students into civilized men and women.

Despite these educational regimes, Indigenous ideas about art often emerged from below, particularly through the influence of renowned art teachers such as Arizona Swayney and Angel DeCora. These teachers, who were deeply immersed in Indigenous cultures, imparted their knowledge and artistic traditions to their students, challenging the dominant assimilationist narrative.

Colonized through Art sheds light on a distressing aspect of American Indian education. It reveals how schools actively encouraged children to abandon their cultural heritage and engage in the production of artificially "Native" crafts. These crafts were showcased at local and international fairs, where they were purchased by the general public, transforming the students' artistic endeavors into commodities. In effect, schools became factories, perpetuating the erasure of Indigenous cultural identity and perpetuating the cycle of colonization.

This exploration of art education as a tool of colonization highlights the complex and multifaceted ways in which the federal government attempted to control and manipulate American Indian communities. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for Indigenous sovereignty and the importance of preserving and revitalizing Indigenous cultural practices and traditions.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781496228215