EXPLORATIONS - National Museum of the American Indian

EXPLORATIONS - July 10, 2002: National Museum of the American Indian

By Marilyn Christiano

EXP-American Indian Museum (RealAudio)
VOICE ONE:

This is Mary Tillotson.

VOICE TWO:

And this is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program, EXPLORATIONS. Today we tell about plans
for the new Museum of the American Indian. It will open in two-thousand-four near the Capitol building in
Washington, D.C.

((THEME))

VOICE ONE:

“This museum is being given birth, not being planned . The land where it will sit
has a spirit
.
This museum has to be connected not only to us, but to our
children.
”
These are the words of a Hopi Indian talking about the new National
Museum of the American Indian. The building is rising along the National Mall in
the center of Washington, D.C.

The museum is to be a gathering¹ place for living cultures. Its goal is to save, study and show the life, languages,
history and arts of the Native people of North, Central and South America.

The most important words in the museum’s goal are “living cultures.
”
Museums usually are storehouses of
objects from the past. Museum experts and scientists are responsible for explaining and describing objects in the
museums.

This museum will show American Indian objects from the past, and also from the present. The explanations
about the meaning and importance of the objects will be provided² by Native people. Members of these living
cultures are playing an important part in creating the new museum and deciding what will be shown to the public
and how it will be shown.

VOICE TWO:

Richard West has been the director of the Museum of the American Indian since nineteen-ninety. He is a member
of the southern Cheyenne tribe³. Mister⁴ West says the museum will show the success of Native people in keeping
their way of life and overcoming pressures against them. He says it “will be a place to show and tell the world
who we are and to use our own voices in the telling.
”

Building the museum in the very heart of the nation’s capital represents a kind of cultural justice. It is
considered a sign of a long delayed cooperation between people whose ancestors came to these shores and people
who were already here.

VOICE ONE:

The National Museum of the American Indian contains about eight-hundred-thousand objects. They are from the
collection of one man, American businessman George Gustav Heye (HIGH). He spent the first fifty years of the
last century gathering American Indian objects to create one of the largest collections in the world. The material
he collected from the far northern Arctic⁵ Circle to the southern tip of South America has great artistic⁶, historic⁷
and cultural meaning.

In nineteen-twenty-two, the Heye Foundation⁸ opened a private museum in New York City to show the collection.

(Photo - Smithsonian)

However, the museum had space to show the public only a small part of the collection. The foundation did not
have enough money to expand the museum or to correctly care for the huge number of objects being stored. After
years of negotiations⁹, agreement was reached to make the Heye Foundation Museum of the American Indian part
of the Smithsonian Institution. Congress¹⁰ passed legislation¹¹ approving the move in Nineteen-Eighty-Nine.

In nineteen-ninety-four, the George Gustav Heye Center of the National Museum of the American Indian opened
in the old Custom House in New York City. It is one of the most visited museums in New York. It will continue
to offer major exhibits¹² and public programs.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE TWO:

Thomas Sweeney is the head of public relations for the National Museum of the American Indian. He says tribal¹³
representatives from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America were asked for their ideas
about the new building. Their suggestions were recorded in a guide called “The Way of the People.” They said
the building needed roundness, light and open space, natural materials, water and plants.

The finished design includes all this. The building will cover only about twenty-five percent of the two hectares
of land that surrounds it. It will fit into the setting¹⁴ on the Mall, yet show traditional American Indian values. The
outside wall is made of different size blocks of gray limestone¹⁵. It looks like waves of stone. The wall seems to
flow as if formed by wind and water. Glass window areas extend¹⁶ the length of the stone wall to provide light and
a connection between inside and out.

VOICE ONE:

The main entrance to the building faces east, like the doorway¹⁷ in a traditional American Indian home. The
building will be surrounded by trees like those from a local hardwood forest and a grassy¹⁸ area called a meadow¹⁹.
Native American crops
–
beans, corn and squash²⁰
–
will be grown.

Water will be very much a part of the building’s surroundings²¹. It will flow over and around some huge rocks
and continue down to a small, round lake area. The rocks are called grandfather rocks. They show the respect of
Native Americans for ancient things that existed in the area long before people arrived.

VOICE TWO:

Visitors to the museum will enter a large central circular²² space. It has a rounded top more than thirty-three meters
up that is similar to the dome²³ of the nearby Capitol building. This area is called Potomac, which in the native
local language means, ”place where the goods are brought in.
”

Live demonstrations²⁴ like canoe²⁵ building, story telling, music, and dance will take place here. The public will be
able to experience the living traditions and skills of Native people.

VOICE ONE:

The exhibition areas are called Our Universes, Our Peoples and Our Lives. Our Universes explores Native
peoples’ theories about the world around them and their spiritual worlds. It will contain objects and stories to
educate visitors about the values and beliefs of eight different native cultures.

In Our Peoples, twelve different Native communities will present their tribal histories. They will choose the
objects, pictures, songs and other materials from the museum’s collections to tell about their past and their
present.

Our Lives will examine the differences among Native cultures. It will look at relationships in the family and
community.

VOICE TWO:

The new Museum of the American Indian will have two theaters. In the performing arts theater, three-hundred
people will be able to watch Native dance theater and other performances. The other theater will show a film


explaining the museum.

Hungry visitors will be able buy food at the Mitsitam (MIT-zi-tom) Café, whose name in the local Indian
language means, “Let’s eat.” Handmade Native arts and crafts²⁶, books and games will be sold in the
museum’s gift shop.

((MUSIC BRIDGE))

VOICE ONE:

Another important part of the National Museum of the American Indian is the Cultural Resources Center. It
opened in nineteen-ninety-eight in Suitland, Maryland, near Washington, D.C.

The Heye collection is being moved from the place where it is stored in New York City to the new center. In
preparation for the five-year move, museum employees began to develop a record of the condition and
description of everything in the collection.

The Cultural Resources Center is designed to honor²⁷ the wishes of Native people about how they want the objects
cared for and protected. Native and non-Native people can do research there. And training will be given to people
who work in tribal museums.

VOICE TWO:

The resources building itself shows a Native desire to connect architecture to the environment. The roofline and
the walls suggest forms commonly found in nature such as a spider web, a butterfly wing and a shell.

Thomas Sweeney says the resources center helps both tribal communities and museum employees. Tribal
members visit the center to share their stories about the meaning and use of tribal objects. These stories educate
non-Natives, sometimes correcting theories developed years ago by collectors and non-tribal people.

VOICE ONE:

One of the most important parts of the new National Museum of the American Indian is called the Fourth
Museum. This is not a physical structure. It is the Community Services office, a link between the museum and
Native communities throughout North and South America.

Native people have been employed to work with individuals, communities and organizations to develop museum
programs. They are creating travelling exhibits, educational materials and an Internet Web site. The address is
www.americanindian.si.edu. The National Museum of the American Indian will use these to inform people
around the world about the living native cultures of the Americas.

((THEME))

VOICE TWO:

This Special English program was written by Marilyn Christiano and produced by Caty Weaver²⁸. This is Steve
Ember.

VOICE ONE:

And this is Mary Tillotson. Join us again next week for another EXPLORATIONS program on the Voice of
America.

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1 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

2 provided   

conj.假如，若是；adj.预备好的，由...供给的

参考例句：

• Provided it's fine we will have a pleasant holiday.如果天气良好，我们的假日将过得非常愉快。
• I will come provided that it's not raining tomorrow.如果明天不下雨，我就来。

3 tribe   

n.部落，种族，一伙人

参考例句：

• This is a subject tribe.这是个受他人统治的部落。
• Many of the tribe's customs and rituals are as old as the hills.这部落的许多风俗、仪式都极其古老。

4 mister   

n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生

参考例句：

• Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
• He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。

5 Arctic   

adj.北极的；n.北极

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• The sort of animal lived in the Arctic Circle.这种动物生活在北极圈里。

6 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

7 historic   

adj.历史上著名的，具有历史意义的

参考例句：

• This is a historic occasion.这是具有重大历史意义的时刻。
• We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。

8 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 Congress   

n.(代表)大会；(C-:美国等国的)国会，议会

参考例句：

• There were some days to wait before the Congress.大会的召开还有几天时间。
• After 18 years in Congress,he intented to return to private life.在国会供职18年后，他打算告老还乡。

11 legislation   

n.立法，法律的制定；法规，法律

参考例句：

• They began to draft legislation.他们开始起草法规。
• The liberals band together against the new legislation.自由党员联合一致反对新的立法。

12 exhibits   

v.陈列，展览( exhibit的第三人称单数 )；表现；显示；[法律]当庭出示（证件、物证等）

参考例句：

• Many exhibits with characteristics of the Chinese art are on display. 许多具有中国艺术特色的展品陈列出来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One is dazzled by the endless array of beautiful exhibits. 展品琳琅满目，美不胜收。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

14 setting   

n.背景

参考例句：

• The play has its setting in Vienna.该剧以维也纳为背景。
• Where and when a story takes place is called the setting.故事发生的地点和时间称为故事背景。

15 limestone   

n.石灰石

参考例句：

• Limestone is often used in building construction.石灰岩常用于建筑。
• Cement is made from limestone.水泥是由石灰石制成的。

16 extend   

v.伸开；展开，伸展；扩大；加大

参考例句：

• Can you extend your visit for a few days more?你能把你的访问再延长几天吗？
• The examinations extend over two weeks.考试持续两个星期。

17 doorway   

n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径

参考例句：

• They huddled in the shop doorway to shelter from the rain.他们挤在商店门口躲雨。
• Mary suddenly appeared in the doorway.玛丽突然出现在门口。

18 grassy   

adj.盖满草的；长满草的

参考例句：

• They sat and had their lunch on a grassy hillside.他们坐在长满草的山坡上吃午饭。
• Cattle move freely across the grassy plain.牛群自由自在地走过草原。

19 meadow   

n.草地，牧草地

参考例句：

• The children ran free across the meadow.孩子们在草地里自由地奔跑。
• The meadow is peopled with wild flowers.草地长满了野花。

20 squash   

n.壁球，摺皱不堪，拥挤嘈杂的人群，浓缩果汁，美国南瓜；vt.压扁，压制；vi.变扁，压榨

参考例句：

• He is drinking lemon squash.他正在喝柠檬露。
• She sprained her ankle playing squash.她在打软式墙网球时扭伤了脚踝。

21 surroundings   

n.周围的事物(或情况)，环境

参考例句：

• She is not very well tuned into her surroundings. 她不太适应周围的环境。
• The rich man lives in luxurious surroundings.这位富人生活在奢侈的环境中。

22 circular   

adj.圆(形)的，环形的；循环的；n.传单，通报

参考例句：

• The bright boy altered it to a circular form.这个聪明的男孩把它改成了圆形。
• The lamp stands on a circular base.这盏台灯是装在圆形底座上的。

23 dome   

n.圆屋顶，拱顶

参考例句：

• The dome was supported by white marble columns.圆顶由白色大理石柱支撑着。
• They formed the dome with the tree's branches.他们用树枝搭成圆屋顶。

24 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

25 canoe   

n.独木舟；vi.乘独木舟，划独木舟

参考例句：

• They slid the canoe down to the water.他们使小舟滑到水中。
• It is only the second time he has been in a canoe.这仅是他第二次乘小游艇。

26 crafts   

n.工艺( craft的名词复数 )；行业；飞机；飞行器

参考例句：

• traditional crafts like basket-weaving 像编篮子之类的传统工艺
• an arts and crafts emporium 工艺品商店

27 honor   

n.光荣；敬意；荣幸；vt.给…以荣誉；尊敬

参考例句：

• I take your visit as a great honor.您的来访是我莫大的光荣。
• It is a great honor to receive that prize.能拿到那个奖是无上的光荣。

28 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。