CLARKSVILLE, TN − From the ancient cliff dwellings at Bandelier National Monument to the windswept peaks of Acoma Pueblo, Austin Peay State University students traveled roughly 1,800 miles through New Mexico this summer to engage with Native American communities during one of the institution’s first study away programs.
Dr. Tamara Smithers, professor of art history, and Dr. Wes Atkinson, professor of English, brought 14 students from their Native American art and literature classes on the journey. Participants connected with Indigenous artists, writers, and more while exploring significant cultural sites across the state.
“I wasn’t expecting this program to impact me so deeply on an emotional level,” said Naomi Hundt, a senior art history major. “Even though we had just met, many [people] treated us like family. They didn’t just share facts about their culture, but they opened their hearts to us and shared their stories with honesty and vulnerability … it made each conversation extremely meaningful to me.”
As part of their immersive learning experience, students met with prominent Native American creatives whose work they had studied throughout the semester. Guest speakers included painters Lynnette Haozous (Chiricahua Apache/San Carlos Apache Tribe/Diné/Taos Pueblo) and Ryan Singer (Diné), along with author Brendan Shay Basham (Diné).
“My favorite moment of the trip was at Brendan Shay Basham’s house,” said Florence Isbill, a senior animation and visual effects major. “He cooked pizzas with us, welcomed us into his home, and introduced us to his family. When it got cold during a discussion of his book Swim Home to the Vanished, he gave me his jacket. He even gifted signed copies of the book to those of us who didn’t already have one. I was truly blown away by his generosity.”
In addition to making personal connections with artists and writers, students gained insights into the creative practices and cultural narratives that inspire their projects.
“Learning from the many different Native artists we met and listening to their stories was the greatest highlight and blessing of the trip,” said Aba Allerup, a senior art history major. “Artists like Ryan Singer and Lynnette Haozous spoke to us not only about their artwork and their processes, but critical issues that affect Native communities and how they are taking steps to help through their work. As an artist, I could not have asked for better experiences.”
One of the most impactful experiences was the group’s first day at Acoma Pueblo, a lofty mesa that Native Americans have inhabited for thousands of years.
“We were in this incredibly sacred space where ancestors had been buried,” Smithers said. “Native Americans experienced a lot of hardships after colonization, and a lot of resilience had manifested. It was very beautiful and dark in the missionary church, and it felt sacred going there.”
At the Gallup Cultural Center, participants also engaged in hands-on cultural learning through an art activity led by Teri L. Frazier (Laguna Pueblo). Students created illustrations of the storytellers in their lives while listening to traditional flute and drum music performed by Zuni Pueblo holy men.