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8.01.08 | The Traveling Medicine Show provides cultural outreach to thousands of Montana’s schoolchildren.
Once the par fleche case was used as a means to transport goods by the Northern Plains Indians. Today it is used to transport ideas and transform understanding of Native culture and history in Montana. A collaborative project between the Hockaday Museum of Art in Flathead County and artists and educators of the Blackfeet Nation, the Traveling Medicine Show is beginning its second year of touring the state.
The exhibit case has grown to include several cases holding ancient, traditional and contemporary works of art and artifacts. Students have the opportunity for a highly interactive learning experience with primary source items, displays, and hands-on activities. In addition, Blackfeet facilitators travel with the exhibit and teach the culture and traditional practices of the Northern Plains Indians directly to the students. The mission of the program is to build bridges of understanding between Native Americans and non-Native Americans through art and culture.
The Hockaday Museum’s Development Director, Lucy Smith, was familiar with the philanthropic work of Dennis and Phyllis Washington, herself a 25-year Montana resident. When she heard the Washington Foundation’s public radio sponsorship, citing its commitment to cultural and educational endeavors, it just clicked.
The museum was working on raising funds to maintain the already popular Traveling Medicine Show, started in 2007. Bringing both culturally-based art education and assisting with the implementation of the Indian Education for All Act, the Traveling Medicine Show proved a perfect fit with the Foundation’s efforts. Smith applied for and received a grant to help support the continued success of the program.
The Foundation supports expanded access to learning. Rural outreach is significant in a state like Montana where distance can be a hindrance to education and cultural understanding. "The outreach provided by the Hockaday Museum is unique in that it presents art in direct relationship to Montana and Montanans," said Mike Halligan, Executive Director of the Washington Foundation. "There are very few schools, particularly in the rural areas, that would have the resources to create this type of learning experience on their own. "
The Traveling Medicine show has done more than bring a relevant art experience to children in Northwest Montana. "This program allows the museum to deepen our relationship with the Blackfeet and Northern Plains Indians. We have built strong ties with the Museum of the Northern Plains, and have collaboratively pulled elements together," said Smith. In addition, the exhibit has helped educators gain a better understanding of Native culture. "Teachers, more than once, have admitted to being a source of misunderstanding. They have been able to correct the record, and be better educators because of this exhibit," said Smith.
The Traveling Medicine Show generally takes place for half a day and can be tailored to individual classrooms or for an entire school. In some schools parents, guests and other community members are invited to attend the lesson. Follow-up education is provided to school faculty as well. Over 2,500 students from kindergarten to 12th grade have participated in schools from West Glacier to Noxon. The exhibit has also made appearances at nursing homes, in front of tour groups, at the Montana Historic Society and the Glacier Institute.
"The Glacier Institute and the Sierra Club host a summer camp for inner city kids. We brought the show to the camp and these kids from Houston were just amazed. They became completely tuned into the art and culture," said Kathy Martin, Director of Education at the Hockaday Museum.
The program is inclusive, meaning a Hockaday staff member travels with the trunk to answer questions and make sure the art and artifacts are respected. Whenever possible the museum arranges for a Blackfeet artist to travel with them. Martin herself is often there and understands how important funding support is to this program. "To take the program out is about a 10 hour day. We are traveling, bringing artists, providing materials for art projects. The presentation takes between an hour and an hour and a half. We may do that three times in one day. There is a lot that goes into it," said Martin.
"We set up the exhibit like a museum, although there are no barriers. Kids can try on a feather bonnet and play some of the drums," said Martin. "One of the artists showed the kids how to make paint. After recess they came in with rocks to crush for paint and twigs to use as brushes. They were so excited."
As The Traveling Medicine Show rolls into its second year, Martin expresses a desire to take it to more places within the state and into some of the reservation schools as well. "The greatest benefit is for all of us to find some kind of understanding of a culture that was here before a lot of us," said Martin. "We study Egyptian and Greek history in schools, but this is our history, the Blackfeet, Salish and Kootenai. We need to understand that many traditions still exist. We need to see that we have things in common and make connections with our lives today to increase the knowledge of Montana’s historic culture."
