Morales to visit tribal leaders at NMAI

[nosmokes]

While I doubt that this gets anything more than minimal coverage, it is an historic and important event.
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original-indiancountrytoday

Morales to visit tribal leaders at NMAI

By Rob Capriccioso

Story Published: Nov 17, 2008

Story Updated: Nov 18, 2008

WASHINGTON – Evo Morales, Bolivia’s indigenous president, plans to attend a meeting with North American tribal leaders at the National Museum of the American Indian.

The private event, which was requested by Morales, is scheduled to take place on Nov. 19.

“He wanted us to arrange a luncheon with Indian leaders from the United States and Canada,” a top NMAI official told Indian Country Today.

“It will be a quiet meeting with each other, and he will be making some remarks.”

The event, which is not planned to be open to the public, marks a landmark for NMAI, and signifies the museum’s growing influence on the national and international cultural stage.

Before the meeting, Morales is expected to attend a gathering at the Organization of American States.

Of Aymara descent, Morales is widely viewed as a hero among indigenous populations worldwide. He was first elected in December 2005, and won re-election with 67 percent of the vote after a recall referendum in August. He is Bolivia’s first fully-indigenous head of state in the 470 years since the Spanish Conquest.

One of the top goals during his leadership has been to increase power for his country’s indigenous via land reforms and redistribution of gas wealth.

Morales’ advisors were scheduled to meet with NMAI officials today to finalize details of the visit.

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complete article here

[arcadian]

1. That museum is such a disappointment

could have been so much better.

[nosmokes]

3. I haven't been there to see it, but what falls short?

The pics I've seen of the structure look pretty phenomenal. Are the exhibits not up to par?

[arcadian]

4. The building is great, I love the architecture.

But the exhibits are not so great. You expect to see artifacts and arts and crafts from a bygone era but they don't have that really. There are two large museum shops, both sell either "hokey" native american type stuff or stuff that costs thousands of dollars. The rest of the exhibits are lacking. Mostly contemporary Native American stuff that doesn't follow through with tradition. One of the floors is nothing but an auditorium and then there is an exhibit on the top floor that has some artifactual stuff mixed with European contact period stuff like guns etc. It's not that bad. I was expecting something along the lines of Denver's Native American museum. That is a really great one.

[Cleita]

2. Amy Goodman is interviewing him on "Democracy Now!" right now.

I'm sure the transcript will be up shortly on their website. He has an interesting POV of what's best for his country and it's not what the USA wants.