In the News
Lassoing light and capturing the magic between horse and rider
Alumnus and professional photographer Chris Sessions explains how one of his first photo assignments 30 years ago in a CU Boulder class evolved into a cultural art exhibit at the Center of the American West.
The history of Native people and the National Park Service in the United States is fraught. Dispossession, cultural insensitivity, and outright erasure characterize the long relationship that the NPS has with Indigenous groups. But change is possible, as Drs. Christina Hill, Matthew Hill, and Brooke Neely (Research Associate, Center of the American West) adeptly demonstrate in National Parks, National Sovereignty: Experiments in Collaboration (U of Oklahoma Press, 2024). This edited collection contains several case studies that focus not just on critique, but practical tools and outcomes for use by public historians interested in forging partnerships between scholars and Native communities.Ìý
Center of the American West charts a path to the future
Featured in CU Boulder Today, this article outlines the latest news and initatives from the Center of the American West. From reinvigorating our Certificate in Western American StudiesÌýto continued work with the National Parks Service and issues of tribal sovereignty, read on to learn more.
The Center of the American West welcomes you to:
CharrerÃa: exploring the human-horse connection in Mexican Rodeo
For ten years, CU alum Chris Sessions has been documenting charrerÃa (also known as Mexican Rodeo) as experienced by Colorado-local professionals, their families and communities - including their horses. From masterful use of the lasso to the skirmish techniques of the female-led escaramuzas, the 21 stunning black & white and color photographs selected for this exhibit speak to the undeniableÌýconnection between horse &Ìýrider.
In scales both vast and intimate, come witness a rich tradition as it plays out in the current complexity of the American West.
For more information: Ìý|Ìý Ìý@charrosdecoloradoÌý
Please join us for the following Spring 2024 events
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED, thank you for your understanding. If you would like to stay informed about the rescheduling of this event, we have left the open to collect contact information (email).
We are honored to present an evening with renowned Cheyenne educator and advocate Dr. Henrietta Mann. A descendant from survivors of the Sand Creek Massacre, Dr. Mann will reflect on the lasting effects of this tragic event on Cheyenne women. She will share ideas for how best to educate young people and the general public about this dark history, as well as discuss current efforts to acknowledge the massacre. Join us to listen, reflect, and discuss how we collectively reckon with the past in the present, and for generations to come.
PRESENTED BY: , Center of the American West, Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies at CU Boulder. With additional support from .
To register:
Email: centerwest@colorado.edu
Phone: 303-492-2879
Via
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Â鶹ÊÓƵ Land Acknowledgment
The Â鶹ÊÓƵ, Colorado’s flagship university, honors and recognizes the many contributions of Indigenous peoples in our state. CU Boulder acknowledges that it is located on the traditional territories and ancestral homelands of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Ute and many other Native American nations. Their forced removal from these territories has caused devastating and lasting impacts. While the Â鶹ÊÓƵ can never undo or rectify the devastation wrought on Indigenous peoples, we commit to improving and enhancing engagement with Indigenous peoples and issues locally and globally.
We will do this by:
- Recognizing and amplifying the voices of Indigenous CU Boulder students, staff and faculty and their work.Ìý
- Educating, conducting research, supporting student success and integrating Indigenous knowledge.
- Consulting, engaging and working collaboratively with tribal nations to enhance our ability to provide access and culturally sensitive support and to recruit, retain and graduate Native American students in a climate that is inclusive and respectful.