California Continued, featuring Native American medicinal plant lore, opens Oct. 9th, 2016 at
The Autry Museum in Griffith Park.
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| Sacajewia? No, Pocahontas. |
This is the most transformative project in the Autry's nearly 30-year history. With immersive storytelling and nearly 20,000 square feet of gallery and garden spaces,
California Continued explains how traditional Native ecological knowledge gained through centuries of experience can help present-day residents understand and care for California's environment (half of which is still in
Mexico, where it's called
Baja California).
Two new exhibition galleries present extraordinary art, artifacts, and personal ephemera, including many objects from the [shuttered] Southwest Museum of the American Indian collection on view for the very first time!,
Beyond the galleries, a new ethnobotanical garden features more than 60 Native plants and activities that explore how generations of peoples, especially First Californians, have made use of plants and water.
Connecting and complementing each of the experiences, a dual-screen projection room reveals landscapes and close-ups across California, from deserts to the coasts. FEATURING:
Exhibition: The Life and Work of Mabel McKay
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| A Pomo Indian woman in 2015 (wiki) |
Explore the Autry’s first-ever solo show dedicated to a Native American woman’s life and work.
Healer Mabel McKay (1907-1993), a
Long Valley Cache Creek [
Kai Pomo, "grass people," the Cahto/Kato Athabaskan band]
Pomo woman from Northern California, represents a fascinating modern figure who maintained traditional ways.
McKay is celebrated as a master basket weaver, traditional healer, advocate for her community and environment, and teacher who shared her knowledge of Pomo traditions worldwide.
Focusing on four key California stories -- Salmon, Fire, Desert, and Plants
-- Human Nature reveals how traditional ecological knowledge can help current residents understand and care for the environment.
Vividly illustrated with Native American objects and contemporary artworks, photography, soundscapes, and multimedia displays, the exhibition investigates the ways in which culture and ecology merge in the California landscape.
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In the outdoor
ethnobotanical garden, discover more than 60 native California plant species and examples of their past and present uses.
Designed by landscape architect Matthew Kennedy (Ponca), the 7,000-square-foot space comprises seating and relaxation areas, a wetlands cove, pond, waterfall, basalt columns, and a California Oak tree.
An interactive digital guide offers detailed information about the garden’s many elements.
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