California Indian Archive Resources
Association of Tribal Archives Libraries, and Museums (ATALM)
ATALM’s website highlights its commitment “to preserving and advancing the language, history, culture, and life ways of indigenous peoples.” The site references numerous resources, including projects, services, financial support, technical assistance, and a variety of types of training.
Breath of Life Institute and Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival (AICLS)
The Breath of Life program is designed to keep indigenous languages alive. During the workshop in Berkeley, native participants work with linguists and archivists the university to get an orientation of the holdings and work on their projects.
The California Indian Heritage Center (CIHC)
The California Indian Heritage Center Foundation
These two related websites provide information about the future of the CIHC and the efforts of the CIHCF to realize the vision. CIHC according to the Foundation website, “… will be a distinctive and honorable place where past, current, and future experiences and achievements of California Indians are recognized, celebrated, and shared.” Larry Myers, CIHCF Chairperson and Executive Secretary, California Native American Heritage Commission, Retired.
Elsewhere on the Foundation website, “The CIHCF was created in 2009 to serve California’s Native community via support of projects, special events, outreach, and education programs at the State Indian Museum.” “The Foundation also supports the planning, implementation, and the construction of the future California Indian Heritage Center.”
The California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC)
“Weaving Native Culture Into The Future” In addition to their excellent museum, the CIMCC, as discussed on their website, “… provides opportunities for Native Americans to receive training and experience in a variety of fields such as museum direction, curation, design, and interpretation.”
The California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC)
As detailed in their website, “[t]he NAHC catalogs, and protects Native American cultural resources” in many significant ways, including policy development and issue resolution. NAHC also produced in 1971 a comprehensive overview listing of archives, libraries, museums and other institutions that house documents, artifacts and other materials entitled, Living Traditions: A Museum Guide for the Indian People of California Volumes 1-5. The series was distributed throughout the state.
The Hoopa Tribal Museum
www.hoopa-nsn.gov/departments/1490-2/museum/
This website discussed the elements that make the Hoopa Tribe’s Museum a “Living Museum” in that most of the artifacts and items of culturally patrimony are still actively being used by members of the tribe for tribal ceremonies and functions….The museum is for the Hupa people and not just about them.”
The Joseph A. Myers Center for Research on Native American Issues
The Center hosts the Native American Museum Studies Institute. As discussed on the website, the Institute “in collaboration with the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center and the Phoebe A Hearst Museum of Anthropology, provides a free intensive weeklong training in museum skills to staff and volunteers of tribal museums and cultural centers.”