New exhibit opens at Shawnee Indian Mission

The Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site in Fairway will soon host exhibits that tell the stories passed through hundreds of years of American Indian history.

Artwork and exhibits about American Indian culture have been moved to Fairway from the Native American Heritage Museum near Highland, Kan.

The exhibits had been housed in a former Presbyterian Mission built in the 19th century to educate children from the Iowa and Sac and Fox tribes.

"Their story matches our story here," said Anita Faddis, Shawnee Indian Mission, site administrator.

In the past two years, the state historical society has received a 17 percent budget reduction, officials said. In light of these cuts, the Kansas Historical Society announced in May the Highland historic site would operate as a drive-through site.

The historical building is no longer open but has exterior signs that tell the story of the building's historic function.

But, instead of "mothballing" the entire exhibit, some items have been moved to the museum in Fairway.

"We feel like their community's loss is our gain," Faddis said. "We're excited to be guardians of these exhibits for them. It is an asset to our community."

The Shawnee Indian Mission exhibits explain how the lives of American Indians were changed through missionary life and the school created to teach American Indian children.

The new exhibits explain the history of forced removal and emigration of tribes, specifically those relocated from the Great Lakes area to Kansas.

The tribes faced forced adaptation to new lifestyles and new traditions, but the exhibits show that many traditions and artistic and spiritual expressions remained. The museum also shows how art developed through interaction from tribe to tribe and between American Indians and Europeans.

"They were definitely a culture under attack," Faddis said. "This is the story of what survived."

The exhibits feature the artwork of tribal artists from across the country, including beadwork, weavings, paintings and clothing.

The items include pieces by Kevin Throssell, a member of the Tohono O'Odham tribe. Throssell makes traditional baskets from baling wire, a skill he learned on his grandfather's ranch in Arizona, according to the exhibit literature.

There are also the drums created by Henry Collins, who grew up in Oklahoma. His creations come from a spiritual tradition passed down in his family for more than 300 years. Collins learned about traditional drums from his father and creates drums for the Ponca and other tribes.

Some of the frameworks for exhibits have been created out of tipi poles used in Kevin Costner's 1990 Oscar award-winning film "Dances with Wolves."

The exhibits also tell about the lives of American Indians today. Members of the Iowa, Kickapoo, Potawatomi, and Sac and Fox tribes remain in Kansas.

"This additional exhibit gives another dimension and adds to the story we are trying to tell here," Faddis said. ‘This is part of the story of Kansas and the nation. And it all happened right here."

FAST FACTS

The exhibit opens July 9 at the Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site, 3403 W. 53rd St., Fairway. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The admission fee is $3 for adults and $2 for seniors and students.

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