An idea four years in the making, under the supportive project management of Live Oak Principal and owner Deana Dartt, the Standards for Museums with Native American Collections (SMNAC) is a comprehensive document for use by museums with Native collections to clarify their roles as stewards and improve the museum field as it relates to Native American peoples, communities, and cultural items. Presented at the recent national conference of the American Alliance of Museums in Denver, CO, the SMNAC document will provide support for institutions to become true community partners, enabling them to connect collections with descendent communities for more meaningful, relevant and culturally sensitive interpretation and documentation. The SMNAC will serve to guide all aspects of work within museums holding Native collections, making recommendations for the seven Function Areas as identified by AAM’s Standards of Excellence: Mission and Planning, Collections Stewardship, Facilities and Risk Management, Education and Interpretation, Leadership and Organizational Structure, Financial Stability, Public Trust and Accountability.

Download the SMNAC here

Decolonization 101

A Native Values-Based Training to Address Inequity at the Foundational Level

• What do we mean by “Decolonization”?
• What does Native Sovereignty mean?
• Do you have confusing stumbling blocks navigating relationships with Native/Tribal partners?
• Do you need support thinking about Native issues in your work?

Shared understanding is the foundation to building a just world together.

Native people have been subject to systemic policies of erasure, and thus you have not had access to basic knowledge about them.

It’s not your fault, but it is all of our responsibility.

Demystify the history and understand contemporary Native survivance.

Discover how you can join the solution.

Join the training,

now for the first time open to the general public

CEU’s available for professional development. Contact info@liveoaknative.com to sign up.