Dear Friends,
As I mentioned last week, change is afoot here at Archaeology Southwest, but we are being deliberate, tactical, strategic, and careful in the changes we make. I am thrilled to announce a recent and fantastic change around here—the arrival of our new director of philanthropy Ethan Smith Cox, who joined the team on Monday, June 10! Please join me in welcoming him with open arms!
A graduate of the University of Arizona, Ethan has called Tucson home for more than four decades. He is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and has more than two decades’ experience in southern Arizona. He has raised more than $50,000,000 in support of a Who’s Who of important nonprofits here.
Ethan began his fundraising career at the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation and has since held fundraising and other administrative positions at the Arizona Opera, the University of Arizona, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Planned Parenthood, and Tohono Chul Park.
As a volunteer, Ethan has served on nonprofit boards ranging from Tucson Pride to the Planned Giving Round Table, and from the LGBTQ+ Alliance Fund to the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Southern Arizona Chapter, which honored him with their prestigious Outstanding Fundraising Executive award in 2016!
Ethan’s fundraising philosophy is to create opportunities for everyone to support the thing(s) they care about most. As he often says, “Philanthropy is not about who can write the biggest check, it’s about helping everyone find a way to make a difference in their community, in any way possible.”
We are incredibly excited to work with Ethan to develop a fundraising strategy to take us into a major new chapter. Please help me welcome Ethan into the Archaeology Southwest community!
Happy Solstice,
Steve Nash
President & CEO, Archaeology Southwest
Banner image: A place in El Malpais National Monument, by Kellam Throgmorton
Encerrita Fire Started from Lightning Strike at El Malpais National Monument
National Park Service staff discovered a lightning-caused fire burning on El Malpais National Monument lands on the afternoon of Saturday, June 15. The Encerrita Fire, reported by the Oso Lookout, is located approximately 15 miles south-southwest of Grants, NM. As of Monday morning, there were approximately 60 firefighters working on the incident. The fire is burning in Ponderosa pine forest with a grass and timber litter understory with some medium logging slash from logging operations that were conducted pre-WWII. National Park Service (news release) | Read more »
Updates from NPS here »
Santa Ana Pueblo Regains Ancestral Land
An area of high desert hills and prairie near Albuquerque which was once called Alamo Ranch will again be known by its original name: Tamaya Kwii Kee Nee Puu. The 60,000 acres represent ancestral farming and hunting grounds of the “Tamayame,” the original Keres word for the people of the land. Spanish conquistadors later renamed the place after the Catholic patron Saint Anne. The people renamed by colonizers on Wednesday officially reacquired more than 100 square miles of the ancestral land where Santa Ana Pueblo citizens will continue to live with the land to hunt, produce clay for pottery and minerals for other ceremonial uses, said Jay Garcia, a former lieutenant governor and council member with the tribe. Pueblo officials bought the land from the family of former New Mexico Gov. Bruce King in 2016, the Associated Press reported. The King family used it as a cattle ranch, but realized the Pueblo had ancestral ties to the land, and would be the correct stewards of it, Garcia said. Austin Fisher for Source NM | Read more »
Commentary: Don’t Site Massive Telecomm Tower in Bears Ears
For many years, the Navajo and other local tribes—Hopi, Uintah, Ouray Ute, Zuni and Ute Mountain Ute—worked together to gain federal protection for this land. But what we gained is now threatened by developments that defile and dishonor the cultural and spiritual significance held by Navajo and other Native peoples. The most recent example is the plan to build a 460-foot telecommunications tower on a parcel of land owned by a Utah state agency, the Trust Lands Administration. The land that would house the tower is in the heart of the Bears Ears National Monument. If erected, this alien-looking tower will be a spear in the heart of the Bears Ears area. Mark Maryboy (Diné) in the Salt Lake Tribune | Read more »
Museum Collection Returns to Hopi for a Visit
[Patty Talahongva’s] Her creative vision is finally coming true through her initiative: “Tuma Angwu Owya.” She got permission, with help from Wesleyan, to temporarily return these treasures, including pottery and kachina dolls, to their homelands. “We’re bringing 31 items back to Hopi for a visit,” Talahongva said, “and that’s what ‘Tuma Angwu Owya’ means, we’re going to go visit home.” … The three-day visit is special since descendants of the original artisans, like Talahongva and her relatives, will get a chance to see and handle the artwork, but also reconnect with the legacy of their ancestors privately. “We have so many elders coming to see this collection,” Talahongva shared, “a woman who’s 93-years-old and going to see her mother’s pottery for the first time since she was a little girl.” Gabriel Pietrorazio for KJZZ (public radio) | Read more or listen now »
Blog: Understanding the Latest NAGPRA Regulations
The regulations promulgated under authority of Deb Haaland, the first U.S. Secretary of the Interior of Native American origin, on January 12, 2024, are the most comprehensive yet. While museums and Federal agencies may already have completed summaries of items in their possession, the new regulations require them to identify and consult with culturally affiliated Tribes and direct descendants and submit new summaries as part of the repatriation process. Other changes, throughout the regulations, continue with the stated goal of Secretary Haaland to insert the role of indigenous peoples as never before in the repatriation process. Randy Ream, Assistant US Attorney (retired) for Save History | Read more »
Blog: Well-Seasoned: Historical Perspectives on Precontact Pottery Making
Fontana and others found that mid-20th century Tohono O’odham potters only made vessels during the hot summer months, both for their comfort and to let unfired pots dry in the sun. However, mid-to-late 19th century and early 20th century accounts contradict this finding, which in turn has implications regarding precontact ceramic manufacture. For example, Fontana and others’ statement figures prominently in Frederick “Fred” Huntington’s argument regarding seasonal pottery manufacture at the West Branch site, AZ AA:16:3(ASM), during the Tucson Basin Hohokam Early and Middle Rincon phases (c. AD 950-1100). James M. Heidke in the Field Journal (Desert Archaeology Inc.) | Read more »
Podcast: Why Do We Eat at Funerals?
In this episode, Leyla Jafarova, a doctoral student at Boston University, examines the role of funeral foods in different cultural contexts—from the solemn Islamic funeral rites of the former Soviet Union to the symbolic importance of rice in West Africa. Food rituals help with bereavement because they carry cultural symbols, foster social cohesion, provide psychological comfort, and contribute to the expression of collective grief and remembrance within communities. Through food, human societies navigate the universal experience of death and mourning. SAPIENS | Listen now »
Position Announcement: Executive Director, Naco Heritage Alliance (Bisbee AZ)
The Naco Heritage Alliance, in partnership with the City of Bisbee, is excited to announce the open position of Executive Director. The ideal candidate for this role will be a dynamic leader, fundraiser, and relationship builder. The Executive Director will build on a successful foundation to ensure the future organizational health and prosperity of Naco Heritage Alliance and the preservation of Camp Naco. Applications will be accepted through July 15, 2024. Naco Heritage Alliance | Learn more »
Position Announcement: Research Analyst, Center for Digital Antiquity (Tempe AZ)
The Center for Digital Antiquity (CDA) at Arizona State University is seeking a Research Analyst for a 9-month appointment beginning in August 2024. In collaboration with CDA researchers, the successful applicant will work on the Comparative Digital Archaeological Studies sponsored by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). The Research Analyst will work with DPAA to explore how the management, organization, and analysis of archaeological data can enhance its search and recovery efforts for missing service personnel. The position will develop and execute a collaborative research project that will increase the applied and scholarly impact of the DPAAs datasets, by leveraging the unique capabilities of tDAR (the Digital Archaeological Record; www.tdar.org). The Research Analyst will be expected to work with the DPAA to create project deliverables and publish the results of this research in appropriate venues. The candidate for this position will need to meet and maintain information access requirements of the Department of Defense. Arizona State University | Learn more »
Call for Editor: Advances in Archaeological Practice
The Society for American Archaeology (SAA) invites applications for the editorship of its peer-reviewed journal Advances in Archaeological Practice. The editor’s term is for three years and may be renewed for an additional 2–3 years with the approval of the Publications Committee and SAA Board. Editor-designate will be appointed by January 1, 2025, for a term ending in April 2028, with a transitional period from the time of appointment working with the current editors, Sarah Herr, Christina Rieth, and Sjoerd van der Linde. The editor’s role can be filled by one or multiple people. Applications for editor are due by September 30, 2024. SAA | Learn more »
Internship Opportunity: KIVA
Are you a graduate student passionate about academic publishing, social media, and making a difference in the world of archaeology, anthropology, and history? The Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society (AAHS) Board is thrilled to announce the inaugural KIVA Publication and Social Media Internship for Fall 2024! This remote internship offers a unique chance to gain invaluable experience while working with KIVA, a leading journal in the field. Develop a publications communications strategy; Publish social media with recent publications; Write engaging blog posts, create curated collections of articles, and develop social media content; Pitch ideas for noteworthy social media content and network with researchers in southwestern archaeology’s leading journal. Compensation of $1,000 per month for three months. Application deadline: July 25, 2024.
To apply, submit your application as a PDF to the AAHS Publications Committee Chair: sherr@desert.com with subject line “Kiva Internship.” Your application should include a cover letter describing your approach to the internship, your experience with publications or outreach, what you would like to gain from the internship, and the name and contact information of one professional reference. If you would like to get credit for this internship, please provide the name of your academic supervisor.
2024 Pecos Conference Registration Now Open
The 2024 Pecos Conference will take place August 1–4 on Prescott National Forest, northeast of Chino Valley, Arizona. Online registration is open through July 12. Students with a valid school ID can register for a reduced rate. Native American presenters and attendees will receive a registration fee waiver. Talk and poster abstracts are being accepted. For those 35 and under, the Cordell/Powers Prize will take place again this year. Pecos Conference | Learn more and register »
June Subscription Lectures (Santa Fe NM)
June 24, Scott Ortman and Robert Weiner, Continuity and Rupture in Pueblo Ritual Landscapes from the Chaco World to the Rio Grande Valley. Monday evenings, 6:00 p.m., Hotel Santa Fe, $20 at the door or $55 for the June series. Southwest Seminars | Learn more »
REMINDER: June 27 Online Event: Wild Food and Cuisine
With Reyna Banteah and Katrina Blair. Wild-food and cultivated plants are found everywhere on the globe alongside human civilizations. They follow our footsteps impeccably, as humans create niches for them to grow through disturbance and careful cultivation. In return, they provide the life force needed to do our work, while we enjoy taste sensations of creative cuisine. This presentation offers perspectives from two women who are passionate about sustainable food pathways in both pristine environments and in our backyards. We explore the ethics of gathering, learn about essential nutrients, and how cuisine with wild foods boosts our vitality, provides our medicine, and feeds our souls. Crow Canyon Archaeological Center | Learn more and register (free) »
July 11 Online Event: The Land Leads Us: Indigenous Learnings in Conservation, Leadership, and Movements
With Charissa Miijessepe-Wilson. The presentation explores a holistic approach to land stewardship, emphasizing the spiritual interconnectedness of all living things and the importance of nurturing relationships with the land. Charissa highlights the concept of being an aspiring ancestor, which involves values-driven, intuitive leadership, and recognizing that progress includes learning from mistakes. The presentation underscores the significance of generational sustainability, uplifting both youth and elders and integrates these principles within the context of land stewardship at Bears Ears National Monument and the work of the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition. Crow Canyon Archaeological Center | Learn more and register (free) »
July 15 Online Event: History and Landscape at Two Chacoan Communities in New Mexico
With Kellam Throgmorton. This presentation compares the archaeology of two Chacoan communities in New Mexico—Padilla Wash and Morris 40. Dating between AD 750-1250, these two communities offer an extensive historical record before, during, and after the Chacoan era (A.D. 850-1150). In both cases, landscape was an important factor in community organization. Dr. Throgmorton will compare and contrast the two communities to demonstrate how landscape manipulation may have been important to the expansion of Chacoan architecture and religious practices. Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society | Learn more and register (free) »
July 18 Online Event: Decolonizing Cartography
With Annita Lucchesi. Cartography, or the science of mapmaking, is often portrayed as a European invention and lives in popular imagination as primarily a tool of colonial exploration and domination. However, Indigenous peoples around the world have their own cartographic traditions and have been making maps of their homelands since time immemorial. In this webinar, Cheyenne geographer, Dr. Annita Lucchesi, will share her work in Indigenous cartography and why recognizing and uplifting Indigenous contributions to cartography is vital to the fields of cartography and geography and to building community wellness. Crow Canyon Archaeological Center | Learn more and register (free) »
July 18 Online Event: Envisioning a Cultural Landscape
With Greg Munson. His talk will focus on incorporating tribal consultation and expanding the idea of archaeological site boundary to interpret landscape-level interactions of people with the local environment, nearby villages, and their more distant landscape, especially mountain peaks. Third Thursday Food for Thought series (Old Pueblo Archaeological Center) | Learn more and register (free) »
Video Channel Roundup
Time to get caught up with recent videos and webinars (and there have been a lot—check these links out!) at the YouTube channels of our Partners and Friends. (And please do let us know if your channel isn’t in this list but should be.)
Amerind Foundation
Archaeology Southwest
Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society
Arizona State Museum
Aztlander
Bears Ears Partnership
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
Grand Canyon Trust
Grand Staircase Escalante Partners
Mesa Prieta Petroglyphs Project
Mission Garden (Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace)
Museum of Indian Arts and Cultures
Museum of Northern Arizona
Old Pueblo Archaeology Center
San Diego Archaeological Center
School for Advanced Research
Southwest Seminars
The Archaeological Conservancy
Verde Valley Archaeology Center
Remember to send us notice of upcoming webinars and Zoom lectures, tours and workshops, and anything else you’d like to share with the Friends. Thanks!