Collaborate: Power
in numbers proves itself in Montana. Individual museums, parks,
and other cultural attractions were often unable
to secure funding, but as a collective have been able to get
the attention of larger foundations and apply successfully for
grants. The effort has crossed not only organizational, but state
lines as well, going into North Dakota and Wyoming.
Find
the Fit between the Community and Tourism: Investigating
local customs is one thing, but visitors should be aware of and
sensitive to the etiquette of looking closely at other cultures.
At the annual Crow Fair, the WHC staffs an interpretive teepee
with a Native American employee. The teepee serves as the official
greeting site for all non-native people at the fair,
helping them better understand
the tribe’s traditions to enhance
the experience and ensure respect
for the Crow culture.
Make
Sites and Programs Come Alive: Through its “Museum
without Walls” program, the WHC provides
interactive experiences outside the museum itself. One popular
tour is “Ethnobotany on Horseback,” a
program presented on the Northern Cheyenne reservation. Native
guides from the Cheyenne Trail Riders
outfitting business lead horseback tours and teach guests about
the uses of local plants for physical and spiritual healing.
Focus
on Quality and Authenticity: Going
directly to the source is required for authenticity when creating
cultural
programs. For its loop tours, WHC is inventorying authentic folk
culture in the region. Traditional artists, craftspeople,
and folk artists, such as saddle-makers,
fly-tiers, gunsmiths, and quilt-makers are among those who will
be featured.
Preserve
and Protect Resources: Guided tours of significant
historical and archeological sites in the Yellowstone River Valley
provide opportunities not only for tourists, but also for the
sites’ stewards, who can carefully control the extent and
type of
visitation each site receives in order to
protect it from overuse or undue deterioration. Another Museum
without Walls tour is led by Crow oral and cultural historian,
Lawrence Flatlip, who takes visitors to
several historic sites on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations,
including Pictograph Caves, Medicine Rock, and Village Under
Siege. Flatlip indicates where picture taking is permissible
and restricted, and explains the conservation methods employed
to protect the sites.
Collaborate: Power
in numbers proves itself in Montana. Individual museums, parks,
and other cultural attractions were often unable
to secure funding, but as a collective have been able to get
the attention of larger foundations and apply successfully for
grants. The effort has crossed not only organizational, but state
lines as well, going into North Dakota and Wyoming.
Find
the Fit between the Community and Tourism: Investigating
local customs is one thing, but visitors should be aware of and
sensitive to the etiquette of looking closely at other cultures.
At the annual Crow Fair, the WHC staffs an interpretive teepee
with a Native American employee. The teepee serves as the official
greeting site for all non-native people at the fair,
helping them better understand
the tribe’s traditions to enhance
the experience and ensure respect
for the Crow culture.
Make
Sites and Programs Come Alive: Through its “Museum
without Walls” program, the WHC provides
interactive experiences outside the museum itself. One popular
tour is “Ethnobotany on Horseback,” a
program presented on the Northern Cheyenne reservation. Native
guides from the Cheyenne Trail Riders
outfitting business lead horseback tours and teach guests about
the uses of local plants for physical and spiritual healing.
Focus
on Quality and Authenticity: Going
directly to the source is required for authenticity when creating
cultural
programs. For its loop tours, WHC is inventorying authentic folk
culture in the region. Traditional artists, craftspeople,
and folk artists, such as saddle-makers,
fly-tiers, gunsmiths, and quilt-makers are among those who will
be featured.
Preserve
and Protect Resources: Guided tours of significant
historical and archeological sites in the Yellowstone River Valley
provide opportunities not only for tourists, but also for the
sites’ stewards, who can carefully control the extent and
type of
visitation each site receives in order to
protect it from overuse or undue deterioration. Another Museum
without Walls tour is led by Crow oral and cultural historian,
Lawrence Flatlip, who takes visitors to
several historic sites on the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations,
including Pictograph Caves, Medicine Rock, and Village Under
Siege. Flatlip indicates where picture taking is permissible
and restricted, and explains the conservation methods employed
to protect the sites.
