The museum

The Museum hosts instruction of a variety of tribal cultural and/or traditional crafts, language, singing and dancing. Space is limited and registrants must be of a Federally Recognized Indian Tribe. Although we do have a list of pending tutorials, we have been placed on pause until the COVID restrictions are lifted.

It is imperative that the cultural intellect must be protected and therefore each session held and the teaching thereof are not to be exploited, but taught for the perpetuation of one's culture and traditions. 

'The Colorado River reservation was established on the recommendation of Colonel Charles D. Poston, Superintendent of Indian Affairs of Arizona Territory, who held a council with the Indians at La Paz early in 1864. This council was attended by the principal chiefs and leading men of the Yuma, Mojave, Yavapai and Chemehuevi tribes. Soon after making his report and recommendation concerning this reservation Colonel Poston was selected as the Delegate to Congress from the newly organized Territory of Arizona, and it is largely due to his efforts that Congress approved the establishment of a reservation.' C. Girard Davidson, Assist. Sec. of Interior 1947

1865, On March 3, the Colorado River Reservation is established. 75,000 acres of trust lands are set aside from the public domain. Although established for Mohave, Chemehuevi, Hualapai, Yavapai and Quechan the last three tribes refused to move from their ancestral homelands. --Taken from Chronology of Historical Events. CRIT Museum Files

"Our leader, Irataba (Yaratev), saw for himself the reality of the whites in the east, and quickly protected his people by moving them to the most southern valley of their land far from the whites coveting Mohave valley, which is here. His leadership and forethought protected his people and our covenant in to the present day. His proud and dignified leadership caused President Lincoln to legally set aside territory for the Mohave under the laws of the United States on March 3, 1865. This is the reason we have a reservation that still protects us and the land and water and why we celebrate today." Dr. Michel Tsosie, Late CRIT Member/Historian/Former Museum Director. 

Often times the Museum gets visits by persons who have in their possession what they believe to be an artifact/s and want to know more about their "finds" so they bring them in. For example, items found while on a trail, in a wash, left by grandparents who've passed and found in garages/attics, estate sales, etc.  We appreciate the interests of wanting to learn more about the origins of the items and the desire to do the right thing and "give them back".  

Before you come across and inadvertent discovery while trudging the landscape and considering to pick-up a piece of pottery sherd (not shard), or rock art, matate, mono, etc. know that federal and tribal laws govern that these pieces are to be left "insitu" or in its original place.  (After November 16, 1990) Penalties are imposed for defacing petroglyphs or items destroyed.

Why? Because these items could very well be left by our ancestors as funerary objects that are deemed sacred or bear human remains within or about them and are now lawfully protected. There are ancestral corridors that exist today where these objects still remain and are often hiked, disturbed by off road vehicles, or sifted to the surface by the wind and rains. 

Should your curiosity motivate you want to know more about what you've come across a picture and known location could be presented to our Tribal Historic Preservation Office, THPO, 928-669-5822. This is the department that is charged with cataloging, mapping through global positioning system (GPS) and Monitoring of cultural sensitive sites on and off our reservation. The department is located on North 1st Avenue, south of the Parker Indian Health Service, Parker, Az.