Indigeneity is deeply rooted in connections to land, community, and cultural heritage. Yet, it also carries the histories of displacement, forced migration, and survival in the face of colonialism and socio-economic hardship. For those removed from their ancestral homelands, the struggle to reclaim roots and sustain cultural traditions remains ongoing. At the same time, Indigenous peoples who migrate to lands with layered histories seek to maintain their cultural identities while honoring the histories and communities of the places they now inhabit. In this way, indigeneity and diaspora are inextricably intertwined. When land, history, and people are acknowledged with respect, these experiences can coexist, resisting forces that attempt to sever those connections.
This book display explores key perspectives on indigeneity and diaspora, offering a dynamic lens through which to understand identity, belonging, and resilience. Inspired by the exhibition Offerings to the Potomac: Acknowledging Indigenous Place, this collection examines the intersection of these themes. The exhibition, curated by the Spring 2024 Public History in Action class under the guidance of Professor Gabrielle Tayac and creatively expanded by Mason Exhibitions, honors the Doeg people, who once lived throughout the region now home to the Mason Fairfax campus. It also highlights the rich cultural presence of diasporic Latin American Indigenous communities in Northern Virginia—individuals who have left their ancestral lands and established new homes here.
Themes Explored in This Collection
- Indigenous Identity & Survival – How Indigenous communities assert and sustain their identities amidst colonial histories, systemic erasure, and cultural transformations.
- Resistance & Political Struggles – Movements for self-determination, constitutional recognition, and governance in the face of ongoing oppression and global exploitation.
- Performance & Public Representation – The role of performance, art, and public space in shaping and contesting narratives of indigeneity, belonging, and sovereignty.
- Museums, Heritage & Historical Narratives – Debates over representation, cultural ownership, and the responsibilities of institutions in preserving and interpreting Indigenous histories.
- Migration, Displacement & Global Indigeneity – Indigenous experiences in urban spaces, diasporic communities, and the ongoing impacts of forced migration, colonization, and globalization.
Through this selection, we invite you to explore indigeneity and diaspora as dynamic, intersecting forces—stories of resilience, adaptation, and the enduring ties that connect people to land, culture, and each other.
We encourage you to visit Provisions Library to browse these books and experience the exhibition. Stay tuned for upcoming book discussions and special activities.
Books in the Window at Provisions Library
On Display: February-March
Location: Low level, Art and Design Building at Mason
Exhibition: Offerings to the Potomac: Acknowledging Indigenous Place
Dates: February 24 – April 25, 2025
Location Buchanan Hall Atrium Gallery, George Mason University (Fairfax)
BOOK COLLECTION
- Louisiana Creole Peoplehood: Afro-Indigeneity and Community – Edited by Rain Prud’homme-Cranford, Darryl Barthé Jr., and Andrew Jolivétte (2022)
- Urban Mountain Beings: History, Indigeneity, and Geographies of Time in Quito, Ecuador – Kathleen S. Fine-Dare (2020)
- Defiant Indigeneity: The Politics of Hawaiian Performance – Stephanie N. Teves (2018)
- Performing Indigeneity: Global Histories and Contemporary Experiences – Edited by Laura R. Graham & H. Penny (2014)
- Archaeologies of “Us” and “Them”: Debating History, Heritage, and Indigeneity – Edited by Charlotta Hillerdal, Anna Karlström, & Carl-Gösta Ojala (2017)
- 500 Years of Indigenous Resistance Comic Book: Revised and Expanded – Gord Hill; Foreword by Pamela Palmater (2021)
- Peace, Power, Righteousness: An Indigenous Manifesto – Taiaiake Alfred (1999)
- Paradigm Wars: Indigenous Peoples’ Resistance to Globalization – Edited by Jerry Mander (2006)
- Spirited Encounters: American Indians Protest Museum Policies and Practices – Karen Coody Cooper (2007)
- Possessions: Indigenous Art / Colonial Culture / Decolonization – Nicholas Thomas (1999)
This display was possible through the collaboration between Provisions Library and George Mason University Libraries.
Curarted by Soojung Paek
| Keywords Indigeneity, diaspora, identity, belonging, resilience, colonialism, displacement, migration, cultural heritage, communities, self-determination, political struggles, sovereignty, performance, representation, historical narratives, urban indigeneity, globalization |
