Celebrate the culmination of five years of local research by Northern Arizona University’s Ecological Oral Histories Project that has resulted in a new book and an exhibit showcasing the stories of long-time residents of northern Arizona.
An opening event at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, at the Coconino Center for the Arts and at the Pioneer Museum will feature Pulitzer Prize-winning author Timothy Egan, along with the former chairman of the Hopi Tribe, Vernon Masayesva, and Arizona rancher Wink Crigler as speakers.
The event celebrates the publication of the new book What Has Passed and What Remains: Oral Histories of Northern Arizona’s Changing Landscapes. Edited by Peter Friederici, an assistant professor of journalism at NAU, and with photographs by Dan Boone and Ryan Belnap of the university’s Bilby Research Center, the book features stories from 13 narrators interviewed over the course of the project.
The Ecological Oral Histories Project is a collaborative effort involving numerous NAU programs and institutes. Most of the interviews for the project were conducted by students from a range of disciplines including history, English, anthropology, environmental studies, sustainability studies and more. Titled “What Has Passed and What Remains,” the exhibit at the Pioneer Museum uses photos, words and multimedia to depict the narratives of numerous local long-time residents. It will remain on display indefinitely at the museum.
Admission is free at the Pioneer Museum from 5 to 7 p.m. on opening night. Beginning April 22, the exhibit will be on view during the museum’s regular hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, at regular admission prices.