[Source: Emily Seftel, Arizona Republic] -- It's not every day that you stumble across a museum in which the story behind it is as interesting as the collections within it. If you visit the Smoki Museum of American Indian Art and Culture, however, that's what you'll find. That doesn't detract from the museum's collections. Those who enjoy Native American craftsmanship will find plenty in the displays of artifacts, pottery, baskets and more. But what sets the museum apart is the exhibit adjacent to the main gallery: "And Then They Danced: Cross-Cultural Reflections on the Smoki People." It's fairly easy to overlook this part of the museum because it's housed in a small room in back. But don't give it short shrift, because it provides the fascinating history of the Smoki. If you walk too briskly through the room, you'll miss the key piece of information on the placard at the front; namely, that the Smoki People weren't Native Americans at all, but a group of White men wearing Indian costumes, body paint and makeup. The Smoki date back to 1921, when financially strapped Prescott faced the possibility of having to cancel its annual Frontier Days Rodeo. A group of local businessmen staged a "Way Out West" show, which they hoped would raise enough money to save the rodeo. The show played to popular notions of cowboys and Indians, and one of the acts was the Smoki Snake Dance. Performed by the businessmen, the dance imitated the sacred Hopi Snake Dance.
The first performance was a rousing success, and the Smoki People were born. The fake tribe's popularity grew. The Smoki formed a women's auxiliary, which took charge of costume design and fabrication. After two years as part of the Smoki, a woman could shed her "maiden" status and become a Smoki Squaw. Children also became involved and received costumes and wigs made of black yarn. The social aspect of the organization appealed to many, and, after a few years, most Prescott residents were affiliated in some way with the Smoki. The group opened its permanent museum in 1935. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]
