Sante Fe trip: Day 2

Tuesday 8-03-04

We began the day by visiting the State Library of New Mexico. We were given a presentation on the services they offered, most specifically for tribal libraries. I was very impressed, even though they indicated that there is still a long way to go before they had reached the level of services they wanted. They seemed most concerned with the digital divide which is still so apparent in many tribal areas. Many still don’t have any phone lines. I was most fascinated with the language preservation programs they helped to offer. As a third cultured child who no longer speaks her mother tongue fluently, language preservation is an idea very close to my heart because I understand all to well the link between language and cultural identity, not to mention personal identity. I’m also fascinated with how sensitive some Native Americans are when it comes to sharing their culture and the difficulties this poses when it comes to language and cultural preservation.
We also visited the archives in Sante Fe. They have a wonderful and very extensive photo collection and a nice collection of historical maps. The photo archivist was a recent MLIS graduate who had just started a few weeks ago. She seemed a little overwhelmed. It seemed like an overwhelming job.
Later in the afternoon we drove to Bandelier National Monument for a Night Walk tour. I got car sick again on the way up, but it was worth it. It was an unbelievable experience. We walked around in silence listening as the ranger recited Native American stories and poetry. The whole thing was so magical. I caught some of the students crying.