The Verde Valley Archaeology Center and Museum has had an eventful year full of exhibits, programs, lectures, and events and looks forward to continuing this success for years to come through contributions to VVAC's end-of-year giving.
In April, VVAC opened the exhibit Indigenous Cosmology and Astronomy that highlighted the archaeoastronomy of early Indigenous peoples of the Verde Valley. Native people in this area followed the sun and stars to monitor time, creating solar calendars to coordinate plantings and harvests.
In October, we proudly debuted the exhibition One Canyon: Three Worlds - Inside the Grand Canyon National Park Collection. This exhibit, currently on display, features items never before seen to the public from the Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection, ranging from prehistoric times to the 19th Century. This informative exhibit links cultural connections between the Grand Canyon and the Verde Valley, as both areas have Ancestral Hopi and Ancestral Puebloan sacred sites and shrines that are still active and visited today by Native peoples.
VVAC hosted a plethora of engaging and educational events in 2023. Ken Zoll, Director Emeritus, presented a lecture at The Crane Petroglyph Heritage Site at the Historic V-V Ranch on the Summer Solstice in June. Attendees were able to witness a shaft of light illuminate a point on the solar calendar that indicated a date on the corn planting timeline.
VVAC and Friends of the Forest Service will also be hosting an upcoming Winter Solstice event on Friday, December the 22nd, at The Crane Site at 1:00pm. Zoll’s talk begins at 1:30pm, and the first light dagger will appear at 2:00pm.
In November, we excitedly hosted our first Indigenous Film Festival in conjunction with the Sedona International Film Festival. The two-day event featured films by Indigenous and Native creators from the United States, Canada (First Nation) and Latin America. The festival highlighted the works of Indigenous filmmakers while creating a sense of cultural understanding to break down systematic barriers.
VVAC participated in the Pecos Conference and the Arizona Archaeological Council, continuing to further our involvement in the archaeological community of Arizona and the Greater American Southwest.
VVAC expanded programming and hosted many entertaining and informative lectures with presenters from a variety of backgrounds. In February, Dr. Matthew Goodwin presented “Dark Skies and Why They Matter,” discussing the various forms of light pollution and their effects as well as the philosophical and reflective nature of the night sky.
VVAC expanded programming and hosted many entertaining and informative lectures with presenters from a variety of backgrounds. In February, Dr. Matthew Goodwin presented “Dark Skies and Why They Matter,” discussing the various forms of light pollution and their effects as well as the philosophical and reflective nature of the night sky.
In May, Ahkima Honyumptewa, of the rattlesnake clan from the Village of Paaqavi on the Hopi reservation, discussed Hopi textiles. He shared pieces he created and the importance of maintaining this cultural tradition.
In October, Mr. Vincent E. Randall, Apache Cultural Director at the Yavapai-Apache Nation, shared the history of the Native peoples of the Verde Valley for Indigenous Peoples Day. He discussed the history of his people starting with their creation story, to their exodus, and the formation of the Yavapai-Apache Nation.
Richard McGaugh, led numerous members’ hikes, including excursions to Palatki Heritage Site, Homolovi State Park, and Wupatki National Monument.
In order to continue hosting these engaging and educational events, VVAC is asking for your support! Even during the best of times, museums like VVAC operate on razor thin margins, often surviving on month-to-month finances. We are focusing on our immediate financial needs and monthly operational expenses, as well as our financial sustainability campaign spanning years to come.
“As 2023 comes to a close and as we are about to usher in 2024, it has been an incredible year with splendid events and programs here at the museum,” said Monica Buckle, Executive Director. “None of this is possible without your unwavering support, enthusiasm, and shared interest to preserve, conserve and educate the public about the Indigenous cultures of the Verde Valley.”
VVAC kindly asks members and supporters like you to make a tax deductible year-end gift. Donations strengthen museum exhibits, events, and programs while aiding in the maintenance of our state-of-the-art facility. The generosity of our donors increases our reputation for excellence within the archaeological community, as well as the greater Verde Valley community that we serve.
To Make A Tax Deductible Year-End Gift Please Visit This Link:
“Due to your gift giving, we are able to keep our doors open,” said Buckle. “At the moment we are struggling with our monthly operational expenses and we have immediate financial needs. We're an understaffed cultural institution. However, if it was not for the tremendous dedication of our volunteers, none of these amazing things could be possible. If you are inspired by any of the functions you've attended in the past year and our mission to further the knowledge of the Indigenous cultures of the Verde Valley, then please feel so inclined to make a kind, tax deductible donation. Your gift makes an impact and enhances the lives of so many people in the greater Verde Valley community.”
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