ABSTRACT
This chapter reflects upon Ash-Milby’s experience working with Indigenous objects in museum settings and traditional knowledge passed to her from Navajo family members. She argues that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to Indigenous artwork as some cultures might restrict access to certain material or knowledge. Ash-Milby examines curatorial practice through the lens of Indigenous curation and argues for understanding and accepting the limits of access to knowledge as a critical component as many Indigenous cultures recognize certain types of knowledge as powerful or even dangerous. For this reason, access to certain information is limited to specific people within the community, an idea in direct conflict to Western concepts of ownership and intellectual freedom. Ash-Milby argues that responsible and respectful Indigenous curation must respect these boundaries without compromising Indigenous perspective as scholars and curators, a process that also involves facilitating meaningful dialogue and relationships with artists.
