Gateway Copper Corridor Winter 2024 E-edition

Preserving tradition while looking to the future
By Douglas Long
Editor
In 2018, Peridot native
Marlowe Cassadore
took over as
director of the San Carlos
Apache Culture Center
Museum. The museum
had been founded in the
late 1980s, as Cassadore
explained, by a group of
people who felt the need
to preserve Apache culture
and language.
“They thought one of
the best ways to do it was
to have a museum, because
there was this transition toward
younger Apache not
understanding who they
are, what their culture is and
their language,” he said.
Cassadore was born and
raised in the Peridot area,
where the museum is now
located along Highway 70.
When he started kindergarten
at Peridot Lutheran
Mission School, he didn’t
speak a word of English.
He came from a family rich
in Apache culture and tradition.
He later graduated
from the University of Arizona,
and then lived and
worked for a time in California
before returning to
San Carlos.
When Cassadore took
over as director five years
ago, the museum collection
already included a range of
displays on Apache baskets,
pottery, clothing, jewelry,
tools, foods, traditional
games and ceremonies, and
more. Cassadore immediately
stated his intention to
apply knowledge obtained
from Apache Elders to expand
the museum, add new
activities and even find a
new location.
“This museum was started
from scratch. Before, this
building was a place where
people got their cars fixed,
and then it was a small café.
It eventually became a museum,”
Cassadore said. “I
think it was supposed to be
temporary, this building.
It’s an old building, and it’s
not very suitable to protect
and preserve some of the
collection here, as far as climate
control and storage.”
Among Cassadore’s
tasks as director is applying
for grants for things like
purchasing instruments to
measure the moisture in the
air and to help regulate the
building’s temperature and
humidity levels. He also
hopes to secure funding
for capacity building so he
can hire consultants to help
with finding a new building
to properly house and preserve
the museum, to help
with the proper handling
and appreciation of the artwork
in the collection, and
to advise the museum on
how to become more organized
and codified in its
work.
The museum also recently
submitted a grant application
to offer classes to
develop Apache artisans to
make moccasins, baskets
See MUSEUM, page 22
FOLLOW US ON
FACEBOOK
Located near milepost 272 on Hwy 70
Fore more information,
please call 928-475-2894 or write to:
Cultural Center Director, Marlowe Cassadore
marlowe.cassadore@scat-nsn.gov
SAN CARLOS APACHE TRIBE CULTURAL CENTER
Gateway to the Copper Corridor Winter 2024
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