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