It’s the Curator’s Job to Listen

Creating a successful exhibition about Indigenous people requires collaboration with the community being represented. “Tevaaxa’nga (Te-vaah-ha-nga) to Today: Stories of the Tongva People” aimed to improve the exhibition development process at Rancho Los Cerritos. Addressing challenges related to the museum’s archives, object collections, and historical interpretation resulted in an exhibition by and about the Tongva that honors their history and current role in the Southern California community. Working closely with a committee of Tongva educators and scholars to research, develop, and implement this exhibition created a space for true Indigenous representation at Rancho Los Cerritos.