Art history homework

When answering the following questions, try to “deconstruct” the film (Think critically about what views Josh Bernstein supports and what does he leave out). Whose stories are being recounted here and whom do you believe?

****MAKE SURE to write your answers IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Do not simply copy answers from online sources.

Questions are addressed throughout the video. Listen closely!

1. What is “the mystery” of the Anasazi cliff dwellers? Did the people really just “disappear”?

2. What was the way of life of the Anasazi? Where did they live? What region is the heart of Anasazi country?

3. What do you notice about the architecture made by the Anasazi? What materials is it made of? What does a kiva look like?

4. What other examples of Anasazi arts do you notice in the film?

5. Why was Chaco Canyon important to the Anasazi? How is the site dated today?

6. What is the difference between the Native American (Hopi) and Non-Native (white peoples’) viewpoints in the film? Do you think Josh Bernstein listens to the Hopi elder Wilton Kooyahoema? Take into account the importance of oral history to the study of Native American cultures and history.

7. Near the end of the episode, Josh visits a petroglyph site along the San Juan River, Utah, with several Hopi elders and community members. The site they visit borders the Bears Ears National Monument, recently in the news concerning changes to its size and land use. Do a quick Google search and see if you can find out about the controversy surrounding the monument. Why might Bears Ears be especially important as a National Monument to Native Americans?