Memories of Migration: New Mexico, Part 6

Videos

Shortform video (e.g., videos under ten minutes in length) is becoming increasingly important for museums both in exhibits and on social media. The three videography students in the Exhibit Design Class working on the Memories of Migration project each chose their own topics. Nick Lormand, a dual major in biology from Colorado, chose to focus on the ecological uniqueness of Las Vegas and its surroundings and why it is such a good place for a town. The video by Andrew Shepard, a Navajo student from Shiprock, NM, focuses on the role of Las Vegas in a very dark episode in American history, the forced migration known as the Navajo Long Walk, the subject of a longer video he had recently produced for the Bosque Redondo Memorial during an AmeriCorps Cultural Technology internship. And in his video, Chris Killion, a student from Farmington, NM, explores the influx of settlers who came to farm the rich agricultural land surrounding Las Vegas and the environmental and economic forces that caused them to leave.     

A sense of place: The Las Vegas environment is rich in natural resources and scenic beauty. It was also a strategic location militarily and as a center for trade. Once you know that, it’s easy to understand why so many people were attracted to the area and why there was so much conflict over the opportunity to settle here—it’s always been a good place for a town.

Forced migration: Native American tribes already occupied the land when settlers from Mexico and later from the United States arrived. Oppression of Native American populations by the U.S. government was often brutal. At the hands of the U.S. military, Native American tribes suffered forced migrations and the establishment of the reservation system. Native languages and spiritual practices were suppressed. Other government programs aimed to “civilize” Indians. Passing through Las Vegas to and from Fort Union was one of four routes of the Navajo Long Walk, one of the most tragic episodes of all.

A sense of time: The story of migration involves people going as well as coming. The reasons why people leave and where they go to can be as important as why they come and from where. Las Vegas is located in a prime agricultural region, and people came from all over to farm and ranch. During the 1920s and 1930s, a major drought disrupted the agricultural way of life, and many people were forced to leave in search of greener pastures. The drought and concurrent economic downturn were important factors contributing to the town’s decline and leading to Las Vegas as it is today.