FIELDS’ DAUGHTER AUDREY IS A FANCY SHAWL DANCER AND ENJOYS CREATING REGALIA WITH HER MOM.
Commitment to Culture: Diana Fields’ story
“It was all part of my upbringing,” said Fields of her childhood in Maryland and Washington, D.C. where she was surrounded by varied cultures. “It has contributed to the way I am as a person and how I identify.” Fields’ appreciation for and curiosity about all cultures, along with dynamic institutional knowledge of presenting varied cultures as approachable to all audiences, were paramount as she led the creation of Liichokoshkomo’ at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in her role as chief program officer. The new exhibit, whose name means “Let’s play!” in Chickasaw, provides hands-on learning for kids and families about the American West, including the personal perspective of Indigenous cultures. From measuring what they can haul West in a covered wagon to exploring various Indigenous homes, the immersive experience seeks to showcase the variety of cultures that shaped history.
“You see themes represented there of diversity, inclusion and being invested in the community,” said Fields. “Diversity throughout the institution is a main focus, sharing all of these rich stories so everyone who visits can see themselves in the museum.” That authentic representation of a convergence of diverse cultures is paramount to Fields both professionally and personally. Fields’ children, who range in age from 6 to 15, honor their Pawnee heritage through their father’s ancestry in their daily lives. She says Liichokoshkomo’ captures how today’s Indigenous kids like theirs are often living in both traditional and contemporary worlds, bringing cultural context into life today. “My kids are dancers, we go to ceremonies, we teach them to be prayerful and teach them cultural ways,” said Fields. “Traditions may have begun in the past, but they are still going on today, very much alive, and being able to share that is important and valuable.”
Diana Fields grew up in a multi- racial family that was loud and proud about their heritage, including Scottish, Eastern Band of Cherokee and African American roots. And now she and husband Arthur, an enrolled Pawnee and Otoe tribal descendent, are raising their five children in the same way.
BY ERIN PAGE . PHOTOS PROVIDED AND BY FOTO ARTS PHOTOGRAPHY .
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22 METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / AUGUST 2020
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