Burke Museum

"During my time at the artist studio in Burke, I worked on a personal project that revolved around the concepts of routine and ritual in my daily life that I never questioned. Braided hair with ribbons was a requirement in most Indian schools, so it became a routine I followed throughout my childhood. Inspired by this theme, I spent my time cutting strips of recycled fabric that would then be braided to resemble hair.

Later, at the DOA Fest, I carved linoleum blocks into designs and invited people to use them to stamp their own patterns onto small squares of fabric. It was so great to see people of all ages take so much interest in making little creations of their own. I want to thank everyone who stopped by!

I am also incredibly grateful for this opportunity at the Burke Museum. Thank you for supporting my work and allowing me to share these experiences with the community!" - Devika Ajith

Our very own curator of paleobotany, Caroline Strömberg, was featured on an episode of the podcast, Scientess! Listen at the link below:

https://www.scientess.org/subscribe

We are deeply honored and happy to bring handmade Indigenous artistry and cultural works from Hualien, Taiwan, to the United States, and to share them with the public at the Burke Museum.
In Spring Quarter 2026, our group, coming from several Indigenous communities in Taiwan, including Paiwan, Atayal, and Pangcah/Amis, joined Margaret Yun-Pu Tu (Nikal)’s class to share experiences from our home communities and to engage in conversation with students here.

Margaret, who is also Pancah/Amis, is completing her Ph.D. at the University of Washington and is teaching JSIS A 480/589, LSJ 480/589, AIS 375 B: Indigenous Taiwan and Pacific Connections: Law, Culture, and Literature. This is the first time this course has been offered at UW, and it is especially meaningful that it is taught by an Indigenous scholar from Taiwan. In this way, the course embodies Indigenous presence, agency, and self-representation.

This course has been made possible through support from the UW Center for American Indian & Indigenous Studies (CAIIS) and the UW Taiwan Studies Program (UW-TSP) of the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies. These efforts help more people learn about the resilience, diversity, and living cultures of Indigenous peoples in Taiwan.

We are grateful to all the students and community members who joined us. We hope Indigenous cultures and voices can continue to be heard, understood, and respected by more people. We also sincerely thank the Burke Museum team for creating this platform for sharing.