Native American Music Suppression and Preservation

The Code of Indian Offenses authorised restrictions on dancing, ceremonies and religious leaders. Schools and agencies also discouraged Indigenous languages and public cultural expression.

Collectors including Natalie Curtis recorded songs and advocated for greater freedom, but documentation raised questions about translation, ownership and the power of outsiders to define traditions.

The Healing of Natalie Curtis dramatises the shift from aesthetic fascination to political advocacy while retaining the ethical tension inherent in cultural collection.