Diné College Ned Hatathli Museum

Diné College is a public, co-educational institution charted by the Navajo Nation and offers postsecondary education leading to AA degrees, certificates, with four-year college transfer credits and bachelorette degrees. It is administered by an eight-member Board of Regents appointed by the President of the Navajo Nation and confirmed by the Navajo Nation Council. The Ned Hatathli Museum was established in 1978 as a vital part of the College. The Museum is situated under the Provost of Academics of Diné College. A five-member Museum Advisory Council provides traditional and contemporary expertise on the development and implementation of the museum’s policies and procedures.

The Museum has a permanent collection of various archeological and ethnographic materials, as well as archives that document the creation and history of Diné College. The objects are related to the history and culture of the Navajo people and other tribes in the United States. The museum’s collection is a vital part of the college, and students are encouraged to use it as part of their college experience.

Nonabah Brooke Sam is born into the Bit’ahnii (Folded Arms Clan) and born of German and Dutch decent. Her maternal grandfathers are of the Nii’naho’banii (Grey Streak Face Clan) and her paternal grandfather is of the Ts-tsu-geh Owingeeh (Tesuque Pueblo People). Nonabah serves as adjunct faculty in the School of Fine Arts, teaching Museum Internship. She joined Diné College in January 2012, serving as the college’s Museum Curator for the Ned Hatathli Museum. She received formal museum training, from the Institute of American Indian Arts, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Museum Studies. In 2011, she earned her Master of Arts from the University of New Mexico in Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies, with a concentration in American Indian Education and recently earned her doctorate degree in 2024, in Educational Leadership from the University of New Mexico’s College of Education and Human Science’s Native American Leadership in Education (NALE) program.

With her combined education, she has become a leading curator and indigenous educational advisor working in several capacities to lead by example, in the museum field.

It is with great promise that as the Navajo Nation, we continue to instill in the future generation, the integrity of what we are as Sa’ah Naaghai Bik’eh Hozhoo. Today we are the representation of the past, present and future, through art and the techniques used to portray strength of a never-ending story of survival. Today, we continue to share in our stories, songs, and the art of creation and we invite you to be apart of that.

The Ned Hatathli Museum, at Dine College in Tsaile, Arizona invites the Native Woman to participate in the Opening of “I AM WOMAN” an exhibition for 2025. This juried exhibition is open to all native women artist, who have made major contributions to Indian art in Indian Country and its compelling history. The show will an be an inaugural exhibit to create a foundation for future exhibitions designed to help instill the mission statement of Dine College as well as the Ned Hatathli Museum. This is a fine art exhibition, showcasing the talent of our women in the arts.

Please submit a copy of images of your work (Limit of 3), short films will also be accepted to the Ned Hatathli Museum Curator, Nonabah Sam. Images should include title, medium, dimensions, date created.

Submissions should be accompanied by an artist statement to:
Ned Hatathli Museum – Dine College, Tsaile Arizona
Attention: Nonabah Sam, Museum Curator
P.O. Box 32 – C
Tsaile, AZ 8655

“I AM WOMAN”

Ned Hatathli Museum Tsaile, Arizona at Dine College

Opening Reception
June 2025 – Date TBD

In-person Pick up of Works
November 7, 2025 – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Submission Terms and Conditions:
All works must be original, no reproductions. All visual arts mediums except large-scale installation work will be accepted. All work must be gallery ready. Ned Hatathli Museum has the right to refuse any work that: is improperly packed for shipping; has been damaged, is not gallery-ready, is different from the original image that was submitted for jury; has been altered from the original image accepted by exhibition jurors; or for other reasons deemed appropriate by the exhibit curatorial team and jurors. All accepted artworks must remain in the exhibition for the duration of the exhibit. The Ned Hatathli Museum reserves the right to photograph and reproduce images of works for publicity purposes.

Slide and Digital Images:
All artwork will be juried and selected by digital images. Slides must be mounted in plastic or cardboard slide mounts and enclosed in a plastic slide sleeve cut to fit the number of slides. Information printed on slides must include: artist’s name, title of work, dimensions, and entry number. Each slide must have a mark (red dot or arrow) indicating the front and top of the slide. 2-D work – one image per slide. 3-D work – one image per slide, 4 to 6 slides per submission providing a view of all sides that will be displayed. Digital Images – must be JPEG files on CD using a PC format – No PowerPoint files will be accepted. Images must be a minimum 350 dpi. Images must correspond with entry form numbers. Information on CD must include the image title. Images digitally altered or enhanced will not be accepted.

Video, Film, New Media Arts – Submit in DVD format – please do not send your only copy of the DVD.