Edward S. Curtis - [Zuni bread maker]

The Zuni are Native American Pueblo peoples native to the Zuni River valley, New Mexico. The Zuni are a Federally recognized tribe and most live in the Pueblo of Zuni on the Zuni River, a tributary of the Little Colorado River, in western New Mexico, United States. The Pueblo of Zuni is 55 km south of Gallup, New Mexico. Before the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the Zuni lived in six villages. After the revolt, until 1692, they took refuge in a defensible position atop Dowa Yalanne, a steep mesa 5 km (3.1 miles) southeast of the present Pueblo of Zuni; After the establishment of peace and the return of the Spanish, the Zuni relocated to their present location, returning to the mesa top only briefly in 1703. The Zuni Reservation was created by the United States federal government in 1877, and enlarged by a second Executive order in 1883. During the early 2000s, the Zuni opposed the development of a coal mine near the Zuni Salt Lake, a site sacred to the Zuni and under Zuni control. The plan to build it was abandoned in 2003 after several lawsuits.

Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) was an American photographer and ethnologist, best known for his extensive documentation of Native American cultures. He spent over 30 years travelling throughout North America, photographing and recording the customs, traditions and beliefs of numerous tribes. Curtis was born in Wisconsin and raised in Minnesota. He became interested in photography at a young age and began working as a photographer's apprentice in his teens. In 1895 he moved to Seattle and opened his own photographic studio. In 1900, Curtis was commissioned by the wealthy financier J.P. Morgan to document the Native American tribes of the West. This project, which became known as The North American Indian, consumed Curtis's life for the next three decades. Using a large-format camera and glass plate negatives, Curtis captured images of Native Americans in their traditional dress and surroundings. He also recorded their songs, stories and languages on wax cylinders. The resulting collection of photographs and recordings is considered one of the most important records of Native American culture ever created. Despite its importance, The North American Indian was not a commercial success during Curtis's lifetime. He struggled financially throughout his career and died in relative obscurity. However, his work has since been recognised as a valuable contribution to American history and culture.