From Native languages to Hispanic heritage, Nevada State Museum looks to expand its reach

Editor's note: Este artículo está traducido al español.

Intricate beaded patterns in yellow, black, white and turquoise weave across tanned hide in jagged designs, while fringe dances along the bottom edges of an ancient saddlebag.

This remarkable piece was crafted by hand by a Ute Nation tribal member more than a century ago.

Josef Diaz, curator of history and material culture at the Nevada State Museum in Las Vegas, knew this artifact belonged in the museum, which is at the Springs Preserve on South Valley View Boulevard. The saddlebag would mark a significant milestone in becoming the first Ute Nation artifact in the museum’s collection of Native American historical items, an area where the institution has been notably deficient.

Despite facing budget cuts, declining donations and f