“She Sang Me a Good Luck Song: The California Indian Photographs of Dugan Aguilar” will bring 28 compelling images to Los Altos History Museum from March 20 to June 8, 2025. This traveling exhibition from Exhibit Envoy redefines conventional portrayals of Native peoples, capturing the resilience and artistry of basket makers, dancers, military veterans and motorcyclists.
Based on the Heyday Books publication edited by Theresa Harlan (Kewa Pueblo/Jemez Pueblo), the exhibition showcases the work of the late Aguilar (Mountain Maidu/Pit River/Walker River Paiute), who documented Native cultures for more than 40 years.
“These vibrant, deeply personal photographs celebrate California Native communities and their enduring connections to their ancestors and the land,” said Amy Ellison, curator and director of exhibitions. “This exhibition is vital because it presents contemporary California Indigenous peoples, countering the common tendency of history books and exhibits to focus only on Native American history before or around European contact.”
In addition to Aguilar’s photographs, the exhibition will feature videos, photographs and objects representing the Muwekma Ohlone tribe, with a focus on the 2024 Trail of Truth, in which members of the tribe traveled by horseback from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., to raise awareness of their fight for federal recognition.
“It has been an amazing experience to see and hear firsthand accounts of this journey,” Ellison said. “We are honored to collaborate with the tribe and grateful for their trust in sharing this important history with our visitors.”
The museum will host a series of exhibit-related programs:
• “The Trail of Truth” presentation by Charlene Nijmeh, chairwoman of the Muwekma Ohlone tribe. March 20, 5:30-7 p.m. $15; free for museum members.
• Family photography workshop with photographer S.M. Lieu. April 5, 9:30-11:30 a.m. $30/family; $15/family for museum members.
• “Reframing Indigenous Histories in the Bay Area,” a lecture by Indigenous scholar Michael Wilcox (Stanford University). April 16, 5:30-7 p.m. $15; free for museum members.
• “A History of the Chochenyo Language,” a talk by Bernadette Quiroz (Muwekma Ohlone). May 21, 5:30-7 p.m. $15; free for museum members.
Space is limited for all programs, and registration is required at losaltoshistory.org/events.
The exhibition is presented in partnership with Exhibit Envoy, Heyday Books and the Native Fund, and curated by Theresa Harlan and Dugan Aguilar.
