Museum of Indian Arts & Culture Welcomes New Director of Education

September 23rd, 2022

Santa Fe, NM – Museum of Indian Arts & Culture (MIAC) is excited to welcome Marita Hinds as the new Director of Education for the museum. She started in the role on September 6. 

“Marita Hinds (Tesuque) is well positioned to bridge the gap between MIAC, the communities it represents, and its visitors,” said Phil Karshis, administrative director at MIAC. “We are most fortunate to have her join us at MIAC and share her arts and educational expertise, as well as her familiarity and passion for our state’s tribal communities. I am certain that she will have a much-welcomed impact on all those who visit the museum.” 

Hinds is a member of Tesuque Pueblo and is deeply rooted to her tribal community. She has been steeped in the world of Native American art her entire life: her father Patrick Swazo Hinds was a renowned painter, and her brother Mark Swazo Hinds is an accomplished sculptor. She has an associate’s of fine arts degree in Museum Studies from the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) and a bachelor’s degree in Art History focusing on the Southwest from the College of Santa Fe. She worked at the Anne and John Marion Center, the Southwest Association for Indian Arts, and IAIA. She is a curator and researcher and has worked as a consultant on many art projects throughout the country and assisted with many fundraising initiatives throughout her career. Additionally, she has been a juror and judge for many of the Native American markets throughout the country. Hinds has also been a guest lecturer and pottery demonstrator at several museums and cultural venues.  

“I am excited to be the new Director of Education at the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and to bring my culture, art, and my educational background to this position,” said Hinds. “This is a tremendous opportunity and I look forward to working and partnering with tribal communities in New Mexico and to share and welcome visitors to the museum.” 

For the past ten years, Hinds has been the School Administrator for the Te Tsu Geh Oweenge School, where she has worked diligently to maintain the school’s community and to provide the best education for the students of Tesuque Pueblo, neighboring Pueblos, and Native American students residing in Santa Fe.   

As a member of her community, Hinds has been on the Pueblo’s Education Board, and was the Tesuque Pueblo Gaming Commissioner. She served as the President of the Board for the National Indian Education Association, the Native American Advise Fund of the Santa Fe Community Foundation, the Pueblo Opera Cultural Council, and most recently is a board member of the Santa Fe Opera. She has served on many local boards and committees and tries to give back to her community as much as possible. 

About the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture

The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, under the leadership of the Board of Regents for the Museum of New Mexico. Programs and exhibits are generously supported by the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and our donors. The mission of the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology is to serve as a center of stewardship, knowledge, and understanding of the artistic, cultural, and intellectual achievements of the diverse peoples of the Native Southwest.