Land of the People: Ndende bì Ke’ya Opens at the Branigan Cultural Center

Within the Land of the People: Shimba Tainin kau natheure wein – Tierra Sagrada – Ndende bì Ke’ya – Naf’ole atsihem – Nde benah – Ndee Biyááh exhibit at the Branigan Cultural Center, a special, changing gallery space allows each Indigenous group to go deeper into their unique stories. From April 4 through June 27, 2026, we are featuring the Mescalero Apache Tribe. An opening reception for the Mescalero Apache Tribe exhibit, Land of the People: Ndende bì Ke’ya, is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 4, 2026. Members of the Mescalero Apache Tribe will perform social dances and songs. There will be vendors with items available for purchase.

The Mescalero Apache have long resided in southern New Mexico, moving seasonally across the desert, grasslands, mountains, and river valleys. Their movements were grounded by their four sacred mountains: Sierra Blanca, Guadalupe, Oscura/Selinas, and the Three Sisters. The Mescalero Apache Reservation is the southernmost Federal reservation in the state. It was formally established through an Executive Order by President Ulysses S. Grant on May 29, 1873.

Today, the Mescalero Apache Tribe consists of three sub-tribes, the Mescalero, and incorporated Lipan Apache, and Chiricahua Apache, with over 5,000 Tribal members from each band residing on the reservation. Throughout the year, the Mescalero continue to celebrate many ceremonies, including the Coming-of-Age Ceremony every Fourth of July.

This featured rotating space changes every 12 weeks, which allows each Indigenous group to go deeper into their own unique stories, traditions, and perspectives. The upcoming exhibit sequence is as follows: Piro-Manso-Tiwa Indian Tribe, July 18– October 10, 2026; Chiricahua Apache Nation, November 7, 2026 – January 30, 2027; and Gila Apache, February 20 – May 15, 2027.

For more information on up-to-date events visit LasCruces.gov/Museums or Las Cruces Museums’ social media platforms @LCMuseums.

The Branigan Cultural Center is located at 501 N. Main St. and is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. There is no admission charge. The museum is accessible from Roadrunner Transit Route 1 Stop 1. For additional information, visit the website at https://www.LasCruces.gov/Museums or call (575) 541-2154 / TTY 711.