Land of the People: Nde benah 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 November 7, 2026, through January 30, 2027, we are featuring the Chiricahua Apache Nation. An opening reception for the Chiricahua Apache Nation exhibit, Land of the People: Nde benah, is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, November 7. Chiricahua Apache Nation Council members and nation community members will provide greetings, drumming, flute playing, and short presentations. Due to the overlap with the Veterans Parade and inclement weather, outdoor activities will conclude at 11 a.m., after which the event will move indoors.

Members of the Chiricahua Apache Nations are descendants of Indigenous people whose ancestral homelands ranged from Arizona to New Mexico, and into northern Mexico. They lived in mobile family groups and in decentralized bands. They moved seasonally until the United States took possession of the Southwest in 1848. Despite having a treaty with the federal government, their ancestors were displaced during the Apache Wars (1851-1886). This led to many ancestors being ousted from the region but not removed from the area, allowing them to maintain loose kinship ties.

Today, the Chiricahua Apache Nation aims to gather and unite the thousands of Chiricahua Apache descendants who are still living in Nde benah, as well as other historically displaced people. They are actively involved in preserving the remains of their lifeways and cultural knowledge, and work to strengthen ties between descendants and current generations in order to keep their history, culture, and people moving forward. We invite you to learn more about this local Indigenous group.

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 final group to be featured will be the Gila Apache, from February 20 to 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 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday. There is no admission charge. The museum is accessible from Roadrunner Transit Route 1 Stop 1.

Statue photo note – Photo credit as listed below must accompany use of this photo:
“Intimate Conversation” detail by Allan Houser Collection of the School for Advanced Research, cat. no. SAR.2008-1-1. Photograph by Addison Doty.