Name: Land of the People: Ndende bì Ke’ya
Start: 2026-04-04T09:00:00-06:00
End: 2026-04-04T13:00:00-06:00
Location: Branigan Cultural Center

$Land of the People: Ndende b\u00ec Ke\u2019ya$

We are honored to be hosting an opening reception for the Mescalero Apache Tribe: "Land of the People: Ndende bì Ke’ya." An opening reception will be held Saturday, April 4, from 9am to 1pm MDT at the Branigan Cultural Center.
Located in south-central New Mexico, the Mescalero Apache Reservation is the southernmost Federal reservation in the state. The Mescalero Apache Reservation – long recognized by Spanish, Mexican, and American Treaties – was formally established by Executive Order of President Ulysses S. Grant on May 29, 1873.
Today, the Mescalero Apache tribe consists of three sub-tribes, Mescalero, Lipan, and Chiricahua, 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. We invite you to explore the Mescalero Apache’s enduring heritage and traditions in the Southwest.
"Land of the People: Ndende bì Ke’ya" will be open April 4, through June 27, within the "Land of the People" Exhibit.
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 secondary, rotating gallery allows each Indigenous group to go deeper into their unique stories.
This focused rotating space changes every 12 weeks, which allows each Indigenous group to go deeper into their own unique stories, traditions, and perspectives. The exhibit sequence is as follows:
Ysleta del Sur Pueblo: September 6 – November 29, 2025
Tortugas Pueblo: December 20, 2025 – March 14, 2026
Mescalero Apache Tribe: April 4 – June 27, 2026
Piro-Manso-Tiwa Indian Tribe: July 18 – October 10, 2026
Chiricahua Apache Nation: November 7, 2026 – January 30, 2027
Gila Apache: February 20 – May 15, 2027.