(September 14, 2011) In light of staggering statistics on obesity and associated health complications, Arizona State Museum is bringing to Tucson an exhibit with a healthy message. Through the Eyes of the Eagle: Illustrating Healthy Living, curated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Global Healthy Odyssey Museum, is a family-friendly exhibit inspired by a children’s book series of the same name.

The Eagle Books are stories about growing strong and preventing diabetes. Four books are brought to life by wise animal characters, Mr. Eagle, Miss Rabbit, and a clever trickster, Coyote, who engage Rain That Dances and his young friends in the joys of physical activity, eating healthy, and learning from their elders about traditional ways.

The books’ original watercolor illustrations are the focus of this national, traveling exhibit. Through the Eyes of the Eagle has been on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (Washington, DC), the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (Albuquerque, NM), and at the CDC’s Global Health Odyssey Museum (Atlanta, GA).



ASM Expands on Exhibit Theme
Arizona State Museum is expanding and enhancing the traveling exhibit by adding a number of compelling, locally focused features.

1) An original comic book, It’s Up 2 You!, co-created by Ryan Huna Smith (Chemehuevi/Navajo) and Lisa Falk, ASM director of education, challenges youth about the temptations of fast food and video gaming and engages them about the benefits of physical activity and healthy eating in a fun and meaningful way. 

Starting mid-November, a free digital version of It’s Up 2 You! will be available at healthypima.org, and as a downloadable app at iTunes.

2) Prehistoric, historic, and contemporary objects, in addition to photographs, illustrate the diet of Sonoran Desert people over 13,000 years - from Paleoindian to Hohokam to Tohono O’odham.  A section curated by Terrol Dew Johnson (Tohono O’odham) of Tohono O’odham Community Action uses photographs, videos, and objects to share current efforts to revitalize traditional food practices within his community.

3) Footwear spanning 1,400 years illustrate indigenous traditions of movement and exercise: prehistoric sandals, historic beaded moccasins and running sandals made from tires, contemporary skateboard shoes, and Nike’s ® N7 Air Native trainers are among those included.

4) Videos and hands-on activities, including a Nintendo ® Wii ® skateboard game, round out the visitor experience.

"Through this exhibition we hope to help people see how history, culture, and economics have impacted health in Native American communities, and to become acquainted with some of the things they are doing today to increase their wellness," said Lisa Falk, ASM director of education and coordinator of the exhibit's many facets. "But even more importantly, we hope to motivate children, youth, and their families to consider at least one thing they could change in their own lives to live healthier.”

Nationwide, through partnerships and innovative approaches, museums have become centers of community engagement around important issues such as obesity and diabetes. Falk goes on to explain how, in putting together the exhibit and related programs, ASM worked collaboratively with many units at the University of Arizona and within the city and county. "Collaborations have brought a richness to what we are offering in this exhibit, and I hope will draw a diverse visitorship to reflect on what we as individuals and as a community can do to address the critical issue of obesity and the resulting health complications, such as diabetes."

This mirrors what Indian Health Services feels is critical for the success of diabetes prevention programs: “People with diabetes are not alone. Diabetes affects families and whole communities. In addition to family support, community support and advocacy can make a big difference in the outcomes for people with diabetes and in promoting diabetes prevention.”

More About the Eagle Books
The series of four children’s books were created for Native American children and others interested in healthy living. The books promote type 2 diabetes prevention and encourage a return to traditional ways, including physical activity and healthy eating. The series was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT), in collaboration with the Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee and the Indian Health Service, in response to the burden of diabetes among Native Americans and the lack of diabetes prevention materials for children.

The series, written by Georgia Perez (who served as a Community Health Representative for 19 years in Nambe Pueblo, New Mexico) and illustrated by Patrick Rolo (Bad River Band of Ojibwe, Wisconsin) and Lisa A. Fifield (Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin, Black Bear Clan), includes four books:

Through the Eyes of the Eagle

Knees Lifted High

Plate Full of Color

Tricky Treats

Over 2 million books have been distributed throughout Indian Country, the rest of the U.S. and abroad. In addition to being a major feature of the exhibit at ASM, two of the books are on display as part of the World of Words Library at the UA College of Education.