Interpreting California Indians: institutional narratives of state identity, inclusion, and decolonization

The decolonization of museums has emerged as a central ethical, legal, and professional priority, yet the implementation of these practices remains uneven and challenging. Employing an analytical framework organized around the logic of continuity, the logic of reform, and the zone of mediation, this study examines how interpretive authority over Indigenous heritage is negotiated among enduring disciplinary traditions, institutional identity, and contemporary decolonizing efforts through a qualitative case study of two exhibitions on California Indians at the California Museum. The analysis demonstrates that although both exhibitions incorporate meaningful decolonizing initiatives, these efforts remain constrained by enduring disciplinary traditions and institutional priorities. The findings reveal decolonization as an ongoing institutional process and offer a framework for examining the shifting dynamics of interpretive authority over Indigenous heritage. Exposing these lingering institutional tensions is essential for moving beyond performative rhetoric toward meaningful structural transformation in Indigenous heritage interpretation.