Reuben V Naranjo Jr. is an artist, consultant, instructor and researcher with a PhD in American Indian Studies from the University of Arizona. He has worked as a cultural consultant for the Tohono O'odham Nation teaching traditional pottery making and as a research assistant on projects related to Native Americans. His teaching experience includes courses on Native American history and art history at the University of Arizona. He is published in several journals and publications and his artworks are in museum and private collections.

1. Reuben V Naranjo Jr. PhD. artist, consultant, instructor and researcher
Education:
Ph.D. Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in American Indian Studies; studio art ceramic
emphasis; American Indian and Tohono O’odham Studies; history and arts. Aug. 11, 2011
M.A. American Indian Studies, University of Arizona, August 20, 2002.
B.F.A., An Interdisciplinary degree focusing on Anthropology, Media Arts and Studio art –
studio art emphasis - Ceramic & Fiber Arts, University of Arizona 2000.
Employment History:
1. Cultural consultant, Southwest folklife alliance and the Tohono O’odham Nation Himdag
ki, cultural center and museum, Topawa, Arizona.
Duties: Teach a workshop on traditional Tohono O’odham pottery. This involved locating
desert clay sources, processing the materials and making clay bodies to be used for the
manufacture of ceramic vessels. These vessels were wood fired and used in a final public
presentation and dialogue. The workshop duration was six weeks and was funded by the
Southwest folklife alliance and supported by the Tohono O’odham Nation cultural center
and museum. March 19, 2016 – April 30, 2016.
2. Research Assistant, Native American Research & Training Center Family Community
Medicine College of Medicine 1642 East Helen, Tucson, AZ. 85719. 520 621-5075 Director
Dr. Jennie Joe, Co-director Tesha Solomon.
Duties: assist in the development of an annotated bibliography to be included in a grant
proposal involving disability and Native Americans. As a research assistant to this project I
worked independently, and with online resources, in library archives and databases. Frequent
research reports to director and co-director on my progress were required. The final product,
an annotated bibliography on the topic of disability and the Native American population,
was remitted upon leaving this position.
3. Research Assistant, Dr. Benedict Colombi, AIS Faculty American Indian Studies Program
Harvill Building room 218, 1103 East 2nd Street,Tucson, AZ, 85721-0076, 520 621-7108.
4. Research Assistant, Arizona State Museum “The Pottery Project”1
and “Set in Stone”
Exhibits Diane Dittemore, Curator, Arizona State Museum, 1013 E. University Boulevard,
Tucson, AZ 85721-0026 520 621-2079.
Teaching experience:
My teaching experience (University of Arizona, 2000-2007) was/is in the following topic
1 http://www.statemuseum.arizona.edu/exhibits/pvia/index.shtml

2. areas; “The Many Nations of Native America,”2
(A survey course in the history of American
Indians), classes on ethnographic photography, studio art (fibers) and American Indian art
history. I have extensive experience in curriculum building as well as individualized student
evaluations, including experience with educational technology for the delivery of
information-data for class instruction. I have given ceramic workshops at the University of
Arizona State Museum, the Amerind Foundation (Dragoon, AZ.), as well as the University
of Arizona American Indian Graduate Center.
My teaching philosophy: can be summarized with the following statement, that “teaching
is mutual learning experience,” I learn from students while students learn from me.
Qualifications & fortes: multilingual: functional Tohono O’odham, Spanish, French &
Italian including American Sign Language (ASL),. Computer proficient, Microsoft 2011
(Word, Powerpoint and Excel) and Adobe Creative creative suite or CS 6. Work well
independently or within a group setting and teaching experience within the disciplines of
academics and the arts, American Indian Art history and ceramic and fiber mediums. I have
extensive research experience, tribal, local, domestic and international.
Publications, print and online:
2001 “The Names Have Been Changed to Protect the Innocent,” IN Red Ink, A Native
American Indian Student Publication. Tucson, AZ. Saguaro Press. 2001 “Smile For Me,” IN
Red Ink, A Native American Indian Student Publication. Tucson, AZ. Saguaro Press.
2003, “Reweaving the History of California Baskets: A Visit to the Museo de America,”
Madrid, Spain, IN News From Native California, Winter 2003/04, vol. 17, no. 2. 2005, Sacu’o
wud, Rheumatoid Arthritis? a general information pamphlet for the Tohono patient with
Rheumatoid Arthritis. UOFA Native American Research and Training Center
2010, “Driven to Collect: The Norton Allen Collection of Tohono O’odham Pottery,” IN
The Journal of the Southwest, Vol, 52, Numbers 2 and 3, Summer Autumn 2010.
2010, Anecdotal narrative for “Waila” or “Chicken Scratch” music. O’odham folk music, IN
Tucson Meet Yourself 2010, A folklife Festival. Tucson, AZ: 2010.
2014 “Staple of life,” co-author, IN Tucson Meet Yourself, 2014 online, A Folk life Festival.
Tucson, AZ: 20143
Publications forthcoming:
2016 “O’odham bit ki,” or O’odham clay house, poem to be included in anthology of Uto-
Aztecan literature. David Shaul, PhD. editor.
2016 “Sonoran Tohono O’odham (Mex.) basket weaving,” to be included in a publication on
the Southwestern basket collections of the University of Arizona’s anthropology museum.
Shows, Professional Catalogs, Consultation, Pamphlets, Commissioned Artwork,
Seminars, Workshops, Lectures, Exhibits, Video projects:
1993 Southwest Indian Art Fair – Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona. 1994 Basket
Weaving Demonstration – Archaeology Month, University of Arizona 1995 Southwest Indian Art
Fair – Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona. 1997 Art work in Southwestern Indian
2 http://courses.ais.arizona.edu/trad101/
3 http://www.tucsonmeetyourself.org/staple-of-life/

3. Arts and Crafts, Las Vegas: KC Publications. 1998 Southwest Indian Art Fair – Arizona State
Museum, University of Arizona. 2000 Photograph featured in Tucson at the Millenium: A
Photographic Exhibition and Catalogue, Tucson Museum of Art. Exhibition: February 12-
18, 2001.
2001 Cover design for the American Society for Ethnohistory: 2001 Annual Meeting, Tucson,
Arizona, October 17-21, 2001. 2001 Cover design for Final Report, VAWA (STOP Violence
against Native American Women), September 12, 2001.
2002 Ceramic artwork, “Welcome Murals.” Gila River Indian Community Wild Horse Pass
Resort and Spa, Gila River Indian Community, Arizona. 2002 Department Logo design,
American Indian Studies Department, University of Arizona.
2002 April 24-6, Tohono O’odham Pottery Making Seminar – Ethnic Studies - University of
California – Berkeley. 2003 August 12-3, Tohono O’odham Pottery Making Seminar – Trad. 101,
The Many Nations of America,
2004, March 29, 2003 - October 1, “The Pottery Detectives: Decoding the Secrets of Southwestern
Pottery.” 2004 Southwest Indian Art Fair – Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona. 2004
April 24, Tohono O’odham Pottery making workshop, Arizona State Museum.
2004 August 14 & 21, Tohono O’odham Pottery making workshop, Amerind Foundation,
Dragoon, Arizona. 2004 August 31, O’odham Ollas for Sale: Meeting the Needs of Southeast
Arizona, Masters Thesis Exhibit, Amerind Foundation, Dragoon, Arizona.
2004, Reweaving the History of California Baskets: A Visit to the Museo de America, Madrid Spain,
DVD. 2006, DVD, Tojono O’otam Neokache: Cinco Lecciónes Básicas en el idioma
Tojono O’otam: Tohono O’odham Ñeokaj; Five basics lessons in the O’odham to
Spanish/Spanish to Tohono O’odham Language.
2007, Consultant, National Geographic Geomaps
2008, Consultant for Tohono O'odham revitalization and Maintenance Project, Sonora
2012-3, Consultant to Dr. Adriene Jenik, Arizona State University, “Breathe, Walk, Listen.”
2013, September 5, Consultant for "Curtis Reframed: The Arizona Portfolios," exhibition,
Arizona State Museum, University of Arizona, Tucson.
Personal Art in museum and private collections:
Three coiled baskets in the collections of the University of Arizona anthropology Museum
Two ceramic pieces in the collections of the University of Arizona anthropology Museum
Woven baskets in the collections of private individuals.
Awards:
Wilma Kaemlin Curators Choice Award, Southwest Indian Art Fair, Arizona State Museum,
University of Arizona – 1998.
Outstanding Graduate Student 2002, Native American Student’s Association University of
Arizona – May, 2002 “Excellence in Clay Innovation,” Southwest Indian Art Fair, Arizona
State Museum, University of Arizona – 2004.
“Centennial Achievement Award in Excellence,” nominee, University of Arizona – 2004
Contact: arbolcitrico@gmail.com