National Museum of the American Indian

Hugo Teweles film of an Apache Fire Dance

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAI.AC.128
Creators:
Teweles, Hugo
Dates:
1929
Languages:
No linguistic content; Not applicable
.
Physical Description:
1 Film reel
8mm
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection contains one 8mm silent film that was shot by Hugo Teweles presumably while he and his wife Alice Heller Teweles and their children Lawrence, Richard, and Marie, were on vacation in New Mexico and Arizona. Included in the film is footage of an Apache Fire Dance, possibly by the White Mountain Apache dancers in Arizona.
The film canister indicates that the film was shot in Dec. 1929, however, the month or year must be inaccurate as Hugo died in June of that year. The label on the front of the original film canister reads, "M.T.W. & E.C.W. New Mexico and Arizona. Dec. 1929. X Fire Dance." The label on the back of the original film canister reads, "H. Teweles. 986 Sheperd. Children"
The initials M.T.W. and E.C.W. most likely refer to Marie Teweles Wallau and her husband Ernest C. Wallau. Marie inherited the film from her father.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Film is on one film core.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Hugo Teweles was born in Cheboygan, Wisconsin on Sept. 18, 1871. In 1898, he married Alice Heller Teweles who was born in Milwaukee, Wis. on April 9, 1882. The Teweles had three children Lawrence (1899-1967), Richard (1902-1969), and Marie (1907-2000). Hugo worked as a seed merchant in Milwaukee. According to U.S. Passport applications and ship passenger lists, the Teweles family traveled for leisure often, and presumably, they shot this film when visiting New Mexico or Arizona.
Hugo died in June 1929 and Alice died in 1948.

Administration

Author
Emily Moazami
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This film was shot by Hugo Teweles, inherited by his daughter Marie Teweles Wallau and donated to NMAI by her great niece Tracy Teweles in 2017.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Emily Moazami, Assistant Head Archivist, in 2018.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Access to NMAI Archive Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
Preferred Citation
Hugo Teweles film of an Apache Fire Dance, NMAI.AC.128; National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archive Center. For more information please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use and NMAI Archive Center's Digital Image request website.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Indians of North America -- New Mexico Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Indians of North America -- Arizona Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Indian dance -- North America Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
White Mountain Apache Cultural Context Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Museum of the American Indian
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Suitland, Maryland 20746-2863
nmaiarchives@si.edu