Native American life on show in NI

An early 20th century Native American dwelling (copyright ASU, St Michael's Mission)

A photographic record of the lives of two native American tribes is having its first international exhibition in Northern Ireland.

The photographs of the Navajo and Pueblo people were taken by Franciscan friar Brother Simeon Schwemberger between 1902 and 1909 in southwest Arizona and New Mexico.

They are being shown at Ards Arts Centre in an exhibition put on by Seacourt Print Workshop.

Artsists from the workshop will then create a series of prints from the images, which will tour with the exhibition in museums across Ireland and Britain.

Seacourt's Robert Peters became aware of the collection while talking to Arizona State University's Rob Taylor.

A medicine man with his bow and arrow In pictures

"He showed me several examples and I was immediately fascinated by the history they revealed," Mr Peters said.

"The images inspired me to consider the way in which cultures become transformed through external influences or forced necessity.

"At a time of cultural transition in Northern Ireland it seems timely to create art which explores this conflict between old and new."

Mr Taylor spent several years studying the 1,750 glass slides at St Michael's Mission where Brother Schwemberger lived.

After enough trust had been built up, the collection was gifted to ASU for safe keeping, digital archiving and exhibiting.

More than 130 images taken from the plates will be on display in Newtownards.

"This collection provides rich source material and reveal how static records of past lives can speak to us today through the shared experience of our common humanity," Mr Peters added.

The photographs can be seen at Ards Arts Centre until 29 September.