Mesa Verde Country Indian Arts and Culture Festival - Colorado

AND

presents The Indian Arts and Culture Festival May 23rd 08 to Jun 2nd 08
The communities of Cortez, Dolores, Mancos, and Towaoc, and our partners at Mesa Verde National Park, welcome you to the Eighth Annual Mesa Verde Country® Indian Arts & Culture Festival. We invite you to join us as we “Celebrate Our Song” and showcase the many cultural and archaeological gems of our area. Juried Indian art market, rug auction, Native American dances, special archaeological tours, concerts, outdoor drama. Celebrate the centennial of Mesa Verde National Park! Phone: 800-530-2998, Entrance: FREE

May is archaeology month in Colorado and there is no better place to celebrate than Mesa Verde Country®, the archaeological center of America. Archaeology ties all of us to the heritage we proudly share with the Ancestral Pueblo people from the past and the Native Americans living here today. Also woven into the rich fabric of our landscape are explorers, ranchers, miners, farmers, cowboys, outlaws, and railroad men. These later settlers to the area are very much a part of the rich cultural heritage we invite you to celebrate with us. We hope your experiences in Mesa Verde Country® provide a deeper understanding of the archaeology, Native American culture, and Old West history that have made our area a trading center and merging point for many cultures over the past 2,000 years. They are the reasons we are Celebrating Our Song!

Friday, May 23 - Reception for featured artist at Mesa Indian Trading Post and Gallery:
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm, CORTEZ CULTURAL CENTER: Native American Dances and Cultural Programs

Our Featured Artist for 2008: Dorleen Gashweseoma

This year’s featured artist is Dorleen Gashweseoma Lalo (Hopi), a basket maker from Third Mesa, who was inspired by the masterful basket making of her mother and grandmother. Now she is a master weaver in her own right and a recipient of numerous awards, including most recently the Arizona Governor’s Arts Award. The first time she submitted work to the 72nd Annual Hopi Festival of Arts and Culture at the Museum of Northern Arizona, her baskets won five awards, including Best of Show award. Dorleen grew up in a very traditional Hopi family, and her “school” was working with her grandmother collecting materials and learning how to make baskets. She loved how her grandmother made baskets out of nature and the products of mother earth. Wherever Dorleen travels she always thinks of her grandmother as she looks at the native plants to determine what she could use from mother earth to make a basket.Dorleen grew up in a very traditional Hopi family, and her “school” was working with her grandmother collecting materials and learning how to make baskets. She loved how her grandmother made baskets out of nature and the products of mother earth. Wherever Dorleen travels she always thinks of her grandmother as she looks at the native plants to determine what she could use from mother earth to make a basket.

As a child, Dorleen wanted to be like her grandmother and make beautiful baskets. As she continues to travel, win awards, and meet collectors who appreciate her art, Dorleen believes her dreams have now come true. Yucca Sifter Basket in a geometric pattern of colors representing the four directions, the seeds the Hopi plant (corn, squash, tobacco, etc) and the morning sun that will nurture the plants to maturity. This is the first basket with this pattern Dorleen has made. - ($450 value)

FESTIVAL RAFFLE ARTWORK

$5.00/per ticket or $25.00/per 6 tickets

Drawing will be held Sunday, May 25, 2008, 3:00 P.M.

Mesa Verde National Park Far View Terrace

Need Not Be Present To Win

Saturday, May 24

ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER: Exhibits: A Gesture of Kinship: A Navajo Photo Exhibit 9 am - 5 pmCORTEZ CULTURAL CENTER: Native American Dances and Cultural Programs: 7:30 pmMESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK - FARVIEW TERRACE: Juried Indian Art Market: 10 am - 6 pm Rug Seminar: 10:30 - 11 am Rug Auction Preview Viewing: 11am - noon Rug Auction: Noon - 3 pm MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK - CHAPIN MESA AMPHITHEATER: Native American Dances: 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm & 4 pm MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK - MOREFIELD CAMPGROUND AMPHITHEATER: Native American Concert: 7 pm, $20 adults/$10 under 12   IN CONCERT: ARVEL BIRD — “LORD OF THE STRINGS” 2007 Native American Music Awards Performer of the Year This year’s concert headliner is 2007 Native American Music Awards Artist of the Year, Arvel Bird — “Lord of the Strings.” Bird’s mixed heritage, a Southern Paiute mother and a Scottish father, and his flawless talent and passion to inspire audiences, blend together to create a repertoire like none before.No matter what style of music you enjoy, from classical, New Age, folk, country, and Celtic, to Native American, bluegrass, fusion, jazz, or blues, you’ll find it all and more in Arvel’s work. Arvel is considered one of the hottest Native American artists on tour today and you are guaranteed to come away from his performance feeling good! 7 pm, Morefield Amphitheater Mesa Verde National Park Tickets: $20 adults/$10 under 12 Tickets are available at Southwest Sound in Durango, Rocky Mountain One Stop in Cortez, the Colorado Welcome Center in Cortez, and at the concert. Arvel Bird Video Bio (YouTube) UTE MOUNTAIN TRIBAL PARK - TRIBAL PARK TOURS: Full-day Tour: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm - North Lion Canyon Tour $24 per person UTE MOUNTAIN TRIBAL PARK - SPECIAL TOURS: “Porcupine House Ruin and Ute Pictograph Tour” 9:00 am - 3 pm; $24 per person (space limited-reservations encouraged) “Anasazi Sun Calendars in Mancos Canyon and Anasazi Petroglyph Tour” 9:30 am - 1:30 pm; $24 per person (space limited-reservations encouraged)

Sunday, May 25

ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER: Exhibits: A Gesture of Kinship: A Navajo Photo Exhibit 9 am - 5 pmCORTEZ CULTURAL CENTER: Native American Dances and Cultural Programs: 7:30 pmMESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK - FARVIEW TERRACE: Juried Indian Art Market: 10 am - 4 pm MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK - CHAPIN MESA AMPHITHEATER: Native American Dances: 10 am, 12 pm, 2 pm & 4 pm

Monday, May 26

ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER: Exhibits: A Gesture of Kinship: A Navajo Photo Exhibit 9 am - 5 pmCORTEZ CULTURAL CENTER: Native American Dances and Cultural Programs: 7:30 pm

Tuesday, May 27

ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER: Exhibits: A Gesture of Kinship: A Navajo Photo Exhibit 9 am - 5 pm Behind-the-scenes Collection Tours, 10 am - 2 pm (space limited - reservations encouraged) CORTEZ CULTURAL CENTER: Native American Dances and Cultural Programs: 7:30 pm

Wednesday, May 28

ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER: Exhibits: A Gesture of Kinship: A Navajo Photo Exhibit 9 am - 5 pm Behind-the-scenes Collection Tours, 10 am - 2 pm (space limited - reservations encouraged) CORTEZ CULTURAL CENTER: Native American Dances and Cultural Programs: 7:30 pm CROW CANYON ARCHAEOLOGICAL CENTER: Day Program with Site Tour: 9 am - 4 pm $50 adults, $25 under 18; includes lunch (space limited - reservations required) MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK - FAR VIEW TERRACE - ARAMARK/NPS GUIDED TOURS: Half-day Tours: 8 am & 1 pm - $49 adults, $38 under 12

Thursday, May 29

ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER: Exhibits: A Gesture of Kinship: A Navajo Photo Exhibit 9 am - 5 pmBehind-the-scenes Collection Tours, 10 am - 2 pm (space limited - reservations encouraged)CORTEZ CULTURAL CENTER: Native American Dances and Cultural Programs: 7:30 pmCROW CANYON ARCHAEOLOGICAL CENTER: Day Program with Site Tour: 9 am - 4 pm $50 adults, $25 under 18; includes lunch (space limited - reservations required) MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK - FAR VIEW TERRACE ARAMARK/NPS GUIDED TOURS: Half-day Tours: 8 am & 1 pm $49 adults, $38 under 12

Friday, May 30

ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER: Exhibits: A Gesture of Kinship: A Navajo Photo Exhibit 9 am - 5 pm Behind-the-scenes Collection Tours, 10 am - 2 pm (space limited - reservations encouraged) CORTEZ CULTURAL CENTER: Native American Dances and Cultural Programs: 7:30 pm

Saturday, May 31

ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER: Exhibits: A Gesture of Kinship: A Navajo Photo Exhibit 9 am - 5 pmCORTEZ CULTURAL CENTER: Native American Dances and Cultural Programs: 7:30 pm TOWAOC: Ute Mountain Ute Tribe 119th Annual Bear Dance: Dancing, Singing, Games, and Traditional Foods throughout the day

Sunday, June 1

ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER: Exhibits: A Gesture of Kinship: A Navajo Photo Exhibit 9 am - 5 pmTOWAOC: Ute Mountain Ute Tribe 119th Annual Bear Dance: Dancing, Singing, Games, and Traditional Foods throughout the day