MWT – Native American Heritage Days Grand Canyon National Park North Rim

I interact with some of the most awesome people from around the world who come to visit this most amazing place.

After two days of Native American Heritage Days watching so many cultures interact in harmony I went out on the Walhalla Plateau Saturday and heard many visitors still talking about this festival.

The young Jimenez Pueblo brothers captured everyone with their native songs. It made no difference whether we could understand the words because their passion came through.

Ramson is a Hopi artist and educator, a teacher to the youth in his culture. He’s recently introduced a new art to his people, glass blowing. This is no more a “new art” than any other yet he uses the earth’s gift of minerals to create representations of marks made on the rocks by his ancestors.

Friday night Ramson spoke about his  Hopi culture. The audience was riveted. He said, every culture has its own myth which is the collective truth of the people. If you are comfortable with your myth there is no need to convert others, just let them live their own way.

Debra is a Hopi educator teaching in the Flagstaff school system. She also teaches young girls important lessons to carry on their cultural traditions.

She chaperoned this year’s Miss Hopi and her First attendant to our festival sharing stories and explaining the corn grinding ceremony.

If only more people could live in harmony with the land and themselves. Maybe if we try what I saw on a T-shirt, “Don’t worry, be Hopi”

To see more of what’s happening around the world, or to share your own stories, go to My World Tuesday by clicking here.

Mike and I are in Flagstaff for our days off so I may not get this linked.

Welcome to Native American Heritage Days at Grand Canyon National Park North Rim

Mike helping hang sign at the Grand Lodge

Thursday started the first of two days celebrating cultural exchange with the help of many local native people. I was too busy to get many photos, but Friday should have more time.

10:30am – Hopi Corn Grinding Ceremony

1pm – Navajo Flute Performance & Culture

4pm – Lakota Sioux Flute Performance

6pm – Hopi Dancing

Also demonstrations of Navajo Pottery, Paiute Cradle Boards & Hopi Kachinas

Come help us celebrate!

Native American Heritage Days at North Rim Grand Canyon National Park

Benn Pikyavit, Paiute tribal teacher & National Park Ranger from Pipe Spring NM, Arizona, spoke about how his ancestors lived with the land.
Many people have called the Grand Canyon home long before it was a national park.

Hopi tribal teacher Debra Onsae shared the story of learning for a girl growing up by the Good Way.
Archeological evidence dates back to about 800AD when the first Ancestral Puebloans (aka: Anasazi) camped in shallow caves along the Colorado River corridor.

1st & 2nd Attendants to Miss Hopi 2009
The Hopi people living in northeast Arizona share ancestry with the Ancestral Puebloans.

Hopi artist & teacher Ramson Lomatewama talks about the concepts of Kachinas.
Many continue to teach their young the old ways while encouraging growth and creativity into the now and beyond.

Hopi Derrick Suwaima Davis & young son performed the Eagle Dance
This youngster absolutely stole the show.

David Nighteagle has made and played the flute since 7 years old.
David brought children and adults out of the audience to set the beat with drum and rattles.

Navajo flute player Milton Tso
Demonstrations went on throughout the day including Kachina carving, basket weaving and soap making from the Yucca root.

Derrick performed the Hoop Dance with Ryon Polequaptewa accompanying
The canyon visitors seemed to enjoy all the events over two days and most got up and danced in a circle after the Hoop Dancing.

Sky Watch Friday - Here comes the rain

Last Thursday and Friday Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim celebrated the 16th annual Native American Heritage Days to celebrate the cultural connections of native people to the park. (I’ll post about it soon.) Prior to a flute performance in the Lodge’s auditorium this is what we watched coming our way. Yet barely any rain fell on us.

To see more skies from around the world, or to share your own, go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.