Native events take off on weekend of art, culture
Dances, book signings, lectures, films, new markets all add to weekend long treasured for Indian Market
For Della Warrior and others who are from Native American tribes or celebrate their cultures, this week is no longer just about the two-day Santa Fe Indian Market, a showcase with almost 1,000 artists now in its 96th year.
For Warrior, a member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe who serves as director of the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture, each August brings to Santa Fe what has evolved into a full-blown celebration of Native communities. That’s more evident than ever this year with distinctive art shows at four different locations around the downtown area, as well as dances, book signings, exhibits, lectures, films, a fashion showcase and poetry readings.
Warrior said the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is one of the organizations that has an annual board meeting in Santa Fe to coincide with Indian Market. Other museums here for events include the Heard Museum of Phoenix, Los Angeles’ Autry Museum of the American West, the Peabody Essex Museum of Salem, Mass., and Indianapolis’ Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art.
Warrior, former president of the Institute of American Indian Arts, said visitors from such prestigious institutions help keep Santa Fe as the country’s top destination for Indian art and culture.
“It’s a major social event, it’s a major collection event, it’s a major meeting event,” she said of the Santa Fe Indian Market. “It’s a major networking event. A lot of major Native organizations plan their meetings the week before or after Indian Market.”
The long-running Santa Fe Indian Market, sponsored by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, takes place Friday night, Saturday and Sunday, while the Indigenous Fine Art Market, the We are the Seeds Market and a Zuni-Pueblo focused show take place throughout the weekend as well.
There is also a city-sponsored Santa Fe Pow-Wow that has become a tradition for Native dancers, set for Saturday at the Genoveva Chavez
Community Center, 3221 Rodeo Road, beginning at 5 p.m.
“This is definitely the premier weekend where a visitor can truly have a Native American experience,” said Cynthia Delgado, marketing director for Tourism Santa Fe, the city’s convention and tourism arm. “The Santa Fe Indian Market is really the crown event, but it has provided a framework for other Native American
events to occur.”
Leroy Garcia, owner of Blue Rain Gallery, 130 Lincoln Ave., now in its 25th year, said his was probably the first gallery to schedule events for the days preceding Indian Market as a way to give visitors other things to do. This year, his gallery is showcasing Preston Singletary, a glassblower who is a member of the Alaska’s Tlingit Tribe.
“Now even SWAIA and all the others try to do major openings for the week of Indian Market,” he said. “It helps attract more people and gives people more to do while they’re here.”
The biggest addition to Indian Market weekend as far as visitors go is probably the Zuni Show, set for Saturday and Sunday at the Scottish Rite Center, 463 Paseo de Peralta.
Robin Dunlap, who is president of the Keshi Foundation and once taught sixth grade at the Pueblo of Zuni in Western New Mexico, said the show drew some 5,000 visitors in its inaugural effort last August.
“Collectors from everywhere came,” she said. “We have people flying in from Japan and Europe. This is a one-of-a-kind deal. I hope people go to all the Indian Market shows; this is filling a need that’s not being filled.”
This year, the events are expanding to the adjoining parking lot with music and food trucks, she said, and the organization has permission to have Zuni dancers perform on the grassy park next to the federal courthouse across Paseo de Peralta from the Scottish Rite Center.
Delgado said Indian Market is traditionally one of the busiest tourist weekends all year, and having more events is going to make it even more appealing.
“We want people to say, ‘I didn’t get to see that; I want to come back next year,’ ” she said.
Contact Bruce Krasnow at brucek@sfnewmexican.com.