O'odham and Piipaash culture, Jan 18 - 20, 2008

Contact: Sara Hopkins, Media Relations
Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community
(480) 850-8056
Sara.hopkins@srpmic-nsn.gov
http://www.saltriver.pima-maricopa.nsn.us
January 17, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
O’odham and Piipaash tribes share culture through singing, dancing, storytelling and demonstration of traditional life ways as part of the 2008 Arizona Indian Festival January 18-20


SALT RIVER INDIAN COMMUNITY, Ariz. – The 5th Generation Pima Basket Dancers will continue the traditional dance steps and teachings of the late John Mike Antone through their dance during the 2008 Arizona Indian Festival, January 18-20 at the Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix.
The festival is scheduled to open daily at 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Steele Indian School Park located at 3rd Street and Indian School Road.
The 2008 Arizona Indian Festival tickets are on sale and can be purchased at http://www.azindiantourism.com or at the event. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (55 or older), $5 students (ages, 12-19) and children (younger than 12-years-old) are free.
The Arizona Indian Festival Village will showcase authentic culture and life ways of the diverse Arizona Native American tribes such as O’odham and Maricopa, the Pai’s, Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, the Colorado River tribes, Apache and the Yaqui.
Festival participants will be able to explore the culture of almost every tribe that is indigenous to Arizona. The schedule of events and activities include a walk through seven authentic traditional Native American villages.
The 5th Generation Pima Basket Dancers continued their learning and dancing through the direction of the late Lolita Jackson, and are being guided by Lolita’s daughter, Aldina Narcia.
The group’s singer is Mario Antone, the grandson of the late John Mike Antone.
The dance group consists of granddaughters, great- granddaughters and great- granddaughters of the late John Mike Antone. The family come from Sacaton, Ariz. on the Gila River Indian Reservation.
The dancers are scheduled to perform the basket dance, the social dance and the going home dance.
The Chi-Chi-No Spirit dancers come from Co-op Village, District 6
of the Gila River Indian Community. The dancers been doing performances for about one year. The groups singer, Kristopher Dosela alone has been singing and doing presentations for about two years.
Members of the group are siblings, Kristopher Dosela, Kristen Dosela, Starsha Dosela, Dawn Dosela, Lehua Lani Dosela, and their cousin Samuel Thomas.
The group has sought out the teachings of the Akimel O’Odham from their great grandparents Myrtle Pete and McDonald P. Hughes.
The dance group members are very honored to share their culture and traditions with spectators, and ask the creator to bless everyone and all the beloved people loved in this new year.
Two storytellers from the Gila River Indian Community are scheduled to share stories. A. Joyce Hughes is scheduled to tell stories at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday, January 19 and at 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 19 and Loren Russell is scheduled at 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sunday, January 20.
Additionally, there will be traditional Native American dance and singing performances at the O’odham/Maricopa Village.
The performers who are scheduled to exhibit their dances and songs are:
The Bird Singing and Dancing by the River from the Salt River Indian Community. Performances are scheduled at 11 a.m. Friday, January 18; at 12 p.m. Friday, January 18; at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, January 20; at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, January 20; at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, January 20 and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, January 20.
The 5th Generation of the late John Mike Anton Dance Group from the Gila River Indian Community from the Gila River Indian Community. Performances are scheduled at 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 18; 11:30 a.m. Friday, January 18; 11 a.m. Sunday, January 20 and at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, January 20.
The Heshan Kehk Basket Dancer from the Gila River Indian Community. Performances are scheduled at 12:30 p.m. Friday, January 18 and at 1:30 p.m. Friday, January 18.
Chi-Chi-No Spirit from the Gila River Indian Community. Performances are scheduled at 1 p.m. Friday, January 18 and at 2 p.m. Friday, January 18.
The Pee-Posh Dancers from the Gila River Indian Community. Performances are scheduled at 3 p.m. Friday, January 18.
District Five Elderly Dance Group from the Gila River Indian Community. Performances are scheduled at 3 p.m. Friday, January 18; at 4 p.m. Friday, January 18 and at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, January 20.
Red Mountain bird Singers and Dancers. Performances are scheduled at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, January 19; at 12 p.m.
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Traditional Dancer from the Salt River Indian Community. Performances are scheduled at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 19 and at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 19.
Ak-Chin Kwaylia:a Group from the Ak-Chin Indian Community. Performances are scheduled at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, January 19; at 3 p.m. Saturday, January 19; 4 p.m. Saturday, January 19; at 2 p.m. Sunday, January 20 and at 4 p.m. Sunday, January 20.

The Emcees for the event are James Sundust on Friday, January 19. Robert Miguel will serve as emcee on Saturday, January 20.


Parking is at the following locations are only available on Saturday, Jan. 19 and Sunday, Jan. 20)
VA Hospital at 7th Street and Indian School Road.
Central High School located at Central Ave. and Campbell-East Side of Central Ave.)
Phoenix Indian Center located at Central Ave. and Campbell – West Side of Central Avenue.
There is limited handicap parking at the festival site, follow the signs.

For more information e-mail: contact@rednoteinc.com or call 602-254-1952.

-30-