Special to Independent Newsmedia
The 47th Annual S’edav Va’aki Museum Indian Market (formerly known as Pueblo Grande Museum Indian Market) will make its return in December.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15, the Indian Market features more than 100 Native American artists vending fine art, crafts and cultural items, as well as main stage performances, cultural demonstrator area and food sales.
The Market is located at 4619 E. Washington St., in Phoenix.
“We are taking the Indian Market to new heights with an array of high quality, fine art pieces that are sure to impress Indigenous art collectors,” Nicole Armstrong-Best, museum administrator, shared in a press release. “We look forward to sharing this beautiful artwork, along with meaningful cultural traditions with the Phoenix community and visitors.”
Main stage entertainment includes hoop dancing, Native American flute, a Tohono O'odham Waila Band, traditional dance and solo guitar. The cultural demonstrators in the Ki:him (O’odham word for village) area provide hands-on learning in hoop dancing, beading, gourd art, shell etching, mask making, basket makers, weavers and other activities suitable for all ages.
Main stage performers include Gabriel Ayala (Yaqui), renowned composer and guitar player; Tony Duncan (Apache, Arikara and Hidatsa), world champion hoop dancer and Native American flute player; Violet Duncan (Kehewin Cree), internationally recognized dancer and storyteller; Chi Chino Spirit O’Odham Dance Group, traditional song and dance of the Akimel O’Odham (Pima Tribe) from Gila River Indian Community; and Gertie & the T.0.Boyz – Gertrude Lopez and her Tohono O'odham Waila Band.
At the Indian Market, guests can enjoy popular Native American foods including fry bread, Navajo tacos and vegan selections from vendors like Tammy & Chris’s Frybread, Bear Beans Coffee, The REZ an Urban Eatery and Sunny Concessions.
Entrance to the museum is included in admission so guests can explore the rich history of the archaeological site where ancestors of the O’Odham people built a thriving community. Prominent on the site is the va’aki, a large adobe structure that is the only one still standing and managed by city of Phoenix Arts and Culture.
All items sold at the Indian Market comply with The Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA) of 1990 and are authentic and handmade.
Admission is $10 per person for ages 13 and up. The Indian Market is $5 for Tribal Members, active and retired military personnel, and both police and fire personnel. Admission is free for children 12 and under and S’edav Va’aki Museum Foundation members.