From a press release:
The American Indian Heritage Day Celebration will honor and recognize the past and present contributors of the Northern Plains Tribes to the State of Wyoming through lecture, art crafts and performance. This free to the public one-day celebration will be from 10am to 6pm on Saturday, Nov. 14 in the lobby of the Cheyenne Depot at 121 West 15th Street, downtown Cheyenne. The Cheyenne Depot Museum and the Southeast Wyoming Inter-Tribal Pow-Wow Association are co-hosting this event.
The American Indian Heritage Day Celebration will feature the performances and presentations of master artisans, representing several Northern Plains’ tribes. The traditional art forms will be demonstrated for the community and community will participate in the demonstrations. The celebration will include an opening prayer and the posting of colors by the Arthur Antelope-Brown Post #84 and an address by Dorothy FireCloud, who is the Superintendent of the Devils Tower National Monument. The program will also include the following presentations and performances: Flute performance by Johnny Oberly, Eastern Shoshone; Storytelling by Merle Haas, Northern Arapaho; Hand Drums by Sonny Shoyo, Eastern Shoshone; and a Pow Wow Dance performance by the Wind River Dancers accompanied by the Wind River Drum Group. Marirose Morris, Oglala Lakota Sioux, and Leslie Kedelty, Dine, will close the ceremony.
A Children Activities Area will have storytelling by Merle Haas and a book reading by Ron Howard. The movies – Bambi & Dreamkeepers – in the Northern Arapaho version will be shown.
Vendors will also be serving authentic Indian Tacos and offering crafts and specialty items. A demonstration area will be provided with Reba Jo Teran doing Shoshone Bead Work.
It should be noted that there has not been statewide recognition or events to commemorate November as National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month especially in Cheyenne, the state capital. This event will precipitate an awareness of the native peoples' rich culture, traditions and livelihood and contributions to the state's folkloric heritage and history.
The American Indian Heritage Day Celebration is also supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Arts Council, through funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Wyoming State Legislature. This event is also sponsored by Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, Cheyenne Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Crow Creek Publishing, Wyoming Travel & Tourism and the Wind River Casino.
FMI: 307-632-3905
