Experience Native American Culture

Come and celebrate the 10th anniversary of Native Trails, a series of free outdoor festivals that celebrate the Native American cultures of the Southwest through song and dance. The season kicks off January 19, 2012 and runs through April 14, 2012. Performances take place from 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the outdoor amphitheater at the Scottsdale Civic Center Park.

Native Trails brings together traditional instruments, colorful dances, and customary attire to share the stories of Southwestern tribes, including the Hopi, Diné (Navajo), Akimel Au-Authm and San Carlos Apache. You'll enjoy dances like the Southwest Horse Dance, inter-tribal pow wow dancing, world championship level hoop dancing and the audience-participation round dance. Native Trails also features American Indian artisans, who will be selling specialty items like jewelry, baskets, flutes and paintings.

New for its 10th anniversary, Native Trails is adding local merchants who will sell fresh and packaged items indigenous to the area. You can buy and take home bread, muffins, and soup mixes that combine staple ingredients used by Hopi, Diné and Zuni tribes. Meanwhile, food vendors will sell local culinary delights that you can enjoy on the spot for a picnic in Scottsdale's sunny winter weather.

Bring your blanket or lawn chair to Civic Center Park and enjoy idyllic weather and exciting performances that will take you on a journey to the first Nations of Arizona and North America.

2012 Calendar



Native Trails Event

All events take place from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the outdoor amphitheater on the north side of the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (Second Street & Drinkwater Boulevard in downtown Scottsdale).

10th Season Special Celebrations: 
This season of Native Trails features Native American artisans who will make and sell specialty items like flutes and large-scale paintings on site.  See below for a schedule of featured artisan demonstrations:

January
19- Royce Manuel - Akimel O'odham (Pima);  Burden Basket, Bow and Arrows
21- Jacob Butler - Akimel O'odham (Pima); sea shell etching, stone tools
26- Shirley A. Molina & Jeff Moreno- O'odham (Salt River); O'odham baskets
28- Janette Chamerica - Hopi; Hopi baskets

February
9- David A. Montour; flutes
16- Royce Manuel - Akimel O'Odham;  Burden Basket, Bow and Arrows
23- Jacob Butler - Akimel O'odham (Pima); sea shell etching, stone tools
25- Shirley A. Molina & Jeff Moreno- O'odham (Salt River); O'odham baskets

March
1- Janette Chamerica - Hopi; Hopi baskets
22- Pending Lisa Littleiron - Lakota; beadwork
24- David A. Montour; flutes
31- Ron Carlos - Akimel O'odham (Pima); Pottery, rattles, traditional song, grinding tools.
On March 31, we will also welcome honored guest, Dr. Clinton M. Pattea, President of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Tribal Council. During his tenure with the tribal council, Dr. Pattea has been instrumental in defeating the Orme Dam project that would have flooded tribal lands, initiating funding for tribal housing, improving education for Native Americans, and promoting economic growth for the community through farming, government services and tourism offerings like casino gaming, golf courses and resort and convention center business.

April
12- Ron Carlos - Akimel O'odham (Pima); Pottery, rattles, traditional song, grinding tools
14- Royce Manuel - Akimel O'Odham;  Burden Basket, Bow and Arrow

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