Indian Canyon Storytelling and Indigenous Gathering

 

A couple of Saturdays ago, the Husband and I with the buddy Dave, spent a joyous afternoon at the 17th Annual Storytelling and Indigenous Gathering held in Indian Canyon, off of Cienega Road. Story tellers and artists of the Ohlone, Chumash, Cherokee, Aztec, and other indigenous communities came together that afternoon to tell traditional and new tales in words, music, and dance. Hosts for the event were Ann-Marie Sayers, the chairwoman of Indian Canyon, and artist and activist Kanyon Sayers-Roods. (By the way, did you know that Indian Canyon is the only recognized "Indian Country" along the central coast?)

One of the featured speakers was Eddie Madril, a member of the Pascua Yacqui tribe of Southern Arizona and Northern Mexico, whose last story was the hoop dance. These photos only give you an inkling of the beauty and wonder of his story. Here's a Youtube video with Madril in which he talks about and performs the hoop dance.