See Bandelier - while it's still there

Bandelier National Monument has been on the US Department of Interior's list of vanishing treasures since 1999. It is in good company, sharing that distinction with Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and Chaco Canyon.

Pueblo, originally with 400 or more rooms, in in Now conservators are struggling to save the ancient Bandelier dwellings, particularly at TyuonyiFrijoles Canyon.

Throughout the canyon, "cavates" (a contraction of cave and excavation) are apparent. The cavates include evidence remaining from the placement of wood looms, ash-filled cook pits, nichos and largely deteriorated colored plasters, petroglyphs and pictographs.

You can still see these remarkable structures from an earlier time, when the ancestors of Native American aborigines lived here, at Bandelier National Monument. But for how long?

Soon you can fly to Santa Fe Indian Market

It may be a while before you can get directly to Santa Fe via long range carrier. Probably not in time for this year's Indian Market.


But the Santa Fe New Mexican reports that the FAA has certified the Santa Fe airport to handle larger planes.


Up till now, there has been a 30-passenger restriction on aircraft flying into Santa Fe airport. As a result, most commercial flights into Santa Fe were commuter airlines, principally connecting from Albuquerque and Denver.


Of course, local residents have objected to the certification on the basis that planes flying over their homes are noisy. On the other hand, a survey of 31 major economic influences in the region showed an overall positive response to upgrading the airport.

A few years ago, my son, Randy Waites, was involved with a car rental firm at Santa Fe airport and had to contend with the limitations on service.

Who knows? In a year or two, flights into Santa Fe for Indian Market and other events may be coming from more distant points, eliminating the need to connect through Albuquerque and Denver.

New Navajo Folk Art Carvings at TribalWorks.com

A handful of new folk art carvings by Navajo Matthew Yellowman have been added to the selections available at TribalWorks.com. We're showing a sampling of the new pieces here. Yellowman's work is distinctive in its excellent attention to detail combined with a vibrant sense of humor.

This hand-carved and hand-painted owl stands in moccasins.

This roadrunner in sneakers makes a jog in the desert look like fun.

Lots of folks are attracted to ravens. This one is very attractive.

This rooster is typical of Yellowman's to-crow-about work.

See more of Matt's colorful work at TribalWorks now. And visit our other web sites for authentic Zuni and other tribal fetish carvings at ZuniLink ; beautiful, conversation-worthy Native American jewelry at Native-JewelryLink and elegant, hand-built Native American Pueblo Pottery at Native-PotteryLink.

And the Native American Festivals keep coming.

June 23-24, 2007 - Indianapolis Eiteljorg Museum is staging its 15^th Annual Indian Market. More than 140 artists from 60 different Native American tribes will display and offer for sale their works of art. There will be a preview party on Friday night. For more information, call 317-2775-1360 or visit the web site at this link. www.eiteljorg.org/ejm

June 29-July 1, 2007 – 74^th Annual Hopi Festival of Arts & Culture, Flagstaff, AZ. Fifty-five booths will offer examples of native jewelry, artwork, pottery, baskets, textiles and more.

June 30-July 1, 2007 – Native Art Show and Sale at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center (IPCC) in Albuquerque, NM.

July 8-13, 2007 – Idyllwild Native American Arts Festival, Idyllwild, CA.

July 14-15, 2007 – 10^th Annual Prescott Indian Art Market, Prescott, AZ.

July 14-15, 2007 - Pinetop Annual Native American Art Festival, Pinetop, AZ.

July 14-15, 2007 – 12^th Annual Cahokia Mounds Contemporary Indian Art Show, Collinsville, IL.

July 19-21, 2007 – Festival of Native Peoples, Cherokee, NC. Hosted by the Eastern Ban of Cherokee Indians

July 20-22, 2007 – 1^st Annual Sacred Ground Fine Art Show, Jackson Hole, WY.

July 21-22, 2007 – Eight Northern Pueblos Indian Arts Show, Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan Pueblo) NM.

July 21-22, 2007 – In the Spirit – Northwest Native Arts Market & Festival, Tacoma, WA.

July 21-22, 2007 – Ganondagan Native American Dance & Music Festival & Art Market, Victor, NY.

July 27-29, 2007 – 34^th Annual Ruidoso Arts Festival, Ruidoso, NM.

These festivals often offer opportunities to see and buy Native American art and crafts. If you can't get to any of them, may we recommend visits to the following Web sites?


ZuniLink - for authentic Zuni, Cochiti, San Felipe and other fetish carvings.


Native-JewelryLink - presenting beautiful, hand-made Native American jewelry.


Native-PotteryLink - a wide selection of original Pueblo Pottery.


TribalWorks - a pot-pourri of tribal art from Africa, Australia, the Arctic and Navajo folk artists.

Tohono O’odham Nation opens new $15,000,000 Cultural Center & Museum

A new cultural center and museum has been opened in southern Arizona by the Tohono O’odham Nation. The complex, which is located in Topawa, approximately 60 miles southwest of Tucson, includes a community cultural and educational center with artists’ studios in support of a residency program, a special-collections cultural archive and two artifact repositories. An open amphitheater with a covered patio and a storytelling circle complete the current layout.

The museum houses ancient artifacts and cultural items that have been returned ot the tribe by other Arizona museum that had displayed or held them.

Aboriginals: Art of the First Person, co-owned by Susanne and William Ernest Waites, and sponsoring Native American art web sites at

Native-JewelryLink.com, Native-PotteryLink.com, TribalWorks.com and ZuniLink.com

are proud to bring you news of Native American and other Tribal Arts.

More Native American Arts & Culture

Here are more events scheduled for the coming months.

Through August 25, 2007 – “Native American Women’s Creations” in exhibition at the Edward-Dean Museum & Gardens, 9401 Oak Glen Road, Cherry Valley, CA.

Through September 16, 2007 – “Voices in the Tall Grass: Native Women Artists of Oklahoma”. This exhibit is being presented at the Pioneer Woman Museum, Ponca City OK. The art work, in an exhibition curated by Rebecca Brave, includes contemporary and traditional media such as pottery, beadwork, basketry, ribbon work, sculpture, paintings and illustration.

July 11-12, 2007 - Mashantucket Pequot Museum Pow Wow and Festival. Admission to the Pow Wow is free with admission to the museum and for museum members. The museum is located at 110 pequot Lane, Mashantucket. For more information, call 800-411-9671

July 14-15, 2007 – 14^th Howard County Pow Wow at the Howard County Fairgrounds, Baltimore, MD

July 20-22, 2007 – Redbird’s Children of Many Colors Native American Intertribal Pow Wow, Moorpark, College, 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark, CA. Admission is $2.00

August 4-5, 2007 - Bull Run All Nations Pow Wow, Riverfront Park & Candfield Island, Loyalsock Township, PA at the intersection of Bull Run Trail and Seshequin Trail.

August 24-26, 2007 - 33^rd Annual Pow Wow by the Baltimore American Indian Center at Patterson Park, Eastern and Linwood Avenues. Admission $5.00 Information: 410-675-3535.

This list is brought to you by William & Susanne Waites of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person and allied web sites, Native-JewelryLink.com, Native-PotteryLink.com, TribalWorks.com and ZuniLInk.com

In Memoriam: Arthur Lucario

We have learned from Palms Trading that Arthur Lucario has passed on. Art was said to have been born in 1942 and was half Laguna and half Acoma. His work, which was honored with a First Place at the 1995 New Mexico State Fair, was often the result of collaboration between Art and his wife, Velma Lucario. He was best known for greenware with etched designs. His smiling face and artistic abilities will be missed.

Palms Trading announces Pueblo Scholarships

Palms Trading Company has announced its 2007 Pueblo Scholarship for two deserving high school seniors who will be attending college in the fall.

Last year’s award was appreciated so much by Isidora Gachupin, Palms decided to make it an annual award. Scholarships will be presented to a Jemez Valley High School student and an Acoma High School student.

Criteria include: a 3.2 or higher GPA, acceptance to a four-year institution, participation in extra-curricular activities for at least 3 years and good character. Applicants must write and submit an essay about their future goals.

According to the Palms newsletter, after hearing about the scholarship last year, Kenneth and Diana Reneau of Lufkin, Texas asked if they could help. Their contribution has helped to increase the size of the scholarship funds. In addition, Mr. & Mrs. Ernan Roman have contributed to the fund.

Anyone else who would like to contribute can make deposits to the New Mexico Pueblo Scholarship Fund at the Wells Fargo Bank in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

We salute our good friends at Palms for their public spirit in initiating and funding these scholarships.

More August Indian Art Events in Santa Fe

Taking advantage of the visibility that surrounds SWAIA’s Santa Fe Indian Market, numerous other Native American art events are scheduled in Santa Fe in August 2007.

August 9-12 – b4rTIME, Inc. will present the Sixth Annual Historic Indian & World Tribal Arts show. 75 exhibitors will present items from American Indian, African, Asian, Other American, Oceanic cultures and Classical Antiquities. There will be a Charity Preview Reception on August 9, Thursday, from 6 pm to 9 pm. Advance tickets at $75 each are available now. The event will take place at the Shellaberger Tennis Center at the College of Santa Fe. Show hours are 10 am to 5 pm on Friday and Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday. Show passes are $12 per day with an unlimited pass available at $20.

August 10-12 – Whitehawk’s 24^th Annual Antique Ethnographic Art Show. A Gala Preview will take place on Friday, August 10 from 6 pm to 9 pm, with a $75 admission charged. Show times on Saturday and Sunday will be 10 am to 5 pm with a $10 per day admission charge.

August 13-15 – Whitehawk’s 29^th Annual Invitational Antique Indian Art Show. The Gala Preview will take place from 6 pm to 9 pm on Monday, August 13, with a $75 admission charge. Show times are Tuesday and Wednesday, August 14 and 15, from 10 am to 5 pm at $10 per day admission charge.

"There's no question but what Santa Fe is the center of the Indian and Ethnographic Art world, especially in August," according to William Waites, co-owner of Aboriginals: Art of the First Person. The author of this blog will be reporting 'live' from Santa Fe in August. So stay tuned.

In the meantime, Aboriginals' four web sites continue to offer superb examples of Native American fetish carvings at ZuniLink.com; beautiful Native American jewelry at Native-JewelryLink.com; authentic handmade Indian Pueblo pottery at Native-PotteryLink.com; and a pot pourri of African, Australian Aboriginal, Arctic and Navajo folk art at TribalWorks.com. All guaranteed authentic.

The new Aboriginal art retail space at Gannon's

This is a link that will take you to a video, taken yesterday at the new Aboriginals Gallery space at Gannon's Art & Antiques on South Tamiami Trail, Fort Myers, FL.

The length is about 3:50. To leave the video, click on your back browser.

Video of our new Gannon's Space

Santa Fe Indian Market 2007 Schedule

The Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, sponsor of the annual Indian market in Santa Fe, NM has announced the schedule for 2007.

VANESSIE RESTAURANT’S SANTA FE INDIAN MARKET/SWAIA BENEFIT

August 13-16, 4:30 pm - Close

Vanessie of Santa Fe, 434 W. San Francisco Street, Free and open to the public

Santa Fe’s premiere piano bar hosts a benefit for SWAIA in the days leading up to the Market. A percentage of all sales are donated to the organization that produces the biggest Indian Market in the world!

AWARD-WINNING ARTIST PRESS RECEPTION

Friday, August 17, 4:00 pm

El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, 1615 Paseo de Peralta, PRESS ONLY

Please call 505.983.5220 x 226 with media credential information to request access to this event prior to the Indian Market. Press will have the opportunity photograph award winning artwork. (Editor's Note: As a credentialed reporter and author, this writer will attend the Press Reception and report on the event in this blog.)

2007 SANTA FE INDIAN MARKET BEST OF SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT

Friday, August 17, 4:30 pm

El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, 1615 Paseo de Peralta, $200 for those with $250 + SWAIA memberships. Please call SWAIA at 505.983.5220 x 236 to purchase this ticket in advance.

Be there to experience the excitement of the Best of Show announcement and the only time the eight top award winning artists of Indian Market are together with their extraordinary pieces. Only 100 tickets will be sold to this exclusive event, funds will support the Indian Market awards program.

SNEAK PREVIEW OF AWARD-WINNING ARTWORK & SILENT AUCTION

Friday, August 17, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, 1615 Paseo de Peralta. SWAIA members only, memberships available at the door

The highly anticipated event that allows members ($250 level and above) the first opportunity to see award winning art from Best of Show to Honorable Mention for the 2007 Santa Fe Indian Market. A silent auction of fabulous donated jewelry, pottery, paintings, and other artwork adds to the excitement. Marvin Oliver, the 2007 poster artist will sign posters for $500 level members and up during this time, as well.

GENERAL PREVIEW OF AWARD-WINNING ARTWORK & SILENT AUCTION

Friday, August 17, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe, 1615 Paseo de Peralta. SWAIA members only, memberships available at the door

The first chance for all SWAIA members (any level) to see award winning art from Best of Show to Honorable Mention for the 2007 Santa Fe Indian Market.

86TH ANNUAL SANTA FE INDIAN MARKET

Saturday, August 18, 7 am - 5 pm & Sunday, August 19, 8 am - 5 pm

The Santa Fe Plaza, Free and open to the public

The world’s most prestigious Native American arts show opens with more than 1000 artists (including youth), food and demonstration booths, entertainment and more!

SANTA FE INDIAN MARKET AUCTION GALA

Saturday, August 18, 5:00 pm

La Fonda Hotel, 100 E. San Francisco Street, $135/person; $1250/table. Call SWAIA to purchase tickets in advance.

Join artists, celebrities and guests at the only fundraiser Gala that supports the nonprofit responsible for the Santa Fe Indian Market! New in 2007 are two spectacular collaborative pieces, an “Over 50 and Fabulous” concho belt, and a custom built, v-twin chopper, complete with accessories made by outstanding Indian Market artists. The original artwork for the 2007 poster will be auctioned here, as well. Dinner, wine and silent auction included with ticket. Auctioneer Andrea Fiuczynski, President of Christie’s Los Angeles, will preside over the evening’s bidding.

NATIVE AMERICAN CLOTHING CONTEST

Sunday, August 19, 9 am – 12 noon

Santa Fe Plaza Gazebo, Free and open to the public

See clothing from many American Indian Nations as participants compete, showcasing their clothing in traditional and contemporary categories.

For more than 80 years, the Santa Fe Indian Market has been the place where Native American art meets the world. Join the thousands of collectors, artists, volunteers and visitors who return from across the United States and the world to join in the festivities that celebrate American Indian culture and artistry. The outdoor market provides a unique place to meet and buy directly from over 1000 of the nation’s top Native American artists, including youth, who represent nearly 100 tribes. Demonstrations by Native American groups and artists allow visitors a chance to learn more about different tribal and artistic traditions. A book booth sells educational and informative books with signings by Native authors, and American Indian food vendors offer delicious Native food choices for visitors. All events listed take place in Santa Fe, NM.

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This information is brought to you by Aboriginals: Art of the First Person, with web sites at Native-JewelryLink, Native-PotteryLink, TribalWorks and ZuniLink, and retail displays at the Lee County (FL) Alliance for the Arts and Gannnon's Art & Antiques in Fort Myers. "We are proud to be members of both the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts and the Indian Arts & Crafts Association," says owners William Waites and Susanne Waites.

Aboriginals couldn't stay away. Can you?

Aboriginals: Art of the First Person has opened a new retail space in Gannon's Art & Antiques Gallery in South Fort Myers.

Gannon's is located at 16521 S. Tamiami Trail (Route 41). Aboriginals will have a limited offering in approximately 250 square feet inside Gannon's 20,000 square foot facility.

According to William Waites, cco-owner of Aboriginals, "We are excited abou tgetting back to a situation where our clientele can look at, touch and feel art objects before purchasing them."

Aboriginals was a very popular tribal art gallery for 16 years on Sanibel, a facility that was closed approximately two years ago. The owners still receive comments from visitors who lament the closing of the physical gallery on Sanibel Island. In the meantime, the gallery has been operating successfuly on the Internet with Web sites at Native-JewelryLink.com, Native-PotteryLink.com, TribalWorks.com and ZuniLink.com .

Aboriginals will continue to operate the web sites, but also invites its friends and collector customers to stop by Gannon's to see the Aboriginals space. The space primarily will feature larger pieces of African and Australian Aboriginal art, including textiles and paintings, with a smattering of Native American items. In an upcoming message we will include a photo of the space and some of the items being featured.

When Aboriginals owners,William & Susanne Waites, are not present, Rich & Ursula Gannon, owners of Gannon's Art & Antiques will be happy to help you. In addition, if you know you will be there and would like to meet us there, simply call 800-305-0185 and we can make an appointment to be there.

Where should you buy Alaskan Inuit art?

There are many, many pieces of beautiful Inuit and Alaskan Eskimo art available through dozens of Native American art resources in North America. You ought to be able to find something you love and just buy it.

In fact, we have several such items available in our Arctic Room at TribalWorks.com.

Unfortunately, there are complications.

By law, items made from marine mammal parts may not be shipped across the US/Canadian border without a special permit. This includes whale bone, walrus ivory and baleen. Getting a permit can be a long and difficult task. For many buyers, it is too much work to go through.

If you are Canadian resident, you can order and buy from any of several reputable Canadian dealers and have your purchase shipped to you without complication.

Similarly, if you are a US resident, you can purchase any item from our Arctic Room and have it shipped to your US residence in the course of normal business.

If you are Canadian and would like a list of Canadian sources that we feel you can rely on, contact us at sanibleart@comcast.net. We will tell you what we know.

Secure Order Form comes to Tribalworks

We have been working on upgrading the order form at TribalWorks.com to secure status. We have more work to do but we have created a link from the original order form to the new secure form. So, if you happen to hit the order form button and are taken to the original order form you will find a second link that will take you to the secure order form. In most cases, however, clicking on the order form link icon will take you automatically to the secure order form.

We will let you know when the entire site has been secured.

TribalWorks.com is the third of our Web sites to go "secure", following Native-JewelryLink.com and ZuniLink.com. It is long and detailed work to complete the process.

Our loyal customers, however, say it is worth it and they are grateful for our efforts to protect their credit card information.

Treadway/Toomey's Auction moves Native American items

March 4, 2007 was the date of an auction at Treadway/Toomey's Twentieth Century (Oak Park, IL) that included the sale of a collection of Native American items from collectors in Chicago and Las Vegas.

According to observers, a polychrome Mission basket with an estimate of $2,000 to $3,000 sold for $30,000. Two other high bid items were two Apache ollas of 12 inches and 21 inches, respectively , garnering $18,000 and $15,000. A Shoshone Panamint basket went for $18,000. A Navajo Germantown rug realized a price of $15,000. A Nez Perce/Plateau rifle scabbard sold for $5,000.

A large Hopi water jar, attributed to Frog Woman, went for $5,500. A San Ildefonso bowl with a carved top reached $7,000. One of the stars of the lots offered was a matched pair of beaded Sioux bags which realized in excess of $20,000.

Auction always are good guides to the market value of Native American art objects.

Red Earth Festival Scheduled for June 1-3

The Annual Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival is one of the most important such events in the country.

Members of more than 100 tribes will gather in Oklahoma City to celebrate and share in the richness and diversity of their heritage.

The event kicks off with a Benefit Auction on Thursday, May 31 at the Cox Convention Center, followed on June 1 by the Grand Parade at 10:30 AM, moving through the streets of downtown Oklahoma City.

Other events will include a 5K run and a 1 mile Fun Walk at Regatta Park along the Oklahoma River.

There also will be a juried art show and a native dance competition.

This is the 21st Annual Red Earth Festival. We first attended back in the late 80's. It has grown dramatically since then. But we still treasure the acquaintances we made in those days with talented Native American artists, many of whom had works featured on our first Web site.

Piscataway (Cedarville Band) Indians to Pow-Wow

According to their web site the Cedarville Band of the Piscataway Indians will host their 25th Annual Indian Festival and Pow-Wow on June 2 and 3.

Events will take place at the American Indian Cultural Center, 16816 Country Lane, Waldorf, MD 20601.

The tribe is located about 20 miles south of Washington, D.C.

For more information, call Ms. Natalie Proctor at 301-782-2224.

This notice is presented compliments of Native-PotteryLink.com , a web site specializing in high quality, authentic Pueblo Pottery.

Santa Fe Museum bulletin, by Waites

Here's a list of Museum of Indian Arts and Culture doings in Santa Fe that you might find helpful.


May 26, 2007 (today): It's not too late if you live inthe SAnta Fe area (or traveling there this weekend) to take advantage of the MIAC Native Treasures-Indian Arts Festival. 120 excellent Native American artists will be offering their creations for sale. Call 505-476-1250 for more information. Or visit nativetreasuressantafe.org


May 27, 2007: Native Treasures-Indian Arts Festival continues.


July 27, 2007: The Joy of Cooking Pueblo Feast Food will feature the cooking and enthusasm of Serina Hena, one of Tesuque Pueblos best traditional cooks. She will show and discuss how to make five feast day dishes, from horno bread to stew. For information, 505-476-1250. Ask for Penny.


September 14, 2007: Archaic Pictographs and Structures near Las Vegas, NM. will visit spectacular, virtually unknown Late Archaic sites on a large private ranch near Las Vegas. According to the MIAC, this land has sites that are from the 500 BC to 500AD period and are not accessible to the public.


This bulletin is brought to you by William Ernest Waites of Tribal Artery on a when-the-spirit-moves-him schedule. Waites also is the co-owner of websites at Native-JewelryLink , Native-PotteryLink , TribalWorks and ZuniLink.


To subscribe to this calendar or any other blog message about tribal art, simply click on one of the feed icons to the right.

Free ebook on Pacific Northwest Native Indian Art

Our friend, Clint Leung, who hosts Free Spirit Gallery in Canada, is offering a free ebook, available for download, on the subject of Pacific Northwest Native Indian Art.

We have not reviewed the book yet, but intend to shortly. In the meantime, since we know and trust Clint and his expertise, we have no reluctance to recommend it. (It is free, after all.)

To access the download page, go here.

If you are interested in native or tribal art from this part of the world, you might also visit the Arctic Room at our TribalWorks web site. We have several Arctic, Inuit and PNW pieces available for sale, including in a second section.

Clint also has a blog that you might be interested in.