Native Peoples Magazine

Belize has long been a destination for ecotourists, adventure seekers and enthusiasts of the Maya civilization. In our litigious society—where you can be sued if your fast food is too fattening or your coffee too hot—adventure is not an easy thing to find. Not so in Belize. You can climb up steep stone steps of sacred temples or down into an ancient sepulcher to contemplate the lives of those long gone. You can view the altars used by long-dead priests and see the bones of their sacrificial victims without a glass shield between you and the artifacts. This is no Pirates of the Caribbean ride, where you must keep your hands inside the car at all times.

ON THE COVER
Jhane Myers-NoiseCat (Comanche/Blackfeet)—a noted dressmaker, beadworker and traditional regalia designer—in an outfit she and her sister Daneta Kaulay (Kiowa) designed that took first place in the 2007 Santa Fe Indian Market traditional clothing contest. Photo by Kitty Leaken.

August 4 – Michael Jacobs Concert.
Location: Bearcreek Farms, Bryant. Award-winning Cherokee recording artist Michael Jacobs will perform an incredible blend of Native American and American "roots" music, a mixture of pop, rock, folk and the Native American flute. Tickets: $15, $10 for students. Contact Bearcreek Farms at 260-997-6822.

August 4 – 8 – NCGLNAC Cultural Arts Classes. Location: Women’s Building, Jay County Fairgrounds, Portland, Indiana. Some of the classes planned (each 2 ½ days long) include: cedar boxes, sterling silver work, women’s traditional dance, personal gourd drums, antler and bone carving, and traditional living skills. Pre-registration is requested by July 23. Class fee: $95 ($75 for NCGLNAC members). All classes are open to anyone over the age of 12. Contact Kay Neumayr at 765-426-3022 or kay.neumayr@ncglnac.com.

August 4 – 8 – NCGLNAC Cultural Arts Children’s Classes.
Location: Women’s Building, Jay County Fairgrounds, Portland, Indiana. Children will learn all about Great Lakes Native American peoples that lived in the Jay County area in the past, and still live in Jay County now. Classes will feature crafts, art work, games, storytelling and folklore. Pre-Registration is encouraged before July 23. Cost per day per child is $15, including lunch and all materials. Classes are open to anyone 6 and up.

A relatively new event in Santa Fe, Native Treasures, quickly establishes itself as a significant annual arts market. Plus details on other special events of Native interest across North America. By Daniel Gibson.

ON THE COVER
David Moses Bridges (Passamaquoddy), in the rear of the canoe, and Cody Brooks (Maliseet), in the bow, paddle Bridge’s handmade birchbark canoe on a tributary of the Wolastaq (The Beautiful River)—today known as the St. John of Maine. Bridges, who learned his craft from his grandfather and great grandfather, is one of the few people living who can create such magnificent vessels. Photo by Darel Gabriel Bridges (Passamaquoddy).