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John Trudell and Irene Bedard Will Headline Native American Blues Festival in Thousand Oaks
THOUSAND OAKS, CA – The Chumash Indian Museum in Thousand Oaks is excited to announce that music legend and activist John Trudell will be headlining a 2-day Native American Blues Festival. The event, scheduled for August 30 and 31, will also headline actress Irene Bedard, star of Disney's Pocahontas, with her band, Irene Bedard and Deni.
The festival, titled Indigenous Music for Environmental Justice, has a goal to educate and direct attention to the shocking environmental plight of Mother Earth and what Native Americans, as well as the rest of our community, can do to help our environment.
The event will be held at Oakbrook Park where the Chumash Museum is located in Thousand Oaks. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs as limited seating will be provided in the natural park setting. Stages will be set up under the magnificent oak trees in the park and the engagement is only selling a limited amount of tickets to protect the beauty and environment of this amazing park where the Chumash Indians lived centuries ago.
The festivities will include environmental organizations, arts & craft vendors, food booths and much more. The festival will be held from noon until 7 p.m. each day. Tickets are $20.00 per day in advance, $25.00 per day if bought at the gate on the day of the show. Children 12 and under are half price. Tickets can be purchased in person or over the phone at the Chumash Museum by contacting 805-492-8076.
A full schedule of each day's performances is available at www.ndnpromoter.com.
The Chumash Indian Museum offers insight into the native Chumash Indian life inCalifornia, as well as opportunities to explore and appreciate the trails, mountains and wildlife of the magnificent oak groves surrounding it. School educational programs, docent-guided nature hikes exploring pictograph caves, inter-tribal Pow Wows and other events focusing on nature and Native America combine to make this location one of the jewels of the Conejo Valley.
Contacts:
Graywolf and Alfred Panther, museum curators
805-492-8076
e-mail: graywolftrading@sbcglobal.net
Rod Greengrass, Event Sponsor
Dawn Mena, Museum Administrator Alfred Panther and Graywolf, Curators
chumashcenter@gmail.com
3290 Lang Ranch Parkway
Thousand Oaks,
805-492-8076
FROM THE GOLDEN EAGLE EXHIBIT. .
Photo by Ken Lubas
all rights reserved
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New Native American Basket Collection and Golden Eagle Exhibit Fascinate Visitors of the
The curators of the
One of the rarest baskets is one made to look like a duck decoy by the Tohono O’Dahm tribe. Made in the 1940s, the basket uses materials indigenous to the tribe’s location, such as yucca and devil’s claw. Another large basket, made by the Salish Indians in the 1940’s, is composed of cedar bark and has figures of whales and whale hunter woven into it.
Children and adults alike are fascinated by the strawberry baskets, made by the Haudenosaune in the 1930’s. Their unique red and pink color comes from a dye made of crushed strawberries and many decorative elements are included in the weaving of these baskets. Other baskets such as a wedding basket, corn flour sifters and miniscule baskets made entirely of horsehair can also be viewed at the museum.
After visitors delight themselves with the basket display, they can walk into the central room of the museum to be awed by the new Golden Eagle exhibit. Museum curator Alfred Panther put over 120 hours of work into creating this display of a full-grown golden eagle perched on a cliff top overlooking her next with 2 eggs.
The authenticity of the exhibit is impressive. The nest was created after careful study of photographs of golden eagle nests in the wild. It is lined with real eagle down, feathers and bits of rabbit fur. The eggs are museum-quality replicas so realistic that many visiting school children ask our docents when they are going to hatch.
The
The museum also has many other fascinating exhibits such as a recreation of an archaeology dig from the 1940’s at Lang Ranch, a photography exhibit in the gallery by Pulitzer Prize-winner Ken Lubas, an extensive collection of Native American dolls from around the country, two mannequins depicting the Chumash people as they were centuries ago, as well as the many artifacts and displays that are mainstays of our museum.
Contact:
Dawn Mena, Museum Administrator
Graywolf, Curator
Alfred Panther Mazza, Curator
Phone: 805-492-8076
e-mail: chumashcenter@gmail.com
website: http://www.chumashcenter.org/
The museum is located at 3290 Lang Ranch Parkway in
PREVIOUSLY FEATURED ARTICLE:
Curators Graywolf (left) and Alfred Panther (right), with Moses Brings Plenty (center)
photo copyrights belong to Nancy SJ
Chumash Indian Museum Welcomes 2008 with Enthusiasm
by Dawn Mena
The Oakbrook Park Chumash Interpretive Center in Thousand Oaks enjoyed an amazing transformation during the last few months of 2007. A dedicated Board of Directors, enthusiastic new staff members and volunteers, and two new curators with extensive Native American credentials and robust energy to spare have all contributed toward the museum’s improved appearance, new exhibits, programs and offerings for the community.
October brought the museum a special treat as two new curators joined the staff, bringing with them a rare talent for making the history and culture of the Chumash come alive for visitors to our museum. Graywolf and Alfred Panther are active in the Native American community organizing pow-wows, art shows, and other cultural gatherings. They also work extensively with the entertainment industry organizing Native actors, and as consultants specializing in accuracy of dress, customs, artifacts and general authenticity of Native American culture in the media.
These Emmy-nominated men have many credits to the resumes, including: the History Channel, Hidalgo, and Pirates of the Caribbean I, II and III.
The Board of Directors is excited to have Graywolf and Alfred here and considers itself lucky to have such talented and energetic people helping improve our exhibits, collections and programs we offer.
For National American Indian Heritage Month in November, the museum debuted a special exhibit, “The Legacy Continues,” a collection of mixed media and photographs celebrating Native American heritage. The exhibit features the work of Ken Lubas, a Pulitzer-Prize winning photojournalist.
“We are fortunate and honored to be able to show the amazing talent of Ken Lubas at the Chumash Interpretive Center,” said Graywolf and Alfred Panther, museum curators. The exhibit, which will be in the museum through the spring of 2008, can be seen in the museum’s main lobby and small art gallery adjacent. Some of Lubas’s artwork is also available for purchase through the museum.
December’s festivities inspired curators Alfred Panther and Graywolf to showcase their extensive collection of Native American dolls. The exhibit, which can currently be seen in the museum’s main lobby and entryway, showcases the artwork of over 15 Native American tribes, some dating as far back as the 1920’s.
Adults and children alike have been transfixed by the clever artistry and intricate craftwork that can be seen in these artifacts left for us to enjoy from past generations.
The Chumash Museum also celebrated the Winter Solstice in December by holding a celebration featuring Native American bands, dancers and drummers on December 1st. Two “people” who stole the show during the festivities were the latest additions to the museum – two life-size Chumash mannequins. The male, “Helek Tasin” (Red Hawk), is dressed in full regalia as a dancer, surrounded by items typically used for both ceremonies and in daily life.
The female, “Eneq Qasil” (Beautiful Woman), sits immediately across from the male, showcasing traditional female attire typical of the Chumash living in coastal California pre-contact. She is also accompanied by utensils and artifacts that would have been used in day-to-day activities.
This female mannequin depicts a Chumash woman in authentic dress, right down to her abalone shell jewelry. She is surrounded by items from Chumash daily life such as authentic Chumash baskets and grinding stones. photo copyrights belong to Dawn Mena
The New Year brings new opportunities for the museum. Currently, there are plans for expanded museum hours, even more new exhibits, traveling shows to be rotated seasonally, and a new docent program. The museum gift shop is undergoing renovation and is now offering exciting new items such as Native-made jewelry and artifacts, educational materials, and items appropriate for both adults and children alike.
A new website was launched in late 2007 that highlights the museum, its offerings, and scheduling for easy access for the community. They will continue to offer educational tours for elementary schools and guided nature hikes to the pictograph caves. There are plans to also offer lectures, art and nature classes, storytelling bonfires, and much more beginning in February.
An intertribal pow-wow / trade feast is also on the list of must-see events for Southern California in 2008. It is tentatively scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25 (Memorial Day weekend). The trade feast will consist of dancers from many tribes, drums, Native craft and food vendors, storytelling, and other exciting events throughout the weekend.
www.chumashcenter.org
all rights reserved
