The Winslow City Council presented the Indian Education Committee and students with a proclamation last month, declaring November as Native American Heritage Month. To celebrate, the committee, along with the student club Tribe of Many Feathers, has planned a month of cultural exhibits.
Beginning this week, the Winslow Theater, located at 115 N. Kinsley Ave., is hosting a Native American film festival with free showings at 4 p.m. each day through Friday, Nov. 10. For a list of movies in the festival, contact the theatre each day at (928) 289-1000.
On Thursday, a special children’s showing of the Disney film Moana will take place at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9. The show is free with a complimentary kid’s snack tray for the first 150 children in attendance.
In addition to the film festival, the Tribe of Many Feathers will also crown the 2017-18 Mr. and Miss Winslow Native American with a pageant that began on Nov. 6 and will conclude with talent demonstrations from the contestants at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Winslow High School Performing Arts Center, located at 600 E. Cherry St. Admission is free.
Also planned for the celebration is a Native American fashion show and Native Taste of Winslow that will begin at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 13, in the WHS Student Union. Admission is $5, with children under 6 admitted free of charge. Proceeds will benefit the Winslow School District’s Native American scholarships. Native students, teachers and parents will model traditional and modern Native American clothing, and traditional delicacies will be available for tasting.
Schools in the district will also participate in the festivities, with Nov. 13-17 designated for specific aspects of Native traditions. Students and staff are invited to take part. The schedule includes:
* Monday, Nov. 13, Native hairstyles day.
* Tuesday, Nov. 14, Native jewelry day.
* Wednesday Nov. 15, Native prints day.
* Thursday, Nov. 16, Rock your Mocs (moccasins), featuring district staff performing inter-tribal dances at WHS during lunch periods.
* Friday, Nov. 17, full traditional dress, featuring district Hopi students performing dances at each school throughout the day.
The Native American Heritage celebration will conclude at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 30, in the WHS Student Union with an inter-tribal pow wow. The pow wow will feature Hopi dancers, Apache Crown dancers and local Aztec dancers. The event is free, but will offer Indian tacos for sale as a fundraiser for Native American scholarships.
A Blanket Dance will also take place to raise money for the Because We Care graduation celebration.
All events are sponsored by the district’s Indian Education Committee of the Johnson O’Malley Program, which provides funds and staffing to further education in Native American culture.
