Native Artists Celebrate Native American Heritage Month in November at Antelope Valley Indian Museum
LANCASTER – California State Park’s Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park (SHP) will showcase seven Indigenous artists during Native American Heritage Month. Visitors will have an opportunity to meet and engage with the artists and purchase their artwork.
On Saturday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 2, the museum will highlight internationally recognized gourd artist Nadiya Littlewarrior (Potawatomi/Cherokee). Nadiya founded Spirit Vessels Studio in 1993. Regarding her gourds, Nadiya says, “They are Spirit Vessels to me because The Creator makes the Gourd People and puts their spirit in them, and I get to dress them with regalia.”
Desiree Belone (Ponca/Diné) will share her art on Sunday, Nov. 9. Desiree’s art blends the ancient traditions of her Indigenous roots with contemporary forms of expression. Each piece she creates is imbued with the philosophy of “good medicine,” where natural elements such as shells, crystals and fur are thoughtfully incorporated to honor the Earth and its healing powers.
On Sunday, Nov. 9, the museum will also feature screenings of short documentaries on Native California issues produced by Giveaway Songs Television in the 1990s. Producer Kat High (Hupa) will introduce the films and answer -questions from visitors.
Rowan Harrison (Navajo/Pueblo of Isleta), a visual artist, will display his art on Saturday, Nov. 22. He works in the mediums of ceramics and clay to create hand-built, hand coiled, and hand painted pottery that is connected to his Pueblo of Isleta/Navajo culture.
Experience Maree Cheatam’s (Muskogee Creek/Choctaw) award-winning ceramic creations on Nov. 23. Maree says, “I grew up digging clay from Oklahoma and Texas creek beds for my doll’s dishes and dried them in the sun. Now I fire them in a kiln! My Muskogee Creek/Choctaw heritage shows in my work. Every pot I throw and paint is an expression of my love of the earth.”
On Saturday, Nov. 30, the museum will host Nadia Reed, a member of the Chinook Nation in Washington State. Her Pacific Northwest Coastal Native American heritage inspired paintings convey a mixture of symbolic, expressionistic imagery of dancers, waterfalls, forests, animals, fish, masks and mythical beings.
Here are details about the event:
WHAT: Art showcase featuring Native American artists.
WHEN: Nov. 1, 2, 9, 22, 23, and 30, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
COST: $3 for ages 13 and older, free for children 12 and under. California fourth-grade students attending a public school and their families can attend for free with the California State Park Adventure Pass. Learn more about the pass and how you can download it at parks.ca.gov/adventurepass.
WHERE: Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP
15701 East Avenue M, Lancaster.
DIRECTIONS: From State Route 14 in Lancaster, go east on Avenue K to 150th Street East. Turn right and go south for two miles to Avenue M. Turn left and go east on Avenue M for one mile to reach the museum.
Please note: Pets are not allowed in the museum. Service animals are welcome per California State Parks' Service Animals Policy.
For more information, please call the museum at (661) 946-3055 (711 TTY relay service) or visit its website at avim.parks.ca.gov. Follow the museum on Facebook at facebook.com/AVIndianMuseum.
California State Parks supports equal access. If you need reasonable modification or special accommodation for the event, please contact Peggy Ronning at (661) 946-3055.
About Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHM
Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP showcases over 4,000 objects created by the Native American peoples of Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Visitors also enjoy the museum’s nature trail, gift shop and picnic area.
Antelope Valley Indian Museum to Screen Documentary Our Water Ways
California State Park’s Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park (SHP) will host a special screening of the documentary ‘Our Water Ways’ on Saturday, Dec. 6.
'Our Water Ways: California Tribal Stories' is a powerful feature documentary that illuminates the sacred relationships between Native communities and California’s waterways. Produced by Sacred Places Institute for Indigenous Peoples (SPI) with support from Patagonia, Weingart Foundation, and Climate Science Alliance, the film centers Indigenous voices, knowledge, and resilience amidst ongoing environmental injustice and the legacy of settler colonialism.
This film seeks to deepen the understanding of Indigenous stewardship and the critical role Native Nations play in protecting the health of our rivers, coastlines, and watersheds. The movie is 1 hour 10 minutes long and will be played on a loop throughout the day. SPI Program Manager Isaiah Mendoza will introduce the movie each time and answer visitor questions.
Here are details about the event:
WHAT: ‘Our Water Ways: California Tribal Stories’documentary screening
WHEN: Sunday,Dec. 6, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
COST: $3 for ages 13 and older, free for children 12 and under.
California fourth-grade students attending a public school and their families can attend for free with the California State Park Adventure Pass. Learn more about the pass and how you can download it at parks.ca.gov/adventurepass.
WHERE: Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP
15701 East Avenue M, Lancaster.
DIRECTIONS: From State Route 14 in Lancaster, go east on Avenue K to 150th
StreetEast. Turn right and go south for two miles to Avenue M. Turn left and go east on Avenue M for one mile to reach the museum.
SPI is a California Indigenous-led, grassroots organization working to protect sacred lands, waters, and cultures. Founded in 2012, SPI builds the capacity of Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples through community-rooted programs that combine grassroots organizing, research justice, and direct action to promote environmental and cultural resilience.
For more information on the documentary and the team behind it, click here or scan the QR code below.
Please note: Pets are not allowed in the museum. Service animals are welcome per California State Parks' Service Animals Policy.
For more information, please call the museum at (661) 946-3055 (711 TTY relay service) or visit its website at avim.parks.ca.gov. Follow the museum on Facebook at facebook.com/AVIndianMuseum.
California State Parks supports equal access. If you need reasonable modification or special accommodation for the event, please contact Peggy Ronning at (661) 946-3055.
About Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP
Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP showcases over 4,000 objects created by the Native American peoples of Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Visitors also enjoy the museum’s nature trail, gift shop and picnic area.