Vegas and more: Off the Strip for free thinkers and adventurers » Native American

Virgin Valley Heritage Museum

Sandra — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:13:47 +0000

If you take a trip over to Mesquite, you might want to check out their local museum with pioneer and Native American artifacts from the Virgin Valley and environs dating late 1800’s through early 1900’s.

They are open 9-5, Mon thru Sat with no admission charge. Donations are always welcome. Call 702-346-5232. Virgin Valley Heritage Museum 35 W Mesquite Blvd Mesquite NV.

Last Day for Pauite Elders Exhibit

Sandra — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 16:05:51 +0000

If you are looking for an interesting day trip, don’t forget the drive to Overton and the Lost City Musuem. Besides the regular exhibit, they are featuring this special treatise of Pauite Elders. It took over five years to create this project with interviews and photographs of Southern Pauite Elders. The participants include the five bands of the Pauite Tribe of Utah, the Kaibab Tribe of AZ, the San Juan Tribe of UT, the Las Vegas, Moapa and Pahrump Tribes of NV and the Chemehuevi Tribe of CA. The display was created by writer Logan Hebner and photographer Michael Plyler and continues until the end of June.

The Lost City Museum is open from 8:30a-4:30p. Admission is $3 adults/$2 seniors. Children and members free. It is located in Overton on Route 169. Call 702-397-2193 or visit dmla.clan.lib.nv.us.

Native Americans & Civil War Film

Sandra — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 15:31:19 +0000

Sun Jun 24 is a screening of a documentary by Stan Armstrong “Native Americans in the Civil War.” The film portrays untold stories of American Indians who fought on both sides, serving as Confederate Cherokees and the Michigan’s Anishinaabe sharpshooters. Part of a series FLIC (featuring Local Independent Cinema). Tickets are $3. Film starts 2:30pm. Venue is Winchester Cultural Center 3130 S. McLeod Las Vegas NV.

Grand Opening of Springs Preserve

Sandra — Thu, 24 May 2007 06:24:14 +0000

Jun 8-10 was the grand opening weekend of the Springs Preserve, a multi-sensory nature and historical experience park with outdoor concerts, museums, restored environments, nature walks and other exhibits designed to educate on the human and natural culture of the Las Vegas Valley. The springs area was home to native Americans thousands of years before the Spanish arrived to name the area “las vegas” or “the meadows.”

Several “experiences” are listed as attractions: The ORIGEN Experience, the Desert Living Center, Gardens/Trails and a beautiful new Nevada State Museum scheduled to open in 2008.

ORIGEN captures the human story from early inhabitants to the possibilities of the future, a story told in 3 interactive exhibits progressing from long ago yesterdays to not-so-distant tomorrows.

Desert Living Center (DLC) is called the “green” jewel in the crown of the preserve. Buildings are the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) structures in Nevada. The purpose of the the DLC is to educate on environmentally sound protection of resources without sacrificing quality of life.

Gardens and Trails consist of 4 themed walking trails bordering the cienaga (wetlands) plant, bird and animal sanctuary and an 8 acre Botanical Gardens with a range of desert landscapes and hands-on activities. You’ll also find a children’s theatre, a weather station, a kitchen area for outdoor cooking classes and an Enabling Garden for those with physical challenges.

Hours for the preserve will be 10a-10p during summer and 10a-6p during winter. Prices for tickets vary according to exhibit access, age and residence (for example: NV adult $14.95, NV child $6.95). General admission annual family passes are $75. Gardens & Trails entrance fees are $6 . Call 702-822-8344 for general information about springs preserve. Call 702-258-3205 specifically for the Gardens. Visit the website springspreserve.org. 333 S. Valley View Blvd Las Vegas NV. (US-95 & Valley View Blvd)

Zion Canyon Art & Flute Festival

Sandra — Wed, 23 May 2007 15:24:54 +0000

The 3rd Annual Zion Canyon Art & Flute Festival is a world event. Starting at 9:30a on Fri June 8 and continuing the weekend til 5pm on Sun Jun 10, enthusiasts and friends of the Native American Flute gather in Springdale Utah for workshops, concerts and sharing of the passion for this special art form.

Evening concerts on Fri & Sat begin at 6:30p and end at about 10p. The cost of admission to the Festival is only $2 pp or $5 the weekend. Children under 12 are free. Workshops are sometimes free; when there is a charge the fees range from $10-$40. Concerts are $20 per evening or $35 for both. There is a beautiful flyer available for print at zioncanyonartandflutefestival.com.

Springdale is about 2.5 hours NE from Las Vegas. Concerts at OC Tanner Amphitheater next to Festival. Venue is Canyon Community Center and Town Center Park, Lion Blvd Springdale Utah.

Related Snow Mountain Pow Wow

Snow Mountain Pow Wow

Sandra — Tue, 22 May 2007 17:06:59 +0000

This Memorial Day Weekend is the 19th annual Snow Mountain Pow Wow hosted by the Las Vegas Paiute tribe with artisans, singers and dancers from around the country. May 26 is a contest pow wow with 2 sessions 11am and 7pm. May 27 is a cultural celebration with starting at 11am. Tribes from the Torres Martinez and Pala reservations in CA and the Mojave tribe bordering NV & AZ will perform traditional song and dance. Admission is $5/day or $7/weekend. Children under 10 free. For more info check out the website lvpaiutegolf.com. Venue is the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe Reservation off Hwy 95 10 miles NW of Downtown Las Vegas NV.

Valley of Fire Day Trip

Sandra — Wed, 16 May 2007 15:56:19 +0000

You can begin to feel the heat of summer building, so now is the time to take that day trip out to Valley of Fire before the name takes on a new dimension other than just color. Check out the new article with photos, both on the page and available at Picasa on the web. Valley of Fire State Park, Archaeology/Historic Awareness Month Events

So Nevada Rock Art Association Meets

Sandra — Tue, 15 May 2007 15:31:50 +0000

The third Thursday of the month @ 7pm is the regular meeting time of the Southern Nevada Rock Art Association. Admission is free and open to anyone interested in Native American rock art. Guest speakers present various topics. For info call 702-897-7878. Las Vegas Library 833 Las Vegas Blvd No Las Vegas NV.

Archaeology/Historic Awareness Month Events

Sandra — Wed, 09 May 2007 17:23:31 +0000

May is the month for Archaeology Awareness and Historic Preservation. The Nevada Rock Art Foundation is leading tours of rock art sites around the state with federal & state agency archaeologists and local civic groups hosting events in Clark County.

Here is a sampling of activities: check out www.nevadaculture.org for complete listing of events around the state.

Wed May 9 7pm. Dr Karen Harry, UNLV, will give an illustrated lecture “The Notable Puebloan Site – Lost City.” Free to public. Call Barbara Slivac 702-486-5205 x 227. 7:00 pm. Nevada State Museum & Historical Society 700 Twin Lake Dr Las Vegas NV.

Sat May 12 9am. Dr. Alanah Wood will lead a tour of rock art at Valley of Fire State Park. Free but Advance reservations required. Tour limited to 20. Call Gus Quinlan 775-323-6723 for details.

Sat May 12 7am. Dr. Angus Quinlan will lead a tour of Sloan Canyon petroglyphs. Free but Advance reservations required. Tour limited to 10. Hi-clearance off-road vehicle. Strenuous hiking. Call Gus Quinlan 775-323-6723 for details

Sun May 13 11am. Guided walking tour of historic buildings at Floyd Lamb State Park with the Citizen’s Action Committee of Tule Springs (Cactus). Free. Call Nancy Gentis 702-656-8132.

Fri May 18 8:30a-4:30p. International Museum Day. Free admission to Lost City Museum 721 S. Highway 169, Overton NV. See related A Drive to Overton Along Lake Mead

Sat May 19 3pm & 4pm. The Junior League of Las Vegas will lead tours of the Morelli House at 861 Bridger Av Las Vegas NV. Free. Reservations appreciated. 702-822-6536.

Sat May 19 9am-1pm. Culture History Fair at the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort 500 E. Washington Av Las Vegas NV. Information booths, living history activities and refreshments. $3 for adults & over 13. For info call Chris Macek 702-486-3511.

Tues May 26 9am. Easy 2-hour walking tour of Corn Creek Ranch led by Kathleen Sprowl, archaeologist for US Fish & Wildlife. Call Sprowl for details 702-289-6110. Free. Meet at Visitor Contact Station/Kiosk.

Related � Hurry for Rock Art Trips, Clubs & Associations, a href=”http://www.sandraoffthestrip.com/index.php?page_id=850″ mce_href=”http://www.sandraoffthestrip.com/index.php?page_id=850″>Day Trips from the Strip — Valley of Fire State Park, a href=”http://www.sandraoffthestrip.com/index.php?page_id=139″ mce_href=”http://www.sandraoffthestrip.com/index.php?page_id=139″>Day Trips from the Strip — A Drive to Overton Along Lake Mead

Hurry for Rock Art Field Trips

Sandra — Tue, 08 May 2007 20:11:47 +0000

Hurry hurry hurry if you want to participate in the following rock art viewing trips. They are sponsored by the Nevada Rock Art Foundation in conjunction with the Nevada Division of State Parks and the Bureau of Land Management. Check out website www.nevadaculture.org for more events involving the celebration of Archaeological Awareness and Historic Preservation Month.

Sat May 12 9 am. Dr. Alanah Wood will lead a tour of rock art at Valley of Fire State Park. Hiking. Bring lunch and water. Advance reservations required. Tour limited to 20. Call Gus Quinlan 775-323-6723 for details.

Sat May 12 7 am. Dr. Angus Quinlan will lead a tour of Sloan Canyon petroglyphs. Advance reservations required. Tour limited to 10. Hi-clearance off-road vehicle. Strenuous hiking. Call Gus Quinlan 775-323-6723 for details.

Paiute ethnobotany

Sandra — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 02:49:30 +0000

The Clark Co. Museum is offering a series of Native American programs at the Museum in Henderson, with a discussion of local ethnobotany scheduled for Sat Apr 28. “Pauite” (sometimes Piute) refers to a group of North American Indians, divided into Northern and Southern. This grouping is not really correct, as the Northern Pauites are more related to the Shoshone and the Southerns to the Ute. It was the Southern Pauites who lived in this area, today with communities in Las Vegas, Pahrump and Moapa. Ethnobotany is simply the cultural uses of plants, the study of how peoples of a culture or region use indigenous plants, whether for food, shelter, medicine, clothing, hunting or religious rituals.

The programs are presented in the historic railroad depot and last about 2 hours. Children ages 6 and older are welcome, but must be with an adult and registered in advance. 702-455-7955. 1830 So. Boulder Hwy

Related Sloan Canyon Hikes

Skywalking at the West Rim

Sandra — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 19:56:51 +0000

The long awaited Skywalk at the West Rim, Grand Canyon on the Hualapai Indian Reservation is open. I have a section on the website called “Other Pages,” which includes Day Trips from the Strip. You will find a guest article, with photos, titled Skywalking at the West Rim Grand Canyon.

This shot was taken on March 30, 2007 of the horseshoe-shaped Skywalk extending out over the rim of the canyon.

See full-screen version of Photos on picasaweb.google.com.

Native American Arts Festival

Sandra — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 23:26:30 +0000

The Clark County Museum is holding the 18th Annual Native American Arts Festival the last weekend in March with 3 full days of activities. The Friday is booked with thousands of area school children, but Saturday and Sunday should be great days to sample Native American cuisine and observe folklore in action. The Fesitval requires that participants and performers show certification of tribal affiliation, so this should be an authentic as you can get. Note: you don’t have to be Native American to attend. They will be serving fried bread, Navajo tacos and buffalo stew. The activities include crafts for kids, demonstrations of Indian art and performances of dances and rituals. Entry fee is $5 adults/$3 children (ages 3-15). The festival is a popular annual attraction, so you are advised to get there early in the day. 9:30a-4:30p. Sat Mar 31 & Sun Apr 1. 702-455-7955. 1830 So. Boulder Highway.

Sloan Canyon Hikes

Sandra — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 21:11:14 +0000

Just south of town, an easy 20 minute drive from the Strip is the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area with great hiking and Native American rock art sites. The BLM and Clark Co. Museum are offering guided hikes for the public at no charge, but the groups are limited in size and you need to reserve ahead. The hike is described as “moderate with some rock scrambling, about 3 miles round trip.” Children over 8 years old and accompanied by an adult. There are two opportunities: Sat Mar 10 8a-2p and Sat Apr 14 7:30a-1:30p. Call to register 702-455-7955. Sloan Canyon is on Sloan Rd, exit 25 off I-15 heading south.

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Valley of Fire to Lost City

Sandra — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 20:46:03 +0000

Get on your Harley or put down the top and get out of town for a gorgeous drive out to Overton and the Lost City Museum. The March photo exhibition of nature photographer Marcella Brendible makes a charming destination and a great excuse to explore the Valley of Fire State Park or Lake Mead NRA. Ms. Brendible is a Native American from Alaska and her work demonstrates her deep and spiritual connection to Mother Earth. The Museum, which has interesting exhibits chronicling the life of the native peoples who once populated Moapa Valley, is open daily from 8:30a-4:30p, with a small admission of $3 for adults/$2 for seniors and children Free. You can take the I-15 to Crystal and then Route 169 through the Valley of Fire, circling north to Overton, or you can drive north up Rte 167 through Lake Mead. I’d make a day trip out of it and head up one way and home the other. It’s only a little more than an hour, unless you want to savor the Marscape and take your time. 702-397-2193

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