Many Lightnings Legacy Center, Inc. contributes to the development and maintenance of the Native Garden located at the San Joaquin River basin in Fresno. It is a volunteer run organization. Funding from ACTA’s Living Cultures Grants Program in 2016 will provide monthly workshops to immerse future weavers and gatherers…
The beaded collar is adornment worn by Western Mono women. The collar is made from contemporary glass beads. It consists of a wide choker neckband, with a net-like or lacy draped cape. The drape of the collar extends fully over and around the shoulders covering the upper torso front and…
For Indian tribes of Northwestern California the art form of making female regalia, particularly ceremonial dresses was nearly lost. As native people fight against cultural erasure to retain their languages and cultural practices, the art form of regalia making, fortunately, has regained a high frequency of practice in the current…
In Mexico there exists an incredible diversity of dance traditions from the son jarocho from Veracruz, to the redovas of the northern states, to the jarana tradition in Yucatan, many of which are often included as part of the nation state identity and as part of the ballet folklorico presentations.
Madera, California, boasts a large Oaxacan community who are largely agricultural workers. The community has recognized that back strap weaving is one of the many traditions of the indigenous communities in Oaxaca, Mexico, that is almost non-existent with the move to California. A natural context of learning to weave from…
The Nor Rel Muk Wintu Nation’s traditional homeland lies in the headwaters of the South Fork of the Trinity River, in Trinity County, California. Approximately half of the tribe’s 1,000 members still live near their ancestral lands in Trinity and Shasta Counties. Nor Rel Muk Wintu members from across the…
The Salinans are a Native people that lived in what is now the Central Coast of California, in the Salinas Valley. The Salinan language is one of the oldest in California. Said to have gone extinct by the Census of 1930, the Salinan peoples survived and currently exist in several…
Tulare County League of Mexican-American Women (TCLMAW) was founded in 1979 by five Tulare County Mexican-American women who were dedicated to educating and increasing the knowledge of women in Tulare County through activities such as conferences, workshops, and community projects. This dedication continues today. The TCLMAW…
Basket weaving was once an everyday skill used by the Native peoples of Northern California. Today, basketry has become a highly specialized art form with a limited number of tribal people who possess the skill and knowledge the gather materials, process those materials, and create a living basket. Baskets are…
In the Northwestern area of the state of Michoacán resides an indigenous group known as the Tarascos, who are also referred to as Purépecha, pertaining to the language spoken by this group. The Purépecha people have been successful in retaining a variety of cultural expressions in addition to the language.
