Today is a great day numerically – 1.10.10. After visiting the local Goodyear Swap Meet (really a big flea market outdoors) and finding some cool stuff, I set out for the Litchfield Native Festival where I was to see the native hoop dancing of Moontee Sinquah, Arvel Bird and Tony Duncan.  I love all things native – the art, the dancing, the culture, the stories, the legends – and the people. I was not disappointed today, I got them all!

I paid my $8 admission fee – more than reasonable – and headed straight for the stage at the back of the park. Arvel Bird was playing, he is an award winning Metis musician. His music very much reminded me of what one hears in Quebec or even northern Alberta. I bought one of his live CDs that included stories of the totem animals.  I’ve learned my birth animal is the cougar or puma and it was on there, so am interested to hear his story.

Arvel Bird metis musician

As I had wandered up to the stage I notice a man, Moontee with a bunch of hoops.  I asked him excitedly if he was going to do the hoop dance – which I love – he said he was, with Arvel, and again at 3pm with his sons.  We chatted for a while and I talked to his brother about his art, which was stunning.  When he was called up on stage, Arvel Bird said he had won first in the senior class for hoop dancing and that he had the best knees ever – which evoked laughter from the audience and a big grin from Moontee.

Hoop Dancing with Moontee Sinquah

Next up to dance was Violet Duncan, from Alberta no less.  She did a metis dance demonstration which was nothing short of cardio endurance for about 7-8 minutes.  I found her stunningly beautiful and I wanted to photograph her more.

As I walked around the stage area, I didn’t want to go to far and miss anything, I found the neatest hand made silver jewelry.  I bought an ear cuff, a lizard, that sits with his nose just inside my ear as if he’s whispering to me.  Most unique.  They also made these necklaces that when you’re not wearing them, sit on a little piece of sandstone on a pin.  You burn sage and set it on the rock to attract all you desire.  I really wanted the eagle, but at $95 I couldn’t do it.  I did take their catalogue – maybe another day.  They were to perform next also.  He dances, plays flute and she dances and writes and reads poetry.

One thing that seems apparent to me is this is VERY much a family affair event.   Most of the acts on the stage, and the artists, were not alone but families working together.  Father and sons, husband and wife teams, and more.  I like that part of the culture very much and think many of us have forgotten family, togetherness and community.   Maybe that’s what I seek at native events – a sense of community.   It was certainly prominent at this event.

Another thing I notice is that many of these people are multi-talented.  They dance and sing, or play an instrument, or create some sort of art or jewelry.  Tony and Violet Duncan are one of these.  Tony has won the world championship hoop dancing title 4 times.  I talked to them later and Violet is from Northern Alberta, but they live in Mesa now. They have a gorgeous baby girl whom Violet carried on her back in a papoose like wooden board, all strapped in tight.  She didn’t seem to mind a bit and was quite content in it.  Looked heavy though.  Here’s some photos of this family.   Tony Duncan is also the flute player for the group Estun-Bah, who have played for the First Lady Barbara Bush.

Tony Duncan musician champion hoop dancer (click image)

Last thing I purchased – I had to restrain myself or go completely broke here – was a WonderBracelet.  I’ve seen and heard about copper bracelets and magnetic this and that being good for healing what ails you.  This one was advertised as all that, but his signs caught my eye.  They said “ask me why the Wonder Bracelet is better than these” and he had a pile of the drugstore copper type in a heap.  So I asked him and he said his are 97-100% pure copper and sterling, those are about 25-30% copper.  The silver added is an ancient way of making the healing bracelets, done by his great grandfather, a medicine man.  This is quoted right from their website:

Native Americans believe that copper was introduced to them by the Spirit World of Medicine through songs, fibers, herbs and ceremonies. It was used to treat many human illnesses before the advent of modern medicine. The makers of the Wonder Bracelet™ understand the theory and uses of copper and sterling silver. Only they know the right (and wrong) ways to combine these metals to conjure the greatest healing powers. It is common knowledge that copper helps arthritis but the American Indian Medicine Men know that, if used properly, it can do so much more.

I asked about how it would work for allergies and then thought about my fingers.  He pointed to his dad who showed me his arm with a 9-11″ scar on it.  He’s a rodeo rider and broke it in many places.  He was told he’d never be able to close his fist again.  He wore the bracelet for 45 days and now has full mobility again.  That sold me – I’ll give it a go!  It’s quite pretty too.  I opted for the thin $40, even though the $110 one was gorgeous with bears and symbols on it, I think I’ll notice the thinner one less.  I’m not really a bracelet person.  I love their name too – Skyking!

one of the artists

Last up on stage was Moontee and his sons Scott and Sampson.  They did drumming and hoop dancing.  Yet another family act.

Moontee Sinquah - he does have pretty cute knees hey? LOL

All in all, it was a great afternoon and it left me wishing I’d not only gone earlier, but the day before as well.   I came home and told Rob I wanted to follow the Pow Wow’s around next year and photograph the native dancers and performers.  Native hoop dancing is an amazing feat and both Rob and I love to see them perform.  How cool would it be to actually follow them around all year?!  I’ve actually always wanted to do that, from the first time I saw native village at the Stampede in Calgary as a child.

Stopped in at a Chipotle restaurant for THE most amazing burrito for $7!  We heard about Chipotle and there was one on the way home so I stopped in.  Had to take one home for Rob too.  Awesome food!

Images in this post are available for purchase on the Her View Photography online gallery at Zenfolio.com.

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1. Days 12-18 – Destiny RV Park Phoenix
2. Shady Dell RV Park In Bisbee Arizona

The Apache Trail, so named for the Apache’s that helped build it, is just east of Phoenix towards the Superstition Mountains.  The mountains are volcanic creations, many 1000s of years old, with many peaks and valleys and canyons in the area.  For us, from Goodyear, it was about an hour and a half drive to get there.   Perfect for a day trip, or two day trips – so we thought.  More on that later. The Apache Trail is officially known as Route 88 and runs eastward from Apache Junction through Tortilla Flat and on to Roosevelt Dam where it meets up with Route 188.

The Apache Trail is rich in history from the old west, a rugged time and characters to go with it.  Many famous people have visited here and we can see why.  The scenery was stunning, rivaling even that of Sedona.  There’s a few must see things and we started with the Superstition Mountain Museum.

Superstition Mountain Museum

We paid the $5 each to go inside the museum and read about some of the history of the area, but if you visit here – just do a walk around outside on the grounds for free, and you’ll learn and see just as much and save $5.

The Elvis Chapel was our first thing to see at the museum.  It is one of only two remaining buildings left from the Apache Movieland set which has all but burned to the ground and closed.  The chapel and the barn are all that’s left of the sets which were made famous in many a western movie, and they’ve been moved here to the museum site.  The chapel really isn’t much to see, except Elvis made a movie on the set so they named it after him.  We had to go in the chapel first, as a real wedding was about to take place in 15 minutes.

Next was the barn which houses a stage coach, saloon set, interior of a house set, and a dress up photo studio where you can put on vintage looking clothes and have your portrait done IN the old west.   I talked to the lady that does the photography, and she only charges $29 per group, not even per person!   Hard to charge much for people doing it on a whim, but might make a great niche market for portraits on a higher end scale, perhaps?   Marketed the right way and having the clients come there just for the photo shoot.  Hmm . . .

We saw photos and boot prints of many of the actors that graced the sets of Movieland as well, including Jamie Farr, Victoria Principal, Kenny Rogers, Elvis and many more.

Out behind the barn was one of the few stamping machines left from the gold rush days.  It was found and moved to this location by truck in pieces and reassembled.  We thought it was for stamping imprints into gold bars or coins, but as we learned inside the museum (okay maybe it was worth the $5) they put the raw rock into it and the “stamps” (which are several 1000 pounds each) crush the rocks into a powder.  The gold and silver then stick to the mercury on the conveyor belt so it separates them out.  The flywheel that turns the whole unit is over 12,000 pounds!   The men that worked these machines had to wear ear plugs made of bees wax, or risk deafness – and many lost literally life and limb under the giant stamps.

We did also learn about the Lost Dutchman gold mine.  Nobody knows where it is located.  There are several treasure maps to find it, but no one has been successful and there are many legends around it and how it was lost.

Leaving the superstition mountain museum, the next stop along the historic Route 88 was Goldfield Ghost town.

Images in this post are available for purchase on the Her View Photography online gallery at Zenfolio.com.

Page 2 – Apache Trail Goldfield Ghost Town

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2. Places Visited
3. Day 7 – Death Valley California Part One
4. Day 8 – Death Valley California Part Two