Canyonlands National Park, Utah
The stunning landscape of this park is the main draw, but hidden amidst the colorful mesas and canyons are numerous petroglyphs (carving in rock) and pictograms (paintings on rock). The best are in Horseshoe Canyon, where a large panel of ghostly painted figures have been variously interpreted as gods, ancestors or, by the scientifically challenged, aliens. They date to as far back as 2000 BC.

Nine Mile Canyon, Utah
One of the best sites for petroglyphs in all the Southwest is billed as the “world’s longest art gallery”. With about 10,000 images ranging in date from 950 AD to the 1800s, it is the biggest concentration of rock art ever found in the U.S. The remains of the homes of the Fremont people are clearly visible when hiking the canyon. The images include bison being stuck with spears, strange horned figures that may be shamen, and men on horseback dating to the historic period.

Saguaro National Park West, Arizona
The rock art here isn’t as grand as the other places on the list, but it’s far more accessible. Just a short drive from Tucson and only two hours from Phoenix, the park takes its name from the forest of giant saguaro cacti that grow here. There are two parks–one to the west and one to the east of town–and the one to the west has a rocky hill covered in carvings made by the Hohokam people. The most unusual is a strange spiral that may have been an early calendar. The Hohokam built large towns and extensive canal systems in southern Arizona until about 1450 AD. In fact, the modern cities of Phoenix and Tucson were founded by the Hohokam!

Petroglyph National Monument
Another easily accessible location, this national monument is right on the western edge of Albuquerque. You can see just how close from the above photo, courtesy Daniel Schwen. There are about 24,000 images here, mostly from prehistoric Pueblo peoples starting about 500 AD but also some made by Spanish settlers who saw all the pictures on the rocks and decided to add their own. Some are even the cattle brands of the early ranchers.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona
We’ve talked about this amazing set of cliff dwellings before. Located in the heart of the Navajo Nation, prehistoric peoples built extensive villages here in the shadows of towering cliffs until their mysterious disappearance in the 14th century. As you wander the trails you’ll see petroglyphs of animals and people scattered about the rocks. If you have kids, playing “spot the picture” can be a fun way to keep them entertained. The jaw-dropping scenery will probably do that anyway. Note that the interpretive center is closed for remodeling until May 2011.

While desert scenes aren’t exactly the first thing you think of during the Christmas season, winter is a good time to explore these sites. The scorching sun takes a vacation, and in the higher altitude the desert can be downright cold!

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The company producing these frames is Encore Vision, Inc. located in Spokane, Wash. It’s not a Native-owned company but General Manager Teri Harris said their focus will be the Native American niche and she plans to expand their offerings to include designs from Indian artists throughout the country, thus providing a wide variety of styles and designs. Marchand is the first artist to be signed and was told at the time that others would follow.

“They told me from the get-go that they’re looking for different Indian artists from different areas. They’d like to incorporate that and I said that’s no problem.”

The company is a wholesale manufacturer of eye wear and also has a laboratory on its premises. “Not only are we able to design, manufacture and incorporate Native American designs, but also their fitting features,” Harris explained. “Native Americans have a wider fit and it was kind of uncomfortable for many years for some Native Americans to find frames that would actually fit. That was my first premise. That was before I ever met Smoker.

“Then I got hooked up with Smoker through mutual friends. I take his designs and incorporate them into eye wear. He’s my first artist so has been my main focus for building on this line.”

Three designs are presently available: “Medicine Horse,” “Coyote Moon” and “Raven.” Marchand has six more designs that are in the process of being produced. “I’m a picky individual,” Harris said. “I like the best quality I can get so I may send drawings back to be redone.”

Marchand explained further. “I scale out the designs the best I can. They use a laser cut so I have to make sure my lines are big enough that they can cut it. I’m learning more as I go.”

Marchand has a wide background in art but this is a little different technique. He graduated from high school at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe and then was hired by his tribe to produce art work. He later branched out on his own doing a variety of styles from drawings to various painting mediums. He has limited edition prints out and has worked with bronze, wood carvings and other things. “Now I am doing mostly steel work. That’s my main forte.”

One of his steel pieces was recently erected as the centerpiece for the Veterans Memorial on the Coeur d’Alene Reservation. It stands about 10 feet tall. He’s currently working on two pieces that will go to Canada, each of which is about 12 feet tall. “I’ve really gotten into steel. To take a piece of steel and make it into something, that’s almost incredible. It’s a lot of hard work but I’ve got a feel for it. It just comes pretty natural for me.

“The cool thing with steel work and eyeglasses is people come to me. I can work out of my home and can do the horse racing and things I love.”

He laughed as he told about his sister in Browning. “She said, ‘it’s about time someone designed these (frames). I hate going to Indian Health Services and only seeing those certain types of frames.’ Then she got to looking and said, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s my brother.’ I didn’t even tell her I was doing this.”

Encore Visions has been working with several reservations including Colville, Yakama and Warm Springs. This is done primarily through IHS. “We put them in there and don’t charge them for the frames,” Harris said. “They use our lab services in conjunction with the frames. My hope is to get my frames throughout the U.S. in situations where we do the lab service as well.”

Tribes can contact her directly through the website, or call at (866) 779-5770. Individual sales aren’t really possible since this is a wholesale company but individuals might contact their tribal health services section to see if they’d be interested in carrying the line.

Harris had a booth at this summer’s Julyamsh powwow and met a lot of artists, many of whom were very interested in producing art for eye wear. Individuals now wearing this line also report a lot of interest about the frames from their friends.

The thunderbird has been one of the most dominant icons in Native American art and legends. In fact, the concept of the thunderbird has been so popular that it has been used in the non-Native world to name a classic automobile, liquor, a 1960′s children’s adventure television show (and subsequent recent movie), a US Air Force squadron and is referenced in pop music (remember the word ‘t-bird’ in 1950′s rock and roll?). The thunderbird is one of the few cross-cultural characters in Native American mythology since it is found in legends of Pacific Northwest, Plains, and Northeastern tribes.

The Native Indians of the Pacific Northwest Coast always lived along the shores and never ventured inland to the mountains. Legend has it that the thunderbird, a mighty God in the form of a giant, supernatural bird lives in the mountains. The Quileute tribe of Washington state considered a cave on Mount Olympus as the home of the thunderbird while the Coast Salish believed it is located on the Black Tusk peak in British Columbia. It is thought that the thunderbird never wants anyone to come near its home. If Native hunters get too close, the thunderbird will smell them and make a thunder sound by flapping its wings. It would also roll ice out of its cave and down the mountain with chunks breaking up into many smaller pieces.

Some tribes such as the Kwakwaka’wakw believe that their people once made a deal with the thunderbird for its help during a food crisis and in return, the tribe agreed to honor the thunderbird for all time by making its image prominent in their Northwest Native American art. This is why West Coast art totem poles are often carved with thunderbirds with outstretched wings at the top.

The wingspan of the thunderbird was described to be twice as long as a Native Indian war canoe. Underneath its wings are lightning snakes which the thunderbird uses as weapons. Lightning is created when the thunderbird throws these lighting snakes or when he blinks his eyes that glow like fire. Sometimes these lightning snakes are depicted in Native American art as having wolf or dog-like heads with serpent tongues. They are occasionally referred to as the thunderbird’s dogs. Native American art portrays the thunderbird with a huge curving beak and prominent ears or horns.

The thunderbird is large and strong enough to hunt its favorite food which is the killer whale. The lightning snakes of the thunderbird are used during hunts out at sea for the killer whale. After capture, the thunderbird carries the killer whale back to the mountain to eat. According to legend, the thunderbird and killer whale once battled so hard that entire trees were uprooted. This was the explanation why there are treeless prairie regions near the Pacific Northwest Coast mountains. The thunderbird and killer whale are often depicted together in Northwest Native American art. A large example is at one by renowned Northwest Native American art carver Richard Hunt at one of the Northwest Native American art exhibits at the Vancouver International Airport.

The Squamish Nation in British Columbia, Canada has a thunderbird as their symbol. Their thunderbird is portrayed as one of the special messengers of the Creator. The Squamish thunderbird is a symbol for strength as well as change with the three tail feathers representing the past, present and future. In the talons of this thunderbird is a face of a lizard which represents spiritual protection for the people of the Squamish Nation.

For many people, Natives and non-Natives alike, the thunderbird has become a symbol of power, strength and nobility. Even the classic automobile of the same name was reintroduced as a contemporary version.

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca , an online gallery specializing in Inuit art and Native American Indian art. including carvings and prints. Also numerous information articles and videos.

A total of $300,000 is available for distribution in amounts of up to $20,000 for individuals and programs. Applications and eligibility rules are available at http://www.nativeartsandcultures.org/programs.

“The Native Arts & Cultures Foundation celebrates the role of artists as culture bearers and critical thinkers,” said Reuben Roqueñi, NACF program director. “The creative process makes a profound contribution to intellectual inquiry and to the strengthening of communities.”

The first initiative, called “Artistic Innovation: Through the Soul of an Artist,” will support the creation of new work by contemporary Native artists. These awards are designed to propel indigenous creators into unique and imaginative ways of interacting with the world, informed by tradition and culture. Projects might include work in visual arts, film, installation, dance, music, literature, drama, spoken-word or interdisciplinary projects.

The second initiative – “Mobilizing the Community Through the Arts” – will support community-based programs that involve the continuity and expression of cultural knowledge and artistic practices. With an arts-based approach, projects might address issues such as land stewardship, social justice, education or other topics.

With its third initiative – “Strengthening the Arts & Cultures Infrastructure” – NACF will award grants to pre-selected Native arts organization for program administration, infrastructure improvements, outreach, professional development and other endeavors.

Earlier this spring, the foundation announced several new additions to its boards. Actor Adam Beach (Salteaux Tribe), known for his work in films such as “Flags of Our Fathers” and television shows such as “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” joined the NACF board of advisors, alongside singer Buffy Sainte-Marie (Cree). Keller George (Oneida Nation), well-known in Indian Country for his work with the National Congress of the American Indians and the National Museum of the American Indian, joined the NACF board of directors.

NACF is supported in part by gifts from the Ford Foundation, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

About the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation

The Native Arts & Cultures Foundation is the first permanently endowed national philanthropic organization dedicated exclusively to the revitalization, appreciation and perpetuation of Native arts and cultures. NACF works to increase the capacity of Native cultural practices by investing in communities and artists with an eye toward cultural continuity, innovation, environmental stewardship and social justice. For more information, call 360.314.2421 or visit www.nativeartsandcultures.org.

This post brought to you by the author and TribalBiz.com

“This is a rare opportunity to honor Montana’s Indian veterans, and all veterans, as well as to honor the important work of retaining native languages,” said Society Director Richard Sims.

The Smithsonian created the exhibit to tell the story of Indian Marines and soldiers who used their coded native languages as a weapon against U.S. enemies.

The Navajo code talkers during World War II have received the most recognition, but the exhibit shows that Native Americans were first enlisted to relay messages in their own languages during World War I.

Marines and soldiers from 16 tribal nations served as code talkers, including the Assiniboine, Sioux, Navajo, Hopi, Cherokee, Chippewa and Cree.

The exhibit also addresses the irony the Indians faced as they transitioned from Indian boarding schools, where they were punished for speaking their native languages, to being honored for using that language as a vital secret weapon in combat.

Montana has the opportunity to bring the exhibit to the state because the historical society is an affiliate of the Smithsonian.

Montana Historical Society Board of Trustees member George Horse Capture of Great Falls initiated the exhibit when he was a Smithsonian curator, and will serve as guest curator of the Montana exhibit.

The historical society plans to launch the exhibit in Helena in April and then take it to the state’s reservations. The society is also working with tribal veterans’ representatives and tribal councils who want to contribute in their own way in honoring and celebrating their warriors during each four-day event.

The society is seeking sponsors to help cover the $35,000 to $40,000 cost for creating and presenting the traveling exhibit.

This post brought to you by the author and TribalBiz.com

“Giants in the Mountains: The Search for Sasquatch” does not attempt to prove or disprove the existence of Sasquatch, but instead looks at how and why the story is so ingrained in the cultural fabric of the Northwest.

The story of Sasquatch certainly goes far beyond the 1987 movie “Harry and the Henderson’s” or recent beef jerky TV commercials. It has been told for centuries among Northwest Indian tribes.

That mix of ancient mythology and modern commercialism is the focal point of a Sasquatch exhibit that opened recently at the Washington State History Museum. The exhibit is built around about 40 significant items, including casts of alleged footprints, ancient stone carving and Indian masks.

One of the key artifacts is a prehistoric stone head borrowed from the Maryhill Museum of Art. The carving was found in the Columbia Basin in the 1890s and is believed to date from 1,500 B.C. to 500 A.D., Perkins said.

“When you see them, they resemble gorillas. There have been at least four of these stone heads,” Perkins said. For more on the subject, see Origin of Sasquatch and Bigfoot and Native Things That Go Bump in the Night.

This post is brought to you courtesy of the author and TribalBiz.com.

Having a lifetime of experience as a musician, I extend to you an upcoming series of articles on the power of music and the Native American Flute. I will describe the short version of my musical path toward healing. First let me ask: What has heart and meaning for you? What touches you most deeply? For many of us, music might have something to do with that.

Music is one of the ways in which we say: “I am alive, and my life has meaning.” Karl Paulnack

Music is in us and waiting to be expressed. Every cell vibrates, grows and evolves with sound. The rhythms of our heart, our breath and entire being is harmonized through the power of music. It is one of the purest expressions of Spirit into Form.

The musician is more of a therapist of the soul than an entertainer. Music is more than just a product or thing to be bought and sold like a used car. It is a rescue mission of mercy to bring our insides back into harmony. Music expresses our deepest feelings. It lifts us up and out of our pain and into the river of grace. It is the companion of bliss and grief.

In the darkest hours of our human history the most moving and profound music has arisen. One of the first organized events after 9/11 in New York City was the Brahms Requiem at the Lincoln Center with the N.Y. Philharmonic.

“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” Aldous Huxley

However…many of us have some musical wounds. I hit a wall on my musical journey in 1980. I was a career musician for many years. Playing the same songs and musical style every night no longer inspired me. I felt a need for a new form of expression and I didn’t know what creative direction to take. Then came nodules on my vocal cords which put an abrupt end to my singing career.

This loss initiated a nine year path of becoming a Holistic Health Practitioner and Teacher. While studying the healing modalities of indigenous peoples I discovered the Native American Flute, drums and rattles. This was the new form of musical expression I was looking for 9 years earlier! I recovered my musical inspiration through these primal, ancient instruments.

I’ve met many people who have some musical bumps and bruises. For instance: Some of you will recall those traumatic, forced music lessons. Or maybe you played an instrument and were told you weren’t “talented”. So you gave up, never to try again. Does your inner critic beat you down, comparing yourself with the “pros”?

Well, the good news is that we are the vessel and conduit that contains the Music of Life itself ! Remember, we are the Music. So…how do we heal the split from our Musical Essence?

I have known so many people reconnect and find their inspiration through the Native American Flute. In a complex world, its simplicity, ease of playing and heartfelt tones heals us. It calls us back to our nature and to Mother Nature. Through the sacred and intimate act of breath and emotion, we express ourselves in waves of vibrant creation.

“I am a Flute that Spirit’s breath moves through…listen to this Music” Hafiz

More important than how “good” you are is to ENJOY the act of playing. Through play, we open the doorway to our own creativity and spirit. Thank you, for reading the “Native American Flute – the Wounded Musician and the River of Grace.”

On my website, you’ll find flutes and music from my studio. http://www.deruby.com

Stephen Has been a flute maker since 1989. He has devoted his life to Music, Crafts and Healing for Spiritual Expression, Service and Right Livelihood.

No written records of Native Americans exist before the 1500s, when the European seamen discovered the American continent. The period before 1500s is considered by scholars as prehistoric. During that time and after, Native Americans had created their own states, history and art. Native American art is thought to be the link between natives and Europeans, the only way to communicate ideas between the two cultures. When the Europeans came, slight changes in Native American art resulted, due to the new way of life that native people had to take.

Native American art is our way to reach the native Americans’ views and history, to learn more about them. That’s why culture researchers explore Native American art and make it an object of many scholastic discussions. There exists a qualification of the Native American culture, branching off into five main culture districts or zones, which is done for easier interpretation of the works of art and culture. They are, namely, the East, the Plains, Southwest and Northwest coast, and the Arctic. The forms of Native American art differ considerably regarding different districts. That depends on the different weather conditions, various traditions among different groups of natives, natural environment, social order, different religious beliefs, and so on.

The difference of Native American works of art in different districts is so astounding that we may even wonder if they came from one continent. The basic reason for this is about the purpose of art in the lifestyle of Native Americans. Native American art served many purposes, and most of all it was meant to be the visual representation of different myths and religious beliefs. The mythological origin of Native American art gives some reason why the forms of art differ significantly in different parts of the continent: because of the different myths and religions that existed between tribes. Native American art is done to meet various needs; to be a traditional linkage between generations (like the carved totem poles); to serve practical necessities( Natives created beautifully painted pots, vases, utensils, woven mats, rugs, blankets, coverings, home-made clothes and jewelry in astonishing combinations of colours); to be a symbol of rituals (for example art was used in the ritual for rain, and in healing ceremonies, for which different masks and rich garments were produced.)

Native American art is so various and hard to categorize also because of the materials used for the creative activities. Many artists used materials, which they found in their natural surroundings. Feathers, porcupine quills, tree bark, wood, animal skins and hair were all combined in the artistic creation. Different artists used different technologies for the making of beautiful things. Native American art is composed of artworks, made by carving, painting, weaving, sewing, or building. And different technologies tend to slightly vary in different regions, so that artworks are not the same, even if the same materials are used for their making.

Many Native American artworks were intended both for ceremonial purposes and for home usage in the daily life of people. Garments and different bowls served many functions. Rituals and ceremonies were so various that many artworks were produced for their accomplishment. Native Americans had rituals for almost everything: and a large part of their works of art was used for different ceremonies. Totems from Pacific Northwest were a family value and represented the people from the clan, and a lot of effort was put into making those magnificent big poles.  Masks were used for communication with the spirits in healing ceremonies. To serve its purpose to the point, a work of art was expected to be beautifully done, so that artists had to make the best they could to produce majestic artworks.

Nowadays there are two branches of Native American art- artists gone into the mainstream of making contemporary art-like photographs, paintings on canvas or performances, and others who continue to work using traditional Native American art technologies.

Article by Robbie Darmona – an article writer (http://www.robbiedarmona.com) who writes on a wide variety of subjects. For more information visit www.artsbury.com.

I’ve always appreciated the work of artists who create handcrafted Native American porcelain dolls. Knowing all the fine detail that goes into these beautiful dolls with all the time spent lovingly applying the finishing touches and little details makes the wonder of the doll even more fascinating. It takes a special talent to craft these works of art. If you can find a handcrafted Native American porcelain doll, it is definitely worth whatever the price. Owning such an original collectors item will bring joy for many years to come. Even your children will cherish such a doll and pass it down to their children. One purchase can produce generations of smiles.

To make the best of your investment, you need to look for quality not only in the porcelain but also the costuming, the estimated longevity to stand up to a variety of uses and many play dates, and lastly a beautiful piece to compliment your home.

When looking for quality, keep in mind that the quality of the porcelain greatly affects how long the doll will look good. A handcrafted Native American porcelain doll is made with the finest porcelain hands, feet and heads to ensure permanence in your home. The finer quality porcelains will not have glazes that crack with age or yellow.

If the costuming is hand stitched, make sure the stitches are close and fine. If the attire is not of the best quality, it will fall apart quickly no matter how well stitched it is. The best beads are made of glass and the best hair is one that will not tangle easily. With all these factors taken into account, you can feel certain that your handcrafted Native American porcelain doll will stand up to kiss smudges on the cheek by your child or a minor tea party spill.

With the neutral colors in the clothing, even on display the doll will be an eye catcher. The earth tones make the beadwork stand out brilliantly so be sure it is pleasing to your eye. If the doll is a gift for a young child, a lack of beadwork may make a better choice and for tactile enjoyment, genuine furs in the costume can give little fingers great joy. The hairstyle is usually a very simply style such a couple ponytails. A lot of expression in the face is a fabulous way to engage your child in a fun game of make-believe.

One with it’s little tongue peeking between the lips in a mischievous grin may just make a normally shy child giggle with delight and want to share her doll with others helping her get over her shyness.

Make the best choice when purchasing your next doll; choose a handcrafted Native American porcelain doll to join your family. Not only will you love and cherish it, so will everyone who stops to visit, young and old alike. You can be sure she will be gazed upon in admiration, given gentle hugs or share secrets with your children, and bring a bright spot to that mantle that is begging for something unique. There is nothing more lovely than bringing a bit of America’s history to life in your home. Handcrafted Native American porcelain dolls create your home around them bringing warmth to any décor yet add vibrancy and tangible beauty through the use of facial expression and authentic costuming. Not every doll can make a house a home simply by being at hand, choose one of quality and she will quickly become an integral part of the family with ease and grace.

A-Porcelain-Doll.com supplies porcelain dolls in general, and Native American porcelain dolls in particular. They specialize in handcrafted porcelain dolls by internationally acclaimed artists from a variety of cultures. You can find Indian dolls, Persian dolls, Japanese dolls, Irish dolls, Black dolls, Ethnic dolls, and much more at A-Porcelain-Doll.com.

If you love Native American Rattles, you will definitely benefit from adding them to your drumming circles and powwows. Rattles are excellent Native American icons representing Indigenous tribes and their unique culture. They are also among the most popular musical instruments for playing in ceremonial rituals throughout various Indian tribes. Rattles, for many years and for the majority of American Indians, have always had a great part in the spiritual connection with the creator as well as for use in public gatherings.

As you read about the intriguing history of American Indians and their use of Native American rattles, you will find that they are symbolic among the Indigenous tribes and are essential to the tribal ceremony in which they are used. It is said that they symbolize the animal, plant, and mineral kingdoms. The animal kingdom is exemplified in the form of the container or decorative feather of the rattle. The mineral kingdom is represented by the rocks that create the sound or also by the paint used for the artwork depicted on the rattle. And, the plant kingdom is symbolized by the handle.

When studying the uses of Native American rattles and how they are played, you will learn that virtually every tribe and Indian culture including the Navajo culture, play rattles in their ceremonies. Among the many types of Indian rattles, together with the popular gourd rattles and turtle shell rattles, the simple rawhide rattle is the most used in Native American tribes. The images, such as the Navajo bear or Navajo eagle, used in the artwork placed on the rattles, differ with each tribe. You will find it interesting that the different tribes including the Cherokee, Navajo, Apache, Pueblo, Zuni and Hopi, can all be identified by the variations of the beautiful art on their hand crafts. One thing these tribes do have in common is that they all play rattles in the many ceremonial events and as part of music, dance, medicine and spirituality.

The Native rattles are really very appealing and are made with a number of natural materials such as turtle shell, leather, rawhide, bead work and Native American feathers. Fur, fringe, seeds, rocks, antlers, horns, bones and shells are used to create that unique Indian style. Clay beads, blue corn, manzanita seeds or small smooth stones such as those found at the opening of an ant hill, are also sometimes put in the rattles to give it the desired sound.

Native people have always used music, songs, stories and legends to express their cultural beliefs and customs to each other and to the outside world. It is in harmony with these forms of learning that rattles have come to be an important part in the ceremonies and rituals of the Indigenous people.

That is the reason there is nothing more thrilling than owning genuine Indian musical instruments and hand crafts. You can easily buy Indian rattles online and also in stores that sell rustic decor. If you are fascinated by authentic Indian musical instruments, or are searching for the right instrument to use in your drumming ceremonies, you will definitely be drawn to the unique sound of Native American rattles.

Craig Chambers is the director of Mission Del Rey and author offering free information online about how to choose Native American Rattles for Indian ceremonies and other playing purposes. For more information visit http://www.missiondelrey.com