The 30th California Indian Market in San Juan Bautista, San Benito County, promotes peace through the arts, dance, drum, music and story of American Indians. Featured are Aztec dancers celebrating Cinco de Mayo: Resplendent Xipe Totec Dancers of Santa Clara County with Caupulli Itzpapalotl Dancers of San Benito County and Yaocuahtli of Monterey County. Opening prayer song is sung by Kanyon Sayers-Roods, Costonoan and Chief Sonne Reyna, Apache-Yaqui. Following are Juventil Folklorico Children Dancers, and Ama-Ka-Tura , Pajaro Valley Ohlone Indian Dancers. This event is produced annually by San Juan Intertribal Council under One Earth One People Peace Vision, Inc., and sponsored by Rotary Club of San Juan Bautista and Children’s Therapy Center of Gilroy. Admission-Donation $1. 831-623-4771
EDITORIAL: The California Indian Market is co-founded by Laynee Reyna and Chief Sonne Reyna, Apache-Yaqui. It is an exquisite showcase and sale of Native American arts, apparel, baskets, books, carvings, crafts, dolls, dream catchers, drums, fetishes, flutes, gourds, headdresses, herbs, jewelry, kachinas, mandalas, music, paintings, pottery, prints, rug, sculpture, weavings, and many collectible items. The Market was born of a dream of Laynee Bluebird Reyna’s in the spring of 1984 ‘seeing’ Native American artists at the old Mission San Juan Bautista. Sonne Reyna brought her to the Santa Fe Indian Market, New Mexico that August and invited award-winning artists to participate in the California Indian Market.
The site on which historic Mission San Juan Bautista was founded in 1797 is the ancient Mutsun Ohlone village of Xumontwash-Popeluchum. In the Mission Olive Grove, Native American artists who came from far away as New Mexico pueblos, Navajo and Lakota Sioux reservations, and villages of Alaska and South America set up their wares on rows of heavy picnic tables. In the first year of inception, the California Indian Market was honored to have the silversmith’s silver and turquoise jewelry juried by John Adair, expert and author of “The Navajo and Pueblo Silversmiths”.
Over the last 30 years, many risings stars and award-winning artisans have participated, including pueblo potters Dorothy Torivio and Tony Roller, painters John Balloue and Rance Hood, and Two Grey Hills Navajo weaver Barbara Steller Ornelas. On tables covered with Indian blankets lay elegant art of such famous artists as Hopi silversmith Bernard Dawahoya, and pueblo jewelers Mary Lovato and father, Leo Coriz. We honored Navajo Code Talker Joe Morris and his wife who created beautiful weavings. Apache, Aztec, Costanoan, Lakota and many dancers and drummers offer tribal dances and music throughout the day as strolling shoppers enjoy Indian tacos, fry bread, and buffalo burgers.
This historical, public educational benefit in San Juan Bautista has brought major awareness to our magnificent Native American cultures of North and South America.