SEDONA, Ariz. — Traditional Bird Singers from across Arizona and a fluent Yavapai-speaking Elder will gather at Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., for a free Cultural Gathering honoring the Red Rocks of Sedona in the Yavapai language and tradition — a gathering celebrating Yavapai heritage and shared Yuman cultural connections. Organized by event coordinator Waldine Fox and sponsored by Tlaquepaque, Rowe Fine Art Gallery and Sedona Precious Metals, the gathering marks Native American Heritage Month and is the first event of its kind in Sedona.
Elder Rafeal Bear, a fluent Yavapai speaker, will offer Yavapai storytelling, sharing Yavapai stories and cultural reflections that honor our connection to this land and why the Red Rocks hold such cultural significance for the people who have always called this place home. Five Bird Singing groups and singers will take part: Michael Mirelez of D.C. Bird Group, Ral Christman of Ashaatakook, Garfield Nish of Red Mountain Bird, Yavapai Bird Singer Kynoe, and the Parker Boys with Aniah K Booth. Salt Singer Matthew Cruz will also sing. Bird Songs and Bird Dances are the traditional social songs of the Yuman-speaking peoples of the Colorado River and central Arizona; the singers will explain the meaning of individual songs so visitors understand what they are hearing.
The day is not a performance but one continuous cultural experience — songs, dances, storytelling and open conversation with the singers and Elder. “My hope is to create a welcoming, meaningful space where people acknowledge Sedona as sacred Yavapai homeland and experience the living cultures we are proud to carry forward,” Fox said. “By bringing together singers connected through our Yuman languages and shared stories along the Colorado River, I hope people leave with a deeper understanding of our songs, gratitude for this land, and a connection that helps keep our traditions alive for future generations.” Bird Singers and Bird Dancers from throughout the region are encouraged to join in, as they would in their own communities.
Rowe Fine Art Gallery, Tlaquepaque’s home for wildlife and Western bronze and painted work, is a sponsor of the gathering as part of its November focus on honoring the history and heritage of the region. “Sedona’s red rocks were a sacred place long before they were a destination,” said Brett Labit, president of Creative Gateways and Rowe Fine Art Gallery. “Rowe Fine Art Gallery is honored to help bring the songs, dances and stories of the people who have always known that to the heart of Tlaquepaque.”
The gathering is free and open to all. The evening before, Friday, Nov. 6, is First Friday at Tlaquepaque (4–7 p.m.), when Creative Gateways Gallery, Rowe’s sister gallery in the village, hosts a live abstract acrylic painting demonstration by artist Kay Nari. Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village is at 336 State Route 179, Sedona. Details at https://www.google.com/url?q=
