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By KATHY HUNTER Ukiah's two-day’ “Festival of Indian Arts and Crafts” this ‘past’ weekend at the Fairgrounds provided festival goers with a colorful array of Indian art work and crafts along with authentic songs and dances of Native Americans as performed in the old days and today. Sponsored by the Hirithil Women’s Club, the festival was the first of its type to be held in Mendocino County and plans are already under way for a “repeat” next year. Spearheading the planning efforts for this year’s initial effort were Mrs. Margaret Hoaglen of Hopland and Mrs. Elsie Allen and Mrs. Marjorie Maize of Ukiah and Mrs. Leta Hoaglen of Sherwood Valley. Along with the exhibits and the entertainment, the ‘‘Pomo Do Your Thing Group”’ served American Indian food, and when they were not otherwise engaged in the kitchen, presented a program of songs and a fashion show on Saturday afternoon with Frances Dawson as chairman. Doors were open both Friday and Saturday at the Home Arts building from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and presented changing exhibits of Indian culture as personified in tribal arts and crafts along with various local and imported dance groups and singers. Featured solo vocalists were Lois and Daniel Forrest, Ukiah area performers who have appeared here many times. Among the group, en tertainers, and climaxing Saturday night’s program, were the Tain-Man's Dancers, a new local group composed at the present time of 11 young Indian children who are being taught the dances of their forefathers and range in age from 2-year old Carol Whitehurst to 12- year-old Joe McCoy. Costumes, hand-made by their parents and “‘elders’’ are not only colorful but authentic reproductions of those worn in years past at tribal ceremonials and carry out the symbolism of the true meaning of the dances. In addition to the local exhibitors, two representatives of the Northern Indian Califor nia Education Project were present with a display dramatizing the history and cultural background of the six counties the project covers Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt, Del Norte, Siskiyou and Trinity. Charles Abbott and Carl Delgado, community and in service specialists working out of Eureka, oversee six pilot Indian Education projects in grades kindergarten through the 8th. INDIAN WAR DANCE — Four young braves of the Tain-Ma's Dancers are featured in this Indian War Dance which is also used to fight off the evil spirits responsible for sickness and the failure of the tribe’s crops. Tony Ramos, in a leather loin cloth with ornamental bead work, faces the camera and the beautiful and richly colored costumes of the other youthful dancers are shown off, from left, by Nelson Gibson, Teddy Ramos,and Joe McCoy as they enact the ancient symbolism of the war dance. The imitation fur on each foot represents goat hair which gives the dancer the sure-footedness and lightness of the mountain goat. The bells around each ankle represent the sound of the eagle in flight. EXHIBITOR — Ivan Haaglen of Mopland displayed several beautiful and unusual examples of Indian art and handiwork at his booth at the Festival. Prominently displayed is his necklace of abalone and seashells with small and large “‘pony”’ beads. He can make this in a day but didn’t’ say how long it took to make the “apple head doll.” ‘ IN FULL REGALIA — Trudy Ramos and Joe McCoy, lead dancer in the Tam-Ma’s group, led the “Friendship” dance in which young maidens are allowed to ask the brave of their choice to dance. Trudy’s buckskin skirt and top is typical of what the young Indian maid once wore and her warrior sports a fully beaded, rare, hand-made belt designed and made by his father, David Hansen. At night, waiting their cue, Teddy Ramos wears a buckskin loin cloth with chest plate and Nelson Gibson's feathers would make a bird of paradise envious. CHILDREN'S GIFT: ITEM — Karen Arnold of Willits, left, and Debbie Pacheco, Ukiah, show two of the small hand-made dolls on display at the Festival booth where Rose Miller of Willits, left rear, 'a ' and Aigin Pacheco of Ukiah, displayed ed their. w ; including:’ variety” of declorative: “tamil paintings. Journal Photos. by: K... Hunter.
Newspaper Details
Ukiah Daily Journal
Ukiah, California, US
Wed, Jun 20, 1973
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 10 Feb 2026
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