Northern Sierra Mewuk Basketweaver / Festival CuratorJennifer Bates cooking Nupa (Acorn Soup) in a traditional woven basket at our 2nd Annual (virtual) California Native Ways Festival in 2021. Photo by Austin Stevenot (Northern Sierra Mewuk).
Selected Past Event

June 11, 2022—3rd Annual California Indian Arts & Culture Festival

You are invited to come to Ohlone Park in Berkeley for a very special event:

California I CAN’s 3rd Annual California Indian Arts & Culture Festival

CALIFORNIA NATIVE WAYS

Saturday, June 11th, 2022

10:30 AM – Official Welcome, Festival Opening
11:00 AM – 5:00 PM Festival
2:00 PM – Special dance performance by the Elem Pomo Dance Group

Ohlone Park (between Mc Gee and Grant Streets) Berkeley, California
(easy access from BART – North Berkeley Station and AC Transit Bus Line 51B and 88).

This year’s festival, curated by Northern Sierra Mewuk Basketweaver Jennifer Bates,  is a rare opportunity to meet and interact with highly skilled California Indian Artisans from across the state who will be demonstrating their traditional crafts including basketweaving, cordage and jewelry making, boat building, acorn cooking, storytelling, traditional games, and more.

We are anticipating the participation of 12 artisan demonstrators, as well as an additional 10 or more artists who will be selling their hand made creations including baskets, jewelry, art works of all kinds, paintings, note cards, and more.

We are especially excited that this year’s festival will include demonstrations of three distinct types of traditional boat building – from three different parts of California featuring:

George Blake (Karuk) —Redwood Canoe
L. Frank Manriquez (Tongva/Ajachmen) — Ti’aat (Plank Canoe)
Linda Yamane (Rumsien Ohlone) — Tule Canoe

Featured artisan-demonstrators include:

Dixie Rogers (Karuk/Modoc)  – Basketry
Carson Bates (Northern Sierra Mewuk) – Cordage Making
Lucy Parker (Miwok, Pomo, Coastal Miwok) – Twined Basketry
Cheriku Blake (Hupa) – Baby Cradle Basket Making
Anthony Steele (Pomo) – Making Beads from Clam Shell
Linda Yamane (Rumsien Ohlone) – Tule Boat Construction & Basketry
Eva Salazar (Kumeyaay) – Basketry
Kimberly Stevenot (Northern Sierra Mewuk) – Basketry
Rico Miranda (Ohlone) –  Interactive Native Games (great for kids!)
Lois Conner-Bohna (Mono/Chukchansi) – Acorn Processing
George Blake (Hupa) – Redwood Canoe Construction
L Frank Manriquez (Tongva/Ajachmen) – Ti-aat (canoe construction)
Robert Geary (Pomo) – Elem Pomo Dance Group Performance

Featured Artist/Vendors:

Nancy Napolitan (Coast Miwok/Pomo) — Water color Graphics
Ursula Jones- Miwok (Paiute / Pomo / Coast Miwok) — Baskets & Misc.
Vivian Synder (Yurok) — Clay Dolls, Jewelry
Stephanie Ferris (Dry Creek Pomo) — Jewelry, Beadwork
Johnny Clay (Pomo / Maidu) — Graphics & Misc.
Joann Denys (Esselen) — Jewelry & Misc.
Kathleen Smith (Coast Miwok / Pomo) — Graphics
Eva Ellingson (Walker River Paiute / Mono / Washoe) — Jewelry
Monique Sonoquie (Tongva / Chumash / Yaqui / Zapotec / Irish) — Mixed Media
QuarterPint Partida (Pomo) — Abalone Jewelry

Karuk Basketweaver Dixie Rogers demonstrating her technique at the 2nd Annual California Native Ways Festival (online) on 21 June 2021 (photo by Austin Stevenot, Northern Sierra Mewuk)
Karuk Basketweaver Dixie Rogers demonstrating her technique at the 2nd Annual California Native Ways Festival (online) on 21 June 2021 (photo by Austin Stevenot, Northern Sierra Mewuk)
Renowned California Indian Basketweaver Julia Parker making string for her baskets at the 2nd Annual California Indian Arts & Culture Festival (online), 21 June 2021 Photo by Austin Stevenot (Northern Sierra Mewuk)
Renowned California Indian Basketweaver Julia Parker making cordage for her baskets at the 2nd Annual California Indian Arts & Culture Festival (online), 21 June 2021 Photo by Austin Stevenot (Northern Sierra Mewuk)
Mother and son team Jennifer and Carson Bates (Northern Sierra Mewuk) cooking Nupa (Acorn soup) by placing hot rocks in the porridge in a traditional handwoven basket at the 2nd Annual California Native Ways Festival. 21 June 2021, Berkeley, California. Photo by Austin Stevenot, (Northern Sierra Mewuk)
Mother and son team Jennifer and Carson Bates (Northern Sierra Mewuk) cooking Nupa (Acorn soup) by placing hot rocks in the porridge in a traditional handwoven basket at the 2nd Annual California Native Ways Festival. 21 June 2021, Berkeley, California. Photo by Austin Stevenot, (Northern Sierra Mewuk)
California Native Ways - 3rd Annual California Indian Arts & Culture Festival - June 11th, Ohlone Park, Berkeley, California

Top photo: Northern Sierra Mewuk Basketweaver / Festival CuratorJennifer Bates cooking Nupa (Acorn Soup) in a traditional woven basket at our 2nd Annual (virtual) California Native Ways Festival in 2021. Photo by Austin Stevenot (Northern Sierra Mewuk).

With deep thanks to our event sponsors:

California Arts Council
City of Berkeley Civic Arts Department
Native Cultures Fund – Humboldt Area Foundation
Friends of Ohlone Park
Earth Island Institute