Visiting Artist: Meet Navajo Artist Cecelia Begay at the Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP

Cecilia Begay

Short notice special event: Meet artist Cecelia Begay at the Antelope Valley Indian Museum on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cecelia is a member of the Dine “Navajo” tribe. She has lived in the Antelope Valley for over 20 years. Cecelia is known for the jewelry she makes with beads, juniper seeds, and shells. Her husband Paul Begay is known for his hand carved and painted gourd dream catchers. This event will be a special opportunity to ask Cecelia about her art and her culture.

Museum admission is $3 for adults. Kids age 12 and under are free. The museum exhibits over 4,000 objects created by the American Indian peoples of southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Visitors also enjoy the nature trail, gift shop, and picnic area.

The museum is located at 15701 East Avenue M, in Lake Los Angeles, east of Lancaster, California. From the 14 Freeway in Lancaster, go east on Avenue K to 150th Street East. Turn right and go south for two miles to Avenue M. Turn left and go east on Avenue M for 1 mile to the museum. For more information, phone the museum at (661) 946-3055 (711 TTY relay service), or visit our website at www.avim.parks.ca.gov.

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American Indian Celebration at Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP

The museum’s popular American Indian Celebration will be held on the third weekend in October this year, Oct. 15 and 16, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The celebration will feature Native music, dancing, storytelling, artists, and food. The museum and touch table will be open.

Admission is $8 for adults; children age 12 and under are free. Parking is free. The museum is located at 15701 East Avenue M, in Lake Los Angeles, east of Lancaster, California. From the 14 Freeway in Lancaster, go east on Avenue K to 150th Street East, then follow the signs to the museum. For more information, phone the museum at (661) 946-3055, 711, TTY relay service, or visit our website at www.avim.parks.ca.gov.

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This next event is put on by an organization that is not affiliated with California State Parks, but we are associated through Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park- a Kawaiisu village site- and support their outreach efforts.

5th Annual “Go Native!”

Welcome from your local Kawaiisu Tribe! Join the Kawaiisu Language and Cultural Center for a day of music and food, demonstrations of Native American crafts, hands-on activities for adults and kids, and a raffle for cash prizes and goodies. Bring your chairs so you can sit and enjoy the music and dancing!

Come out for the fun and support our non-profit organization, Kawaiisu Language and Cultural Center, dedicated to the preservation of the Kawaiisu Indian culture. For more info, visit www.Kawaiisu.org or contact Julie at (661) 340-0032 or administrator@kawaiisu.org.

Festival Activities:

* Basketweaving

* Beading

* Flintknapping

* Acorn cracking and mashing

* Twining

* Native foods

* Drumming

* Dancing

* Storytelling

* BBQ and Indian Tacos
When: September 3, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Where: Philip Marx Central Park, 311 East “E” Street, corner of E Street and Mojave near downtown Tehachapi

Cost: Free

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Fall Tours at Tehachapi Native American Village Site
California State Parks is taking reservations for the fall tour season at Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park in Tehachapi. Although no structures remain on this Kawaiisu Native American village site, the area’s rich history comes alive through the trained volunteer tour guides and the clues that the inhabitants left behind.

Tomo Kahni means “winter home” in Kawaiisu, and rock rings mark the locations of many of the kahni, or homes, that were built of juniper boughs. Hundreds of mortar holes in the park tell of a very active past. The tour also includes Medicine Cave, Nettle Springs and a cave with pictographs- a sacred place of the Kawaiisu.

Due to the extremely sensitive nature of the site, visitation is only permitted on a guided tour, which involves a moderately strenuous 3-hour hike.

Fall tours will be offered Saturdays September 24th through November 12th. Activities begin at 8:30 a.m. with an orientation at the Tehachapi Museum in Tehachapi and last approximately 4 hours, including travel time to and from the park (transportation is not provided).
Please note: Those with heart conditions or breathing problems should NOT take this tour. Weather at the high-elevation park is variable, so layered clothing is recommended. Ample drinking water, sun protection, and sturdy walking shoes are also necessary.

Tour fee: $5/adult, $3/child age 6-16. Under 6: free, but not recommended. Reservations are advised: $10 per party, at least two weeks in advance. Tour fee is $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 6-16 (age 5 and under are free, but not recommended on tours). Tours are limited to 15 people and fill up fast so reservations are highly recommended for an additional fee of $10 per party. To make a reservation or for more information, call (661) 946-6092 or email Mojave.Sector@parks.ca.gov.

Where: Tehachapi Museum, 310 S. Green Street, Tehachapi

When: Saturdays through June 15th, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Cost: Adults: $5, Children age 6-16 $3, Children under 5 free.

Reservations: $10 per party

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Upcoming Events (more info to come):

* Sept. 17: Twilight tour of Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park, a fundraiser for the Tehachapi Heritage League. Email info@tehachapimuseum.org or call 661-822-8152 for information.

* Dec. 3, 5-8 p.m.: Holidays on the Homestead at Antelope Valley Indian Museum

* Jan. 1: First Day Hikes at Saddleback Butte State Park and Red Rock Canyon State Park