“Where will your spirit be when the sun rises?” is the question asked by the organizers of the New Millennium First Peoples’ World’s Fair and Pow Wow. At the end of December 1999 to January 2000, tribal nations gathered in Tuscon, Arizona for the first celebration of their survival, and to honor “Mother Earth,” showcase their culture heritage and highlight their contributions to the world. The changing from one century to another was significant to the multiple day event.
This year marks the third mega celebration. Slated to happen every four years, this New Millennium First Peoples’ World’s Fair and Pow Wow called “Thunder in the Desert” (Dec. 28-Jan. 6) will be bigger than the last. More than 150 tribal nations from North America, along with indigenous people from other countries, will gather at Rillito Raceway Park for 10 days of sharing traditions and customs with each other and offer the bounty of their art, crafts, music, dance, story-telling and food to the public who is invited to attend.
I browsed through Thunder in the Desert’s happenings and they look superb. I can’t imagine how a person could go to this event and be disappointed. These are the best dancers, the best artists, the best story-tellers around. The hard thing will be picking between the options.
The Web site also has a link to lodging in Tuscon. Proceeds to this event will help pay for scholarships. If you can’t make this year’s, the next one will be Dec. 30, 2011 to Jan. 8, 2012.