Durango Native American Education hosted the Benefit New Year’s Round Dance and Native Arts Market on Saturday, Jan. 7 at the La Plata County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall to raise funds for their programming. Kicking off the event with the Native Arts Market, members of the community gathered to sell and purchase handmade art, jewelry, clothing, and other goods. Later on that day the Round Dance began, attendees hold hands as they dance along to songs performed by selected lead singers each session.
Throughout the event, visiting singers take turns leading songs around the center table. Groups of dancers join hands and make their way out to the floor to move along to each song.
District 2 Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton of La Plata County takes the floor alongside Councilmember Linda Baker and Southern Ute tribal member Daisy Eagle.
Kaylyn LeClaire sorts written numbers that correspond to numbered plates for the upcoming cake walk. Dancers purchased plates to participate in hopes to win baked goods; dancers place their plate on the floor and dance around them, after the end of the song the dancer then selects the plate they stopped on. Numbers are then called to select winners for donated goods.
Meskvlwv Wesley wins homemade cookies after his plate number is called during the cake walk, all proceeds of the cake walk go to benefit the Durango School District, Durango Native American Education programming.
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | SU Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | SU Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | SU Drum
Photo Credit: Divine Windy Boy | SU Drum
Round Dance to benefit education
Tags: Benefit New Year’s Round Dance, Councilmember Linda Baker, District 2 Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton, Durango Native American Education, Durango School District, Kaylyn LeClaire, La Plata County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall, Meskvlwv Wesley, Native Arts Market, Southern Ute tribal member Daisy Eagle