Navajo Food and Culture Come to Life at Red Heritage Hall

The music is beautiful and moving, the dancing is expressive and energetic, and the food is traditional and hearty. Red Heritage Native Entertainment Hall in Page, Arizona offers an almost authentic Navajo Nation experience.

Everything from rhythm drumming provided by a group of local musicians to world-class dancing presented by athletic performers, red heritage Delivering on the promise of an unforgettable artistic and educational experience.In fact, as long as you do not participate in Wow events held at one venue navajo nationit is hard to imagine a better immersion in native americans An evening of dancing and music than Red Heritage offers.

One of the great things about entertainment at Red Heritage is that, unlike powwows, shows are held nearly every night in a small town in northern Arizona Page. I recently attended an evening show at Red Heritage and loved the way it covered everything from food to art to music.

Here are seven things Red Heritage Native Recreation Hall brings Navajo culture to life.

The information in this article was obtained during a sponsored news interview. All opinions are my own.

1. Dance is inspiring

Dancers at Red Heritage don’t just perform their numbers; they seem to live the stories integral to the dance’s origins. Red Heritage owner and emcee Tomas Hunt pre-sets the stage by explaining the origins of the dance, bringing the story to life.

For example, he told the audience about the origin of the grass dance, which originated with the Mandan people of the Great Plains. Pointing to the ribbon on the dancer’s costume, Hunter said: “It’s very symbolic of the way traditional grass dancers get down to the ground, pull the grass out, and stuff it into their clothes. It also helps you imagine the fluidity of the grass, the breeze and The wind.”

An elegant and poignant jingle performed by two female dancers highlights the struggle of Native Americans in the face of diseases brought by European colonists. “When Europeans first came to the Americas, Native Americans had no immunity to certain diseases,” Hunt said. The dance symbolizes the story of a young girl who was sick but recovered after dancing in a jingle skirt. “Jingle Dress Dance is a healthy dance,” Hunt continues.

All dances in the Red Heritage show, including the spectacular hoop dance, are illuminated with colorful lights, adding a lovely atmosphere to the show.

Hunt ends the program by pointing out how hoop dancing mirrors real-life everyday struggles. Picking up the hoops from the stage floor, he told the audience, “You have to pick up the hoops one at a time. We can apply it to our lives. We can’t let our problems pile up. Pick up these hoops, solve These questions, rebuild the world we live in.”

2. The performers are local

Red Heritage prides itself on its local talent, with its website noting that the show “showcases talented local dancers in colorful witch dances, flute playing and live drumming.”

Hunt introduced the dancers as his family and told his story of growing up on the Navajo tribe in the small town of Shonto.

3. The business is owned and operated by the Navajo

Hunt et al. emphasize that the Red Heritage Native Recreation Hall is owned and operated by the Navajo. The authenticity of this factor is reflected in the dancing and costumes.

“If you look at the clothes we wear, we don’t call them clothing,” Hunter said. “A costume means you’re trying to be something you’re not. That’s who we are. We’re Native American. We’re not pretending.”

He added that thoughts, prayers and symbolism were woven into the kingship. “They’re all handmade by family members or relatives or ourselves,” he said.

4. Touching local music

Throughout the evening, dancing is accompanied by rhythmic drumming and songs provided by a drum circle of four or five musicians. The music varies from dance to dance, but it always fills the hall with an authentic air that seems to drive the dance.

Another highlight of the program was local musicians playing local flutes, melodic music echoing in the hall.

5. Informative stories about Navajo rug making

The Red Heritage program begins with an introduction to the history and traditions of rug making in the Navajo culture. The weaving demonstration includes a young girl sitting at a loom, and a display of the iconic Navajo rug design, along with an explanation of how the rug is made.

Navajo rug weaver Charlene Hunt, principal of Red Heritage, opened the evening by telling the audience that while the Spanish first brought sheep to the region in the 1500s, that wasn’t the beginning of the Navajo weaving story.

“Anthropologists will tell you that’s when we started weaving,” she said. “But our story is so much more than that. Our first weaver, her name was Spider-Woman. She taught her daughter how to weave, and weaving was taught among women until around the 1900s.”

Demonstrations include fascinating details about collecting wool, cleaning it with soap made from yuca roots, and weaving it on a loom. Several children in the audience were asked to volunteer to come on stage and help demonstrate the process.

6. Delicious Navajo Tacos

Upon arrival at Red Heritage, guests are treated to a buffet of traditional Navajo tacos, featuring a variety of meats like chicken, beef and pork, and toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, salsa and sour cream. Guests can also choose classic Navajo fried bread or gluten-free rice for tacos.

The buffet also includes a variety of desserts and soft drinks. For those who like to pair their beer, wine or cocktails with dinner, blue The bar is next door and drinks can be taken to the entertainment hall next door. Billing itself as bringing the “big city” to Page, Blue offers a variety of local beers and cocktails, as well as traditional espressos and authentic French pastries.

7. The location is in the urban area and the transportation is convenient

Located in downtown Page, Red Heritage is conveniently located and easy to find.

As it is part of a shopping center that used to be a supermarket, there is plenty of parking and there are other restaurants, bars and shops nearby. In addition to Red Heritage, the mall also houses popular sushi restaurants, Blue Buddha Sushi Baras well as steak, seafood and pasta DAM Bars and Grillesand an outdoor clothing store, Dam exit.

Pro Tip: Antelope Canyon and the base of the surf

Due to its location on the scenic northwest edge of the Navajo Nation – just a few miles from the Utah border and not far from several national parks such as Zion, Grand Canyonand bryce canyon — Pécs is an ideal base for enjoying the region’s myriad natural wonders.The most iconic feature nearby is Slot Canyon antelope canyonpicturesque horseshoe bend Stunning Lake Powell on the Colorado River Glen Canyon Recreation Areaand pinstriped rock formations the waves (Only available by license and lottery).

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Extensive information on attractions in the Page area, including instructions on how to register for The Wave lottery, is available at the official Visitor Center in Page, hub.