You Can Do Both

Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival adds even more flair to the biggest Native arts weekend around

Though no one would ever suggest -skipping the 101st Indian Market on and around the Plaza in Santa Fe this weekend, it’s hardly the only major coming-together of talented Indigenous artists. Take, for example, the Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival from the Poeh Cultural Center, now in its third year, a similarly massive gathering going down at Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino featuring three full days of visual arts, music, food, dancing, film and more.

“What I think is important is that we view ourselves at the Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival as part of a larger community of Native American arts organizations who work on behalf of our Indigenous people,” says Poeh Executive Director Karl Duncan (Arikara/Hidatsa/Mandan/San Carlos Apache), “and we’re excited from the success of all of the markets—that there is a lot of support locally, regionally and even nationally for Native American artists and their works.”

Indeed, in many cases, Native artists from around North America rely on these market weekends as moneymakers for the rest of the year. But we reap benefits as arts fans, too. The rising tide lifts all ships, they say, and the gatherings present opportunities of finding new and different ways to support our incoming Indigenous artist siblings. Pathways makes it easy, too, with screenings of films like Cara Romero: Following the Light, performances from Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers, Def-i and the Pueblo of Pojoaque Youth Hoop Dancers, plus weaving demonstrations, live painting, youth arts and fashion.

“We’re trying to showcase everything,” says Poeh Marketing Manager Jacob Shije (Santa Clara Pueblo), who’ll also show photos and perform music at Pathways. “With the new generations coming up asking what is Native art? [Pathways] is a huge mix of diverse genres and things. In my mind, Pathways is for the artists.” (Alex De Vore)

Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival: 9 am-5 pm Friday, Aug. 18-Sunday, Aug. 20. $TK. Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino, 30 Buffalo Thunder Trail, poehcenter.org

Watching Indians on TV

If this time of year always leaves you craving a Smoke Signals rewatch, we’ll do you one better. Why not catch the Waiting for Guffman-esque mockumentary Hey Viktor!—co-written, directed by and starring the man who played the childhood version of Adam Beach in that iconic ‘90s film—about the attempted making of Smoke Signals 2: Still Smoking? How about if we told you a whole bunch of familiar faces from the O.G. Smoke Signals cast would be cackling in the theater alongside you? That’s just the first in a weekend-long series of Indigenous screenings presented by the National Museum of the American Indian, and honestly, there’s no better way to get your frybread power on. (Siena Sofia Bergt)

Native Cinema Showcase Santa Fe: 7-9 pm Thursday, Aug. 17; 1-9 pm Friday, Aug. 18; 11 am-9 pm Saturday, Aug. 19; 10 am-4 pm Sunday, Aug. 20. Free. New Mexico History Museum, 113 Lincoln Ave., (505) 476-5200

Mozart’s Return

Just about two years ago, musician Mozart Gabriel of Taos Pueblo made his triumphant return to the Southwest after years spent honing his pop/punk/grunge/rock craft in Europe. We loved his jams then, and we’re intrigued by his new direction now. “I wanted to create something that was more ambient and Indigenous,” Gabriel tells SFR. “Something a lot more Taos Pueblo.” The new music will take the form of two new albums Gabriel plans to start recording next month, but in the meantime he’ll hit up Meow Wolf with the Osceola Brothers and vocalist Morningstar Angeline as his backing band. “I’m playing some new stuff,” he explains, adding that while the brothers are known for heavier rock, his catchy style will remain intact. Don’t mind if we do, Mozart. (ADV)

Mikayla Patton: On the Back Road: 5-7 pm Friday, Aug. 18. Free. Chiaroscuro Gallery, 558 Canyon Road, (505) 992-0711

Patton’s Patterns

We’ve been following Oglala Lakota artist Mikayla Patton’s work since she was a student at Santa Fe’s Institute of American Indian Arts and knocking out killer prints, incomparable jewelry and more. Thus, when we learned she was returning to town for her first-ever Santa Fe solo show at Chiaroscuro Gallery, we had to find out what’s what. Turns out Patton’s new works crafted with recycled handmade paper and mixed media are stunning two- and three-dimensional abstracts, and we’re very much here for them. At Patton’s On the Back Road, find a wide range of textures and material configurations coming together to project a certain carefully measured vulnerability. In her artist’s statement, Patton says she’s exploring matriarchal ideology through Lakota design—we’re just thrilled to see what shape that takes. (ADV)

Mikayla Patton: On the Back Road: 5-7 pm Friday, Aug. 18. Free. Chiaroscuro Gallery, 558 Canyon Road, (505) 992-0711