Wa She Shu It Deh Festival July 24 and 25
Posted on July 1, 2010
Filed Under South Tahoe Events
The Washoe are the original inhabitants of Da ow aga (Lake Tahoe) and all the lands surrounding it. Tahoe is a mispronunciation of Da ow, meaning “lake.” Washoe ancestral territory consists of a nuclear area with Lake Tahoe at its heart, and a peripheral area that was frequently shared with neighboring tribes.
The Washoe will re-unite at the Tallac Historic Site in South Lake Tahoe on July 24 and 25, 2010 to honor their culture and heritage during their annual Wa She Shu It’ Deh Native American Arts Festival.
Sponsored by the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, the festival will take place at the Valhalla Grand Hall and Lawn from 10am to 5pm and is free to attend.
Don’t miss the Basket Weaving Competition with over 14 different categories. The Washoe are highly regarded for their master craftsmanship of baskets and had several well known weavers like Dat So La Lee pictured here.
The Washoe basket weavers of today remain committed to keeping their traditions, arts and culture alive by continuing to create some of the most magnificent baskets in the world. We are more than fortunate to see them at Lake Tahoe – their sacred homeland.
In addition to the basket weaving display and competition, there will be dancing and drumming performances, numerous native artists and performers, hand game demonstration and tournament, cultural activities, Native arts and crafts, several food vendors and raffle prizes.
The historic Tallac Site is a 74-acre setting listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The parking lot is open daily from 11am to 3pm as are the Valhalla Grand Hall and Boathouse Theatre and there is two-hour free parking to tour and/or buy tickets.
The annual Valhalla Arts, Music and Theatre festival is in its 31st season with a summer-long entertainment series including theatrical presentations, an entire series of Classical, Jazz, Celtic, ethnic, and popular music; the return of the Wa She Shu It Deh Native American Festival and Latino Day. Guests to the site will find visual arts exhibits; an artists-in-residence, children’s art workshops, youth theatre camps and a Cultural Arts Store. For a complete summer festival line up, visit www.valhallatahoe.com or call 530-541-4975.
Photos by Jim Grant
