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Young native dancers perform at last year’s Apache Jii in Globe.
The downtown corridor of historic Globe will be a pageant of color and sound on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016 as the 33rd annual Apache Jii (Day) celebration gets under way.
A full day of entertainment, arts and crafts booths and savory foods is planned for the event, which will be held in front of the historic courthouse in downtown Globe. Tribal royalty in full traditional dress and native entertainers from flute players to hoop dancers will be on hand for a day packed with activities.
The day begins in the courthouse square at the corner of Broad and Oak, one block east of the US 60 highway. Opening ceremonies begin at 9 and then it’s on to a full day of entertainment, shopping and native foods.
Booths featuring jewelry, painting, beading, wood and stone carving and more are planned for the street fair. Several demonstration booths are planned with artists showing the intricacies of beading, rock work and weaving. Entertainment, including crown dancers, b dancers and native flute players, is planned throughout the day and no one will go hungry if they stop by the food booths which will feature everything from delicious Apache fry bread and Indian tacos to more traditional dishes like acorn stew.
Live art demonstrations by three young artists will be under way at 10 am; these large scale works will take form throughout the day in a special demonstration area.
There is no admission charge for Apache Jii; the festival has grown every year and offers a unique chance for visitors to talk one-on-one with Native Americans from throughout the Southwest. There is nothing like choosing a piece of jewelry or artwork after visiting with the artist who designed it.
The Fernando Cellicion dance troupe from the Zuni Tribe is one of the featured dance groups. They were named top group for the recent White Mountain Apache Tribal Fair. Also joining us are two crown dance groups from White Mountain. Basket Dancers from Gila River, flute players Robert Wilson and Nobert Allen will also be performing.
One of the featured demonstration artists this year is Petroglyph Expert David Morris, a member of the Choctaw nation and an ethno-botanist; a skilled storyteller – with a penchant for puns. He’s a featured exhibitor this year for the Apache Jii event sharing his knowledge of ancient rock art; David volunteers as an Arizona Site Steward to help protect and preserve the ancient petroglyphs of the Hieroglyphic Trail in the Superstitions. He’s a modern-day rock artist too, painstakingly chiseling his own spirals, whorls, and animate designs into rock. His collectible works have been showcased with solo exhibitions at the Amerind Foundation, at the Prescott Indian Art Show, and can be seen here in Globe during Apache Jii – when he’ll work on new pieces, and have others available for purchase.
Apache Jii is hosted by the Globe-Miami Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Apache Gold Casino and Resort, Hensley Beverage Distributors, APS, city of Globe, KRDE and McSpadden Ford.
For information on Apache Jii, call the Globe-Miami Chamber of Commerce at 928-425-4495.
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