Friday, July 10, 2009

Washoe event in July

Long before the white man called Lake Tahoe home, Washoe Indians lived here in spring and summer, while calling Gardnerville home as the temperatures dropped.
Washoe live here and in the valley year-round now. Some tribal members were born on the shores of Lake Tahoe 85 years ago.
Now in its 19th year, the Washoe people celebrate their culture at the Valhalla estate near Camp Richardson is a type of living history. The event showcases tribal living, the past and the present.
Wa She Shu It De is free from 10am-4pm, July 25-26. It will include basket making, traditional singing, dancers, drums, flutists, food and games.
“The festival is to educate the general public that indigenous people are still here,” said Wanda Bachelor of the Washoe Tribe. “The Washoe Tribe is still strong. We have been around for thousands of years. We are trying to preserve and protect who we are.”
At the festival, pictures should only be taken if permission is granted by the tribal member.

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