By Catherine Ellerton

Moapa Valley Progress

Damon and son, Julian, Polk tell their story of the dance costume before a dance at the Lost City Museum Native American Day Celebration on Saturday. Photo by Catherine Ellerton.

The stories and culture of Native Americans were celebrated at The Lost City Museum on Saturday, November 12 at the museum’s annual Native American Day celebration.

Members of the Horse Creek Inter-Tribal Dancers (formerly the McCabe Family Dancers) and the Damon Polk Dancers told the stories in a swirl of color, bells, drums and feathers.

The story of a grieving widow whose husband was lost in battle was told in the Fancy Shawl Dance by Candice Herrera. She hides away in her shawl but soon will re-emerge to begin again – like the butterfly.

The bustle feathers representing a person or family which unite in the center at a beaded buffalo – they speak of a war being fought that will only be won when one finds their peace. (Sneak Up Dance-Julian Polk)

The Jingle Dress by Dori Polk musically told of healing. Rejuvenating the heart and spirit, contralto Regina Brady sang The Hummingbird Song and The Morning Song – “Windaiyaho.” Completing the entertainment portion of the celebration was Juanita Kilichinnie – a Bow Drum singer.

Alice H. Turquoise, 85, demonstrates her expertise at traditional rug weaving. Photo by Catherine Ellerton.

Native American jewelry and handicrafts were available on the museum grounds. From the amazing horse hair pottery of the Whitrock Family to beadwork artist Anita Nalwood explaining that a Navajo tradition was to leave an opening in any of the beadwork. This represented that one’s thoughts and creativity are never limited.

A bead worker of the Paiute Tribe advised that there is always an off-colored bead – a spiritual bead – which is the signature of the artist.

Dr. Margaret Lyneis, Professor Emeritus of Archaeology at UNLV presented a lecture on “Adding to the Story of the Lost City through the Yamashita Sites.” Students and hobbyists were in attendance as she discussed her involvement in the excavation and analyzation of the Yamashita Sites in the Overton/Logandale areas.

Even though this work began around 1979 when the lake began to rise and finished in 1997, the analyzation of the over 26,000 pot shards and bones that were found is ongoing today. Historic artifacts dated 1860 to 1920 were also found – ammunition, lids, horse shoes, nails.

The two sites – Yamashita 2 and Yamashita 3 – although close together are quite different in the type of shards and rock found. Yamashita 2 holds redware, volcanic rock grits and quartz crystals and Yamashita 3 holds brown pottery.