- Dance Performances,
- Heritage & Cultural,
- Native American Heritage month,
- Food / Drinks,
- Arts & Crafts,
- Festivals,
- Storytelling
Gathering of Nations, A Celebration of Indigenous Culture
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All are invited to the Gathering of Nations, an annual event that celebrates indigenous culture and features crafts, food, storytelling, and educational resources. The gathering is held on traditional Kumeyaay lands in the Sweetwater Valley at the Bonita Museum & Cultural Center and the Bonita Sunnyside SD County Library. The gathering highlights craftspeople, storytellers, food and educational resources. The events are free and open to the public.
The event will be opened by Kumeyaay Bird Singers. The cultural bird songs, of which there are 300 in the takut cycle, are a metaphor for life. On stage find presentations and regalia from “Eagle Spirit Dancers” dancers, presentation of powwow culture. Hands-on activities for visitors, free books, vendors and food will be at the event.
In the museum find educational resources from Kumeyaay College and a new exhibition curated by Kumeyaay artist Johnny Bear Contreras. Artists in the exhibition include Johnny Bear Contreras, Chuck Contreras, Rita Reed, Juan Reynoso and Aurelia Ojeda Melendrez. Event sponsor, Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.
Visit: https://bonitahistoricalsociety.org/gathering-of-nations/
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Bonita Museum & Cultural Center
The Bonita Museum & Cultural Center features exhibits of local history and fine arts. The Bonita Museum, established over 20 years ago as a one-day display of historic photographs, strives to preserve, for public education and enjoyment, the culture, history, art, crafts and aesthetic facets of the region, specifically El Rancho de la Naçion in South San Diego County. In the Audi Lawson Gallery, the various stories of Bonita’s 100-year history are told with artifacts and photographs. Displays include Native American culture, the lemon orchard period, the events of the flood of 1916, and the transformation of family life by technology. Presentations in The Corky McMillin Companies Gallery change six times each year, and include the Museum’s Annual Juried Fine Art Exhibit, Community Art Shows and traveling exhibits of art and history. The Museum also hosts various special events each year, including an annual Dia de Los Muertos celebration. The Bonita Museum & Cultural Center is located at 4355 Bonita Road in Bonita, adjacent to the Bonita Sunnyside Branch Library, and the hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For further information, contact Museum Director Julie Gay at (619) 267-5141.