MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

 

 

Greetings everyone,

I hope you are all doing well. At the Chamiza Foundation, we have been quite busy this month.

As mentioned in June’s newsletter, we have begun working on the Chamiza Foundation Legacy Film. This month, we conducted three site visits where our film crew was able to capture footage of three programs that we have provided support to. On June 12^th, we were in Taos, NM where we met up with youth from the “Across the Americas” cultural exchange group. They performed during the powwow on Friday and Saturday evening.

On June 19^th, we were invited to observe the Ohkay Owingeh Buffalo Head Making Class. There were seven male participants that took part in this class, including the Lt. Governor Martinez for Ohkay Owingeh. I felt honored and privileged to share space with these individuals who represented different generations of Tewa men. The class was instructed by Curtis Garcia and Darren Garcia of Ohkay Owingeh. I observed the deep connections and camaraderie between the guys. The day was full of laughter and great stories shared among all participants. The day concluded with all of the guys showcasing their Buffalo heads. The guys were truly proud of their work. A special thank you to Kenneth Maes and Lyle Lomayma for inviting us to the class. (See photos below)

 

 

On June 25^th, we were invited to attend the end of camp celebration for the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project. This was their 17th year of providing this summer camp for the youth of Zuni. It was a very impressive event. The event was held at the elementary. The elementary school gym was packed full of community members there to support their children. It was incredible! The youth, separated by different age ranges, provided traditional dancing to close out the summer camp. It was beautiful to see so many youth dancing. A special thank you to Tahlia Natachu-Eriacho and Tara Wolfe for taking such good care of us while we were there!  (See photos below)

 

 

Additionally, we are preparing for two events. One is a grant writing/learning outcomes workshop scheduled for October 9, 2025. It will be taking place at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. Registration for this event will open next month. The second event that we are preparing for is a 2025 Chamiza Foundation Grantee Gathering, this event will be taking place in Santa Fe, NM in November. This event will bring together representatives from 16 projects/programs that received awards for this year. We are very excited for this event, as we have not had a grantee gathering since 2018. Furthermore, we are also working on the planning for our Pueblo Symposium which will take place in October of 2026. This will take place at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque, NM. Details for this event will be released next year.

As you can see, we have been occupied with a variety of amazing events over the past few weeks. Also, if you would like to learn more about the Chamiza Foundation, we will be at the Pathways Indigenous Arts Festival at Buffalo Thunder Resort on August 15th, 16th and 17th in the non-profit area. Come say hi!

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Amanda J. Montoya