PRESCOTT - The Smoki Museum's "Celebration of the Three Sisters" event in Prescott Saturday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. will feature foods native to American Indians of the Southwest - sometimes with a twist.
American Indian tribes across this continent have depended on the Three Sisters - corn, beans and squash - for centuries:.
The Hopi traditionally planted all three in one hole, explained Smoki board member Donald Nelson, a Hopi who is emceeing Saturday's event. That way, the corn could provide a stalk for the bean vines to hang onto, and the squash could provide large leaves to shade the base of the other plants.
Saturday's delectable foods range from blue corn Someviki (sweet cornmeal dumplings wrapped in corn husks) to Indian bread pudding made with adobe bread (featuring a twist of peach sauce and fresh cream). Even the drinks are native to the Southwest: Hohoise tea and mesquite pod tea.
Nelson used Hopi white corn personally to make the hominy for the pinto beans with hominy stew. Other items on the menu include mesquite tortillas, fresh tomato salsa and Mesa squash fry with pine nuts.
Margaret Mendoza, owner of One Root Tea in Prescott, provided many of the ingredients. All are vegetarian.
"Everything we're using is all natural and homemade," Nelson said. "It's going to be a wonderful meal."
Hopi tribal member and artist Michael Kabotie will give the keynote address at the event, talking about his "Journey of the Human Spirit." He will describe how he bridges the ancient Hopi world with modern American society, Nelson related.
Kabotie and his late father Fred have been innovators in the Native American Fine Arts Movement, Nelson explained. Michael paints, creates jewelry and writes poetry.
The event also will feature a silent auction with items including a Mayan basket, Mata Ortiz pot, native jewelry, Navajo pot, Ryan Huna Smith print and gift certificates.
And a lighthearted "heads and tails" raffle will allow people to flip a coin to decide who wins a Hopi rattle and katsina.
Tickets for this annual Smoki fund-raiser are $60. The museum is asking people to make reservations by Wednesday by calling 928-445-1230.
The museum is located at 147 N. Arizona Ave. Built in 1935, it is designed to resemble an Indian pueblo. Restoring and protecting its two buildings, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is one of its major fund-raising goals. The other main goal is to protect and improve the public's viewing of the museum's extensive collection of Native American art and artifacts.
