The 47th Annual S’edav Va’aki Museum Indian Market (formerly known as Pueblo Grande Museum Indian Market) takes place on Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4619 E. Washington St. in Phoenix. The Indian Market features more than 100 Native American artists vending fine art, crafts and cultural items, as well as main stage performances, cultural demonstrator area and food sales. 

“This year, we are taking the Indian Market to new heights with an array of high quality, fine art pieces that are sure to impress Indigenous art collectors,” said Nicole Armstrong-Best, museum administrator. “We look forward to sharing this beautiful artwork, along with meaningful cultural traditions with the Phoenix community and visitors.”

Main stage entertainment includes hoop dancing, Native American flute, a Tohono O’odham Waila Band, traditional dance and solo guitar. The cultural demonstrators in the Ki:him (O’odham word for village) area provide hands-on learning in hoop dancing, beading, gourd art, shell etching, mask making, basket makers, weavers and other activities suitable for all ages. 

Performers on the main stage include:

  • Gabriel Ayala (Yaqui), renowned composer and guitar player 
  • Tony Duncan (Apache, Arikara and Hidatsa), World Champion Hoop Dancer and Native American flute player
  • Violet Duncan (Kehewin Cree), internationally recognized dancer and storyteller
  • Chi Chino Spirit O’Odham Dance Group, traditional song and dance of the Akimel O’Odham (Pima Tribe) from Gila River Indian Community
  • Gertie & the T.0.Boyz – Gertrude Lopez and her Tohono O’odham Waila Band

Martha Ludlow-Martinez, a singer and storyteller from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, is the main stage emcee. At the Indian Market, guests can enjoy popular Native American foods including fry bread, Navajo tacos and vegan selections from vendors like Tammy & Chris’s Frybread, Bear Beans Coffee, The REZ an Urban Eatery and Sunny Concessions.

This year’s featured artist for the market is Richard Dawavendewa (Hopi) who is a printmaker and bookbinder. Dawavendewa works primarily in printmaking forms of linoleum relief and serigraphy and strives to convey his inner artist mind and heart as it relates to his Hopi tribal culture. He also incorporates bookbinding with his print media to create artists’ books for an inclusive dynamic mix of the two art forms.

“Although I have received awards for my work, I do not show my work to win,” said Dawavendewa. “I show so that people can see, appreciate and understand my inner feelings as it pertains to my inner person as a Hopi.”

Entrance to the museum is included in admission so guests can explore the rich history of the archaeological site where ancestors of the O’Odham people built a thriving community. Prominent on the site is the va’aki, a large adobe structure that is the only one still standing and managed by City of Phoenix Arts and Culture. This year, attendees will be able to see the newly renovated Community and Connections galleries, where they will find original artwork and stories from contemporary O’Odham, and Following Their Roots, a new exhibit that explores Indigenous agricultural practices throughout Arizona.

All items sold at the Indian Market comply with The Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA) of 1990 and are authentic and handmade.  

Admission is $10 per person for ages 13 and up. The Indian Market is $5 for Tribal Members, active and retired military personnel, and both police and fire personnel. Admission is free for children 12 and under and S’edav Va’aki Museum Foundation members. Cash and cards are accepted at Admissions.

The Indian Market is made possible through the generosity of its Platinum Sponsor, Casino Arizona; and by grants from the Arizona Commission on the Arts, an agency of the State of Arizona; the Phoenix City Council through Phoenix Arts and Culture, Arizona Humanities, and the Salt River Project.

S’edav Va’aki Museum General Information

Address: 4619 E. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85034

Phone: (602) 534-2430

Website: www.phoenix.gov/svmuseum

The Museum is located on the Southeast corner of 44th St. and Washington St.

Follow S’edav Va’aki Museum on Facebook @SedavVaakiMuseum, on Instagram @sedavvaakimuseum and on Twitter @ SedavVaaki. 

Museum hours: Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Monday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday each week. The museum is also closed on  most major holidays. Museum Shop hours: Thursday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 1-4 p.m. 

Museum Admission: Adults $13, Seniors (65+) $10, Children (6-17) $6, and children5 and under  are free.