Native Artists Gather in Tiverton for Weekend of Music and Culture

Indigenous artists and musicians from around the world will come together for a festival celebrating their cultures in Tiverton this month at Tiverton Four Corners Art Center.

The free admission festival invites the Tiverton community to join them to enjoy music from Mali, Ecuador, and Maine; food from the local Wampanoag culture; and fair trade art whose purchase supports the livelihoods of Indigenous communities around the globe.

An attendee has called it “the best place to get unique global gifts while supporting indigenous cultures with fair trade!” according to a release.

Since 1982, Cultural Survival’s Bazaars have provided a market for thousands of artists and cooperatives spanning six continents and over sixty countries. Each year the Bazaars generate about half a million dollars for Indigenous artists, performers, and projects benefiting Indigenous communities worldwide. Attendees can enjoy craft-making demonstrations, free concerts, and one-on-one conversations with representatives of dozens of different Indigenous cultures.

This festival is an opportunity for Tiverton residents to view and purchase one-of-a-kind pieces of art they might not find elsewhere. It will be held on July 25 and 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Our art is hardly seen in the northeast; the Bazaars allow us to share our heritage. I am able to sell my art and the art of two different coop[erative]s that support over 40 Wixarika-Huichol families who don’t have a market in Mexico,” said Cilau Valadez, a world-renowned Huichol artist from Mexico.

This year’s festival will include two new artists and community representatives from this community.

Featured this year will be Maasai jewelry (Kenya); Nipmuc wood flutes and carvings (US); wire sculptures (Zimbabwe); Maya paintings and jewelry (Guatemala); Tibetan scarves, jewelry, and books (Tibet); Algonquin/Abenaqui bone and antler sculptures (US); Mohawk and Cheyenne jewelry (US); Acholi jewelry (Uganda); and dozens of others. Many vendors represent cooperatives that make it possible for children to attend school and provide a singular source of income to women.

Whether working with ancient techniques or modern materials, the artists produce unique pieces and intricate designs that fascinate viewers. One attendee said, “It’s like a trip around the world’s bazaars.”

About Cultural Survival: Cultural Survival is an international NGO whose mission is to advocate for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and support Indigenous communities’ self-determination, cultures and political resilience.