Local nonprofit group American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with a roundup of special events to honor the first people to inhabit the area known today as San Antonio, Texas. On March 5, 1731, Franciscan priests handed over control of three local missions, Concepción, San Juan Capistrano and Espada, to the indigenous Native Americans living there. To celebrate this event, American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions will hold a special free, family-friendly celebration featuring a wide range of special guests and performers.
The Founders’ Day Feast will be held on March 9 and will honor the San Antonio area’s pre-colonial historical and cultural roots through performances by local artists. Descendants of the area’s original settlers the Yanaguana River Singers, will chant traditional native songs, and Poet Laureate Carmen Tafolla will read some of her relevant selected works. Juan Tejeda, one of San Antonio’s best known conjunto musicians, will perform songs from his latest CD, and female vocalists Las indigeNecias will share their positive social messages through harmony and hip hop. Aside from music, there will be over a dozen Native American vendors at the event to showcase their crafts, food and drinks, and natural remedies.
The second annual Founders’ Feast Day will be held on Saturday, March 9 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at the San Juan Capistrano Mission located at 9101 Graf Rd, San Antonio, TX, 78214. For more information visit www.aitscm.org.
In April, the American Indians in Texas will also host the 21st Annual Pow Wow, a gathering of tribes held to celebrate, dance, visit, and feast. During the pow wow, native elders typically share their wisdom and experiences with younger members. The free, open-to-the-public event will be held Saturday, April 13, 2019 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Woodlawn Lake Gym at 1103 Cincinnati Ave, San Antonio, TX 78201.
