NIGA celebrates cultures

Celebration of indigenous culture tops NIGA conventionSongs, dances, stories and seemingly endless amounts of gourmet food prepared by Native chefs-in-training were showcased at the Spirit of Sovereignty Foundation's Celebration of Native Culture--the kickoff event for the National Indian Gaming Association's 17th annual "Indian Gaming '08" trade show and convention.

The celebration took place April 20 in the Presidential Ballroom of the five-star US Grant Hotel and featured performances from the Choctaw Nation Dancers of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; the Native American Dance Group of the United Tribes Technical College of Bismarck, N.D.; the Samala Singers of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians; the Yaw Tei Yi Tlingit dancers from Juneau, Alaska; the Acoma Intercultural Dancers of the Pueblo of Acoma; and the Southern California Intertribal Bird Singers.Comment:  For more on the subject, see The Facts About Indian Gaming.