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TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2001

Hotels were booked solid, restaurants were packed and every top-name artist and musician was in town. That could only have meant yet another year of the Santa Fe Indian Market.

As many as 100,000 descended on the New Mexico city during the past few days to take part in the 80th annual arts and crafts show. Put on by the Southwestern Association for American Indian Arts, the market showcases draws some of the most well-known Native artists.

More than 1,000 of them -- mainly from the Southwest but representing more than 100 tribes throughout the country -- displayed hours of work on Saturday and Sunday, the official shopping days of Indian Market (SWAIA). Interested buyers, however, staked their claims as early as Friday with the results of the juried art competition.

This year, Nambe Pueblo potter Lonnie Vigil took home the Best in Show award for a traditional black pot. The accomplished artist comes from a long line of Pueblo potters, specializing in sparkling mica works.

But the weekend was more than just pottery, jewelry, sculpture and other traditional art forms. For the first time, Indian Market played host to a film festival that featured premieres of new works as well as reviews of classics.

Sponsored by the National Museum of the American Indian, the highlights were a screening of "The Doe Boy," a Randy Redroad film about the relationship a father and song and a preview "Skins," an upcoming release by Chris Eyre, the noted director of "Smoke Signals."

Joining Redroad and Eyre and other directors in presenting their films were actors like Irene Bedard, Graham Greene and Gary Farmer. Along with Eric Schweig, Greene stars in "Skins" which Eyre said he is still completing.

Native fashions also made a splash this year. The market has always included a fashion competition but two outside events put a fresh face on Native designers.

Ben Dupris complemented "Skins" with his own line of clothing inspired by the film. He displayed his "underground hip-hop" fashions aimed for the younger set at a midnight fashion show on Friday night.

The following night, three other designers put on their own bold show. For "Heat," Pilar Agoyo, Virgil Ortiz, Terren Otis and Brenda Wahnnie showcased clothing for men and women.

The weekend also wouldn't have been complete without Native music. On Friday, blues-rock favorites Indigenous played to a packed crowd at a benefit for the Institute of American Indian Arts.

On Saturday, the Native Roots and Rhythms 2001 concert, a benefit for the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council, featured a host of performers. John Trudell, the 2000 Native American Music Awards' Artist of the Year, and Clan/destine, an Arizona group that blends modern rock with traditional sounds, capped off a night that featured reggae artist Casper and his 602 Band, Annie Humphrey and Pura Fe, a member of the acapella group Ulali.

The concert was emceed by Harlan McKosato, host of the national radio show Native America Calling. Apache comedian Drew Lacapa also provided the comic relief, which included a spirited "Fry Bread" cameo with Keith Secola.

According to SWAIA, the market brings in an estimated $275 million to the city. The market is the third largest event in New Mexico after a balloon show and the State Fair.

Relevant Links:
Southwestern Association for Indian Arts - http://www.swaia.org
National Museum of the American Indian - http://www.si.edu/nmai
Institute of American Indian Arts - http://www.iaiancad.org

Related Stories:
Native music rocks Indian Market (8/17)
Film festival new addition to Indian Market (8/16)
In The Hoop: Indian Market (8/14)