Malki Museum: A Celebration Of The Southern California Native American Cultures
Founded in 1965, the Malki Museum is home to a collection of Native American art work, pottery, baskets and tapestries. The Malki Museum is on the Morongo Indian Reservation and operates with a mission to promote awareness and preservation of the Southern California Native American cultures.
That mission is carried out through art exhibits, community festivals and seasonal gatherings — bringing patrons together with traditional foods, entertainment and hands-on crafts. Each year, the Malki Museum hosts several community events including the annual fall gathering at the end of October. Visitors can enjoy cooking and art demonstrations, lectures and food tastings. Some of the demonstrations include bird-calling, basket weaving, pottery-making and flint-knapping.
In late-April, visitors can attend the agave harvest and roast. Held on consecutive Saturdays, this celebration of the traditional Indian food staple is educational and delicious. On the first Saturday, participants take a guided tour through the San Jacinto Mountains, where they learn the harvest techniques used to gather agave. On the second Saturday, the harvested agave are brought to the museum and put in a traditional roasting pit.
The culmination of the Malki Museum efforts to celebrate the Native American culture is the annual fiesta during Memorial Day weekend. This all-day event is packed with dance, arts and crafts, bird songs and a bounty of Native American cuisine. Some of the traditional fiesta foods include fry bread, pit-roasted barbeque, corn, beans and homemade tortillas.
Posted by Jennifer Pruett
