The University of New Mexico’s Maxwell Museum of Anthropology presents, “Celebrate El Río,” Saturday, Nov. 18, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Life ways of communities living along the Río Grande will be presented in an interactive afternoon of demonstrations, performances and food. The event is free and open to the public with activities for all ages and interests. Free goody bags will be distributed to the first 50 children ages 3-12.
Photo: Chuy Martinez
Chuy Martinez will perform New Mexico songs, the Rodriguez family will demonstrate piñata making. The Rolling River exhibit will teach children about how rivers work. Basket weaving, piñata breaking and lot more activities for the whole family are scheduled.
El Río is a Smithsonian traveling exhibit of life along the Rio Grande. Extending from the mountains of Colorado through the rugged landscapes of New Mexico and Texas into Northern Mexico, the Río Grande/Río Bravo basin forms the lifeblood of cultural and ecological life for the region and its people. The primary goal of the exhibit is to contribute to the preservation and renewal of New Mexico’s local cultural heritage and local knowledge.
El Río is centered on three main themes addressing the relationship of culture and environment in the region: traditional knowledge, cultural identity and sustainable development. Folkways, festivals and occupations are featured in this lively look at human ingenuity and survival.
The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology is open Tues. through Fri., 9-4 and Sat., 10-4. Admission is free and donations are welcome. The museum is located on the campus of the University of New Mexico, east of University Blvd. between Lomas and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. off of Redondo Drive.
El Río was produced by the Smithsonian Institution Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. The exhibition is based on programs at the 1998 and 2000 Smithsonian Folklife Festivals and has been made possible through the generous support of the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Fund, the
Smithsonian Special Exhibition Fund, the Houston Endowment, Inc., and the Rockefeller Foundation. Additional sponsors are the University of New Mexico’s Center for Regional Studies, Office of Vice President for Student Affairs, the town of Bernalillo, Chicano/Hispano/Mexicano Studies Program, Alfonso Ortiz Center for Intercultural Studies, Maxwell Museum Association, as well as many generous individuals.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; e-mail: cgonzal@unm.edu