For Immediate Release

​
ARIZONA INDIGENOUS CULINARY EXPERIENCE ANNOUNCES DATE
​ Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience
Saturday, November 18, 2023, 6-9 pm
media contact:
Jeffrey Lazos Ferns
602-299-9576 ​[email protected]
The Arizona American Indian Tourism Association (AAITA) will present the Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience on November 18, 2023, to celebrate Native American Heritage Month. The Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience delivers a unique and authentic Arizona event that will delight your senses. Native Arizona will take center stage at this culinary/cocktail-tasting event. In addition to traditional and contemporary Native cuisine, Native Arts will be showcased and live performances. Indigenous Chefs and Demonstrators will delight with curated tasting stations, demonstrations, and interactive conversations.
 We are excited and honored to announce the Indigenous Chefs and Food Way Demonstrators for our 2023 Indigenous Culinary Experience. We thank Bleu Adams, Chef and Director of IndieHub, who is curating and working with our chef line-up this year.  We welcome Chef Denella Belin representing the Dine and Tohono O’odham Nations, Chef Renetto-Mario Etsitty of the Navajo Nation, James Beard Nominee Chef Jaren Bates Dine, Chef Roxanne Wilson of Emerson Frybread, Pastry Chef Reina Cruz with Spirit Mountain Coffee, the Hualapai Community, and Native Health Arizona. In addition, we welcome back Fashion Designer Joan Miles-Long R.R. Raid with her models and a new collection on sustainable Native Fashion. In addition we are honored to have Laney Lupe, Miss Indian Arizona, 2023-24, Natiana King, 1st Attendant to MIA and Tonana Ben 2nd Attendant to MIA will all be attending the Arizona Indigenous Culinary Experience.
Exquisite Native Chef tasting stations featuring traditional and fusion foods and cocktails crafted by Arizona’s most noted Native American chefs will take attendees on a journey of Arizona Indian Country via their senses. 
In addition to the Chef element this year, we will be introducing through this event Indigenous Agrotourism businesses within the Arizona Tribes. Indigenous agro-tourism offers a sustainable way to combine agriculture and indigenous culture, allowing visitors to learn, explore, and support indigenous communities economically. However, it is crucial to approach this tourism with respect for indigenous cultures, ensuring consent, adherence to protocols, and prioritizing community well-being.
 Indigenous Agrotourism experiences allow visitors to actively engage with indigenous farmers, participating in traditional practices such as planting, harvesting, and preparing meals. This immersive involvement deepens their understanding of the spiritual and cultural connections between indigenous peoples, their environment, and food systems.
 Moreover, indigenous agro-tourism has the potential to generate income for communities, contributing to development, education, healthcare, and cultural preservation. It also serves as a platform to raise awareness of indigenous challenges, fostering a sense of social responsibility among visitors.
 In essence, indigenous agro-tourism brings together cultural preservation, economic empowerment, and environmental stewardship by providing enriching experiences for visitors while supporting the well-being of indigenous communities and their local economies.”

 
The event, held 6-9 pm at the Scottsdale: Western Spirit Museum of The West in OldTown, is scheduled on Saturday, November 18, 2023. The event will bring together many Arizona Native communities with traditional and contemporary elements that highlight and celebrate the beauty and essential contributions of Arizona’s Native Peoples to Arizona’s culture and Tourism.
  
Foodies, culture enthusiasts, and Arizona lovers won’t want to miss this chance to explore the tastes, sights, and sounds of Native Arizona. Tickets are 40.00 & $70.00 and can be purchased at www.arizonaindigenousculinaryexperience.com   
  
About the Arizona American Indian Tourism Association:
The Arizona American Indian Tourism Association (AAITA) is a statewide, nonprofit 501(c) 3 membership organization established in 1994. Overseen by a nine-member board, AAITA involves American Indian businesses and professionals as organization members who voluntarily work together to increase tourism and tourism awareness on Arizona Indian reservations/communities. AAITA’s goals are to develop marketing strategies, seek funding resources, and support Tribes as they define and utilize tourism as a tool to revitalize culture, improve local quality of life, and provide empowerment to Indian communities; AAITA also promotes environmentally acceptable, culturally appropriate, and economically sustainable tourism programs; • Provide a visionary and leadership role for the American Indian communities in the development and management of tourism programs; • Assist Tribes and communities in the formulation of tourism policies; • Promote quality of hospitality and visitor resources while prioritizing preservation and enhancement of culture for future generations.


About Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
Within months of opening in January 2015, Western Spirit qualified as a Smithsonian Affiliate. The museum is also a recipient of the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, enjoys a 4.5 out of 5-star rating on TripAdvisor and Yelp, and is continually recognized as the “Nation’s Best Western Museum” (2021 Editors’ Choice, True West magazine). Western Spirit features regularly changing and permanent exhibits of Western and Native American art and artifacts, entertaining events, and informative programs that bring the West’s heritage, culture, and community to life.
For more information, visit www.scottsdalemuseumwest.org.
Social Media: Twitter @SMoWest, Instagram @smowest, Facebook @scottsdalemuseumwest.