Courtesy/SFIS
From the Santa Fe Indian School Parent Advisory Council:
Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, but the busy holiday shopping season is still very much underway, and the Santa Fe Indian School Parent Advisory Council’s (SFIS PAC) Holiday Bazaar is a perfect opportunity to find beautiful, one-of-a-kind gifts made by local artists.
The free, family-friendly event showcasing a treasure trove of crafts and food takes place 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 17 at Everette Chavez Pueblo Pavilion Wellness Center (1500 Cerillos Road, Santa Fe).
The annual bazaar had been an important fundraising event for SFIS student activities and programing until the COVID-19 pandemic put a pause on gatherings. “We are thrilled to be able to once again host these types of special events that showcase New Mexico’s rich arts and culture and allow local artisans to share their craft with our incredibly supportive community of students, parents, faculty, as well as our friends, family, and neighbors,” says Superintendent Christie Abeyta. “The proceeds really help us enrich student activities both on- and off-campus, and attendees get to find extraordinary gifts they wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else.”
The return of holiday events is a welcomed opportunity to once again be able to share physical space in community, especially since the pandemic’s tempering of in-person gatherings took a toll on many people’s mental health. While handshakes, hugs, and smiles are a beautiful sight to behold this time of year, SFIS recognizes that every single person’s comfort threshold is unique to that individual.
Although masks are not compulsory at the event, to ensure everyone feels relaxed and safe, attendees are encouraged to wear masks if they wish to do so.
About Santa Fe Indian School
The Santa Fe Indian School (SFIS) is a tribally controlled school that is owned and operated by the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico. SFIS provides academic and student living programs for grades 7 through 12 and serves a population of approximately 700 students from the 19 Pueblos, the Navajo and Apache nations, and other tribes throughout the Southwest. SFIS was established in 1890 as a federal, off-reservation boarding school that was operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) before becoming a tribally controlled school in 1976, after the passage of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act in 1975. SFIS is a sovereign educational community that has built upon its rich cultural legacy to become a national leader in Native American education.