The Annual Bronx Native American Festival was held at Pelham Bay Park in the Northeast Bronx on Sunday, Sept. 25, and was hosted by Bobby Gonzales.

 

It comprised music; colorful, costumed dancers; food and face-painting, and brought broad smiles to the faces of those in attendance.

 

Gonzales said The Bronx is Native American country. “There will always be a celebration of native cultures of the Americas here, north, south, central and the Caribbean,” he said.

 

The Thunderbird American Indian Dancers, Tchin, and Grupo Higuayagua (Taino) took part in “The Eagle Dance.” According to the dancers, this is a dance ritual practiced by some American Indians and is used by the “Pueblos” to ask for rain. The dancers said the Iroquois also use it to ask for peace and to cure illness.

 

About 200 people showed up for the festival on the day and a little rainfall sent nobody home.

 

Dancers, Sofia Delvalle, Abigail Santiago and Deion Santana posed for photos with Ululy Rafael Martinez and his wife and son. “It’s an amazing event,” Martinez said, adding that his son loved it also.

 

Jorge Esteves, one of the dancers, was seen at various stages chatting with those present, sharing a hug with attendee, Maria Aponte, and posing for a photo with attendee, Elena Mamarazzi Marrero.

 

Both male and female Thunderbird dancers delighted the crowds with their colorful costumes, artistic performance packed full of energy and flair.

 

Attendees, Kevin, AJ, and Amy, also had a fun day and loved the face-painting, while other attendees got in on the action, forming a circle to perform the “snake dance hug,” as seen above.

 

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.