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A merchant who sells works by Native artists is under fire for derogatory and offensive comments to Native dancers outside his Scottsdale, AZ shop. The incident revives long-standing concerns about non-Native opportunists exploiting the richness of Native talent. Today on Native America Calling, we discuss ways to ensure you patronize establishments that treat Native artists and craftspeople respectfully and ethically with Cody Blackbird (Eastern Band Cherokee and Dakota descent), six-time Native American Music Award winning artist; Heather Tracy (Navajo), co-owner of Native Art Market; Kandis Quam (Zuni and Navajo), artist with the ARTZ Cooperative Gallery; and Dr. Suzanne Newman Fricke, director of Gallery Hózhó at Hotel Chaco.
Sonny Skyhawk, Native Civil Rights Advocate in Hollywood, displayed the ORTEGA / Scottsdale/ Video on his Facebook page so that it would be seen by all. And followed it with a letter to the SCOTTSDALE BUSINESS ASSOC. where-in he asked them to refrain from RACIST REMARKS and asked them to take care of their own. In these times of National turmoil, it is not surprising that Natives are targeted, but surprisingly from a business whose existence depends on the sale of Native arts & crafts.