Native Americans’ Earth
Although plenty of world's fairs had displayed aspects of Native life over the years (often in a very derogatory way), this was the first time that space at a world's fair had been set aside for Native folks to tell their own story in the present tense. According to the Official Souvenir Program:
You're in Indian Country!
While you tour Expo '74 and the Folklife festival you see one-fourth of the $1.1 million budget allocated for native Americans participation in Expo. Indians of America, especially those of the Northwest, are displaying their art and culture during the Fair. A total of 128 tribes, bands, and Indian affiliated organizations laid plans for the program.
When I first was reading about Expo ‘74, I underestimated the Native presence on the fairgrounds - like Folklife, the official program and guide somewhat underplay the scope and diversity of programs available in this section of the fair. MONAC receives more mentions in official materials. However, in reality this was one of the most popular sections of the fair, and had new performers, artisans, and activities every week.
The 7th Annual Smoo-Que-Shin Day Pow-Wow Days event was held at Highbridge Park, a nearby site that hosted an unofficial camp of “hippies” and also absorbed various Expo overflow gatherings. (Whoever is selling the poster below is well aware that they have a rare item here, which is good for them but puts it outside my Expo acquisition price range. The eBay link is here in case your own budget is more accommodating.)
