Santa Clarita residents James Morales and Eddie Salas were talking together about the importance of culture, tradition, and keeping their heritage alive.  They were spending Sunday afternoon at the 30th Annual Hart of the West Pow Wow at William S. Hart Park with their families. The celebration of Native American culture through traditional dance, music, storytelling, food and craft vendors got them really taking stock in where and who they come from.   Jewelry, dream catchers and other traditional items were available for on Sat, Oct. 5 during the Hart of the West Pow Wow at William S. Hart Park in Newhall. Habeba Mostafa/The Signal “It’s about keeping the heritage going,” said Morales, who can trace his roots back to the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians. “It’s important,” Morales continued, “for us to teach our young ones, to keep them involved.”  What pleased him most about the Pow Wow over the weekend, he said, was that it wasn’t just his tribe at the event, but others, as well.  “We’re the main tribe here — this is our valley — but there are multiple tribes from all around that came to support us here,” he said. “That’s the big thing. There are tribes out from San Bernardino, from Santa Barbara.”  John Velasquez leads the Intertribal Dance on Sun, Oct. 6 during the Hart of the West Pow Wow at William S. Hart Park in Newhall. Maya Morales/The Signal He also spoke about the importance of the land he was standing on, land that his ancestors occupied for centuries.   According to the website of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, the citizens of their tribal community originally inhabited villages in what is now the Simi, San Fernando, Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys.   “After thousands of years,” the website read, “foreign powers began colonization in the late 1770s with the arrival of the Spanish, followed by the establishment of Mexico and the United States. Despite settler colonization, the tribe continues to operate as a tribal community.”  According to Salas, who can also trace his roots back to the Tataviam people, without events like the Pow Wow, the culture might otherwise not survive.  Instruments of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians were used by performances on Sat, Oct. 5 during the Hart of the West Pow Wow at William S. Hart Park in Newhall. Habeba Mostafa/The Signal “We still live here,” he said, “but how easy it is to lose your culture.”  Event organizers said that more than 10,000 people came through Hart Park over the weekend during the two-day event. Rudy Ortega, tribal president of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, said he felt there were more guests this year than last. He seemed very proud with those who participated in what he was already calling a success, before the event was even over.  “We’ve got vendors that came from as far as Nevada and Arizona.,” he said. “And we’ve got dancers — the same thing, some coming from up north.”  Dancers of the Intertribal Dance perform on Sun, Oct. 6 during the Hart of the West Pow Wow at William S. Hart Park in Newhall. Maya Morales/The Signal He added that about 60 different tribal affiliations showed up for the Pow Wow to take part in the festivities, ultimately creating an important awareness about his people and the land.   “It’s about sharing culture, exhibiting the different dance styles, sharing songs,” Ortega said. “It’s communal. It’s really bringing people together and sharing and celebrating. That’s the key focus of it.”   Along with those guests who came to the Pow Wow to celebrate who they are and keep it alive, there were those who came simply for a fun weekend activity. And then there were those who hoped to rediscover their Native American roots.  Attendees are exposed to Native American culture on Sat, Oct. 5 during the Hart of the West Pow Wow at William S. Hart Park in Newhall. Habeba Mostafa/The Signal Viky and Jim Thomas from Acton were at the Pow Wow for the first time. They were watching the dances on Sunday afternoon.  “I made him come,” Viky Thomas said, “because my grandfather was Chickasaw from Oklahoma and I’ve never been to one of these. He (her husband) is part Chippewa from Montana and he’s never been to one either.”  Jim Thomas was glad to have gone, saying that he and his wife had been there for about four hours on Sunday, despite the 90-plus-degree temperatures.   “It’s quite a display,” he said.  His wife added, “You can feel it. You can feel the energy in your heart.”  For more information about the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, go to Tataviam-nsn.us.  Attendees visit booths that consisted of jewelry, dream catchers and other traditional items on Sat, Oct. 5 during the Hart of the West Pow Wow at William S. Hart Park in Newhall. Habeba Mostafa/The Signal The post 30th Annual Pow Wow attracts over 10,000 people  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.