The third annual Indigenous Heritage Celebration brought hundreds of community members to the Water Street District Plaza in Henderson, Nevada, continuing a tradition that began in 2022 and growing alongside the plaza’s own transformation.

Organized in partnership with Nuwu Art, IAF Inc., and the City of Henderson, this year’s gathering honored Indigenous Heritage Month with a full day of teachings, demonstrations, and community engagement led by Indigenous artists, educators, historians, and culture bearers.

New shaded structures and architectural additions made the plaza more welcoming, allowing families to linger, move comfortably between booths, and spend time speaking with cultural sharers.

The event unfolded with a steady rhythm from morning through mid-afternoon, carried by storytellers, dancers, artisans, and knowledge keepers offering teachings rooted in their own tribal histories.

Throughout the celebration, cultural sharers emphasized the importance of understanding the difference between teachings and performances, a distinction grounded in cultural protocol rather than event mechanics.

These insights came through conversations with participants who explained that certain practices can only be described as performances when proper approval is given by the originating communities.

Organizers did not draw these lines themselves; their focus remained on ensuring that cultural sharers were compensated for the knowledge and labor they brought to the day.

Artists and educators like Sage Romero highlighted the significance of the space created at the Water Street Plaza, noting how the environment allowed cultural teaching to be carried out with dignity and clarity.

Romero also spoke about the ongoing work of co-founder and secretary Fawn Douglas, whose efforts at Nuwu Art and in broader arts and cultural work have opened opportunities for Indigenous educators and artists across the region.

Douglas, an enrolled member of the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe with ties to the Moapa Paiute, Cheyenne, Creek, and Pawnee nations, is known for work grounded in community, culture, sovereignty, and the storytelling traditions embedded within her art and organizing.

These perspectives helped illuminate the intentions guiding IAF Inc., which continues to develop its structure and long-term institutional vision. During an interview for this article, co-founder and treasurer Aaron (A.B.) Wilkinson reflected on the significance of the event’s growth.

Wilkinson, a historian whose work centers on Colonial North America, African American history, Native American history, and ethnoracial mixture throughout the Americas, spoke about how the celebration strengthens the foundation needed for future Indigenous-led programming in Southern Nevada.

He emphasized that the sustained turnout reflects a broader community desire for culturally grounded learning led by the people to whom these teachings belong.

Across the plaza, attendees engaged with cultural sharers at a pace that encouraged curiosity and conversation. Families and visitors asked questions, listened to explanations, and learned the stories behind each practice offered throughout the day.

The welcoming structure of the event, paired with the expanded physical space, supported a deeper level of engagement than in previous years. Attendance remained steady, with well over 100 participants throughout the day, marking one of the strongest turnouts since the event began.

By the time the celebration concluded at 3 p.m., organizers described the day as a meaningful step forward for both the annual gathering and the broader effort to build Indigenous-led cultural infrastructure in the Valley.

The event stood as an affirmation of presence, continuity, and care — a space where teachings were carried with integrity and received with respect, reinforcing a growing community commitment to Indigenous cultural visibility and sustainability.