Native American Heritage Month Celebration

The Native American Heritage Month Celebration at Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument highlights the remarkable endurance of Indigenous communities who have persisted through centuries of colonial occupation. The event amplifies modern Native voices on their ancestral homelands, honoring the Indigenous and Puebloan peoples who have called and continue to call this place home.  

By featuring Native artists, storytellers, and culture-bearers, the celebration offers opportunities to learn and experience living traditions through engaging programs and conversations. The Native American Heritage Month Celebration at Salinas Pueblo Missions amplifies Indigenous strength, honors history, and celebrates cultural resilience and creativity. 

Join us for a two-day celebration featuring Indigenous artists whose diverse creative practices are grounded in meaningful community connections. For the two-day celebration, you will learn how indigenous foodways carry stories, memories, and resilience. How storytelling is woven into culture keeping traditions alive, passing down values, and building community. And how contemporary glass art draws inspiration from Native traditions. 

Salinas Pueblo Missions would like to thank the Friends of Salinas Pueblo Missions (FSPM) and the Manzano Mountain Art Council (MMAC), for the financial support and continued partnership in making this event happen.  

Event Schedule:

Sunday, November 15, 2026 

Location:  Abó Unit  

69 Abo Ruins Rd 

Mountainair, NM 87036 

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM : Glass-Making Demonstration by Justin Youvella  

Justin Youvella is a multidisciplinary artist from Tesuque Pueblo and the Hopi Tribe. A 2025 graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts, he works in metal sculpture, murals, painting, and glassblowing, drawing on Indigenous American Southwest colors, patterns, and cultural traditions. He is a full-time glass artist based in Tesuque Pueblo, New Mexico. 

Justin brings modern technique and deep cultural inspiration to his craft. His demonstration will offer visitors an intimate look at the process behind glass art and how cultural heritage can be expressed through a contemporary medium. This session provides a rare opportunity to witness glass art in action and to learn directly from an artist whose work bridges tradition and innovation.