Malki Museum

Kewet

Malki Museum, Banning, CA

The Annual Fiesta includes honoring Native American veterans, arts and crafts, fry bread, bird songs, and dances. The Malki Museum sponsors three main events each year which are designed to be traditional and educational. Malki’s annual Fiesta is a time of gathering together to share culture and traditions. It is also the major fundraising event for the Museum. Each year hundreds of both natives and non-natives come to participate in this unique event which has been an annual celebration since 1966, when the Kewét (the Cahuilla word for fiesta) tradition was revived after 20 years. The Indian dancers and singers represent several tribes from southern California, and many of the vendors in the Ramada booths are Native Americans from all over the Southwestern States. The Fiesta is held each year on the Sunday of Memorial weekend in May.