Manataka American Indian Council
American Indian Village
&
Turtle Island
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
THE CONCEPT
The idea of a major American Indian cultural center is
timely. National and international interest in American Indian
culture and other "back-to-nature and "roots" type themes is
growing. Sales of art, souvenirs and other reminders of
American Indian culture are at an all time high and expanding.
Interest in Indian genealogy is booming and book sales are
soaring.
The Manataka American Indian Village and Turtle
Island will be a national focal point for the preservation and
exhibition of American Indian culture. The complex
will provide a single location for approximately 500 tribes,
villages, groups and pueblos throughout the country to exhibit the
early lifestyles, tools, arts, crafts and customs of their
respective tribes (50,000 AD to
present). The complex will be the only one of its kind in the
United States.
The concept of a focal point for the
exhibition of Native American culture are incorporated with
recreation and tourism facilities to provide the only park of
this size in the nation with an American Indian theme.
The
authenticity of the American Indian theme is the most critical
factor in determining the long-term success of the project.
Exhibits and the exteriors and interiors of all buildings and
facilities must meet rigid design and environmental
requirements.
As indicative of any major museum, many
exhibits will take several years to complete. The process will
evolve with time due to the complexity and cost of acquiring many of
the artifacts and art pieces. Many American Indians have expressed interest in donating items for display and
consulting on other aspects of the project.
Construction of
the development is divided into phases because of the complexity of
the project. Phase I begins with land acquisition and
financing and culminates with the completed construction of the Cave
Museum and Manataka American Indian Village.
The following is a brief overview of the
project.
Cave Museum
The
Cave Museum is housed in the lower floor of the 30,000 square foot
eight-sided Council Lodge reception center. The Council Lodge
will house a ticket office, administrative offices, restrooms,
first-aid center, and conference area. Visitors will enter the Cave
by a long sloping ramp winding through a maze of life-like exhibits
of famous American Indians, wildlife and fauna. The Cave will
be accessible from inside and outside the Council Lodge. The Cave
will house exhibits representing tribes from across the continent
including Alaskan and Mayan. No sales will take place in the Cave,
which will be a high security, fire/flood protected building.
Exiting the building, visitors will enter another world of forests,
streams, mountains, and prairies. With a step back in time, visitors
will enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of yesterday.
PHASE II
Manataka American Indian Village
The Village will feature a ten (10)
acre open-air interpretative exhibit constructed in the shape of a
miniature relief map of North America. Visitors will see
mountains, rivers, prairies and wildlife as they appeared in the
early 1400's. Enclosing sections of the exhibit so visitors may tour
at night and during inclement weather may be considered in the
future.
The walking visitor will take a self-guided tour
(approximately one and one half-hours) through the exhibit along
wheel chair accessible designated trails.
Specific American Indian exhibits will be
situated in areas of the continent once occupied by a particular
tribe (i.e., teepee village in the Great Plains, Longhouse village
in the Woodlands, Pueblos in the Southwest, etc.) Each exhibit
will show the type of dwellings, tools, weapons and other details
significant to early Indian life.
Village will depict daily
life of ancient native people of North America with Indians in
period costume playing, working and demonstrating many ancient
customs. Divided into major cultural areas (Southwest, Plains,
Woodlands, Northwest, etc.) villages are set apart from one another
separated by forests, hills, streams, a river and stockades.
Reminiscent of being deep in the wilderness, visitors will journey
through the complex by a series of interconnecting winding
paths. All paths will lead to the center of the exhibit to the
Arts & Crafts Village.
PHASE III
Arts
& Crafts Village
Set in the center of the huge outdoor Manataka American
Indian Village exhibits is a large area consisting of seven- (7)
buildings with a total of 18,000 square feet of display space
surrounding a large circular open-air plaza. The buildings
will house food concessions, restrooms, trading posts, and photo
shop and craft demonstration areas. Surrounding the center
courtyard are benches and tables set between flower gardens and
shade trees. The center area is terraced with seating for 400
visitors overlooking a dance arena. Authentic Indian singing,
dancing, and drumming shows will be performed periodically
throughout the day. Individual concessions may be leased
depending on economic and logistical factors.
After
leaving the Arts & Crafts Village, guests may select paths leading to other facilities and attractions. 1) Council Lodge
- parking lot and front gate, 2) Turtle Island overnight lodging
facilities, 3) Powwow Arena.
PHASE IV
Turtle Island - Overnight Lodging
Facilities
A
200-unit campground will provide overnight accommodations for
visitors will RV's, campers or tents. Turtle Island will
include complete utility hook-ups, individual outdoor cooking areas,
a bathhouse, swimming pool, a community cook-out/campfire arena and
walking paths. The Council House will manage guests to
Turtle Island.
A number of authentic and colorful teepees,
hogans, and wikiups, longhouses, accommodating large groups
will be available for
guests.
A 75-125 room economy
motel will provide overnight accommodations at seasonal rates
comparable to those found in the Hot Springs area. The motel
will have meeting rooms for groups and will share the outdoor
swimming pool and walking trails with the campground. The
motel may be leased to a national hotel management firm.
PHASE
V
Craft Workshop
This phase will not include new construction, but will use
existing space to develop a craft making shop during
off-seasons. Crafts produced will be sold at on-sight
concessions and wholesale companies and by the Internet on the
Manataka website. We anticipate approximately 25% of the temporary
worker seasonal workers will be engaged directly in the making,
display and sale of gift and craft merchandise. It is
more cost effective to continue their employment during off-season
than the expensive alternative of rehiring each year. Goods
produced in-house are also more cost effective than the alternative
of purchasing through wholesalers.
Crafts to be produced include dream catchers,
mandela, shields, jewelry, beadwork, chokers, arrowhead spears and
drums. Other products may include educational booklets,
candles and wrapped herb bundles.
PHASE
VI
Powwow Arena
An
outdoors 1,000 seat Manataka Powwow Arena will host a variety of
events throughout the year. The Arena will not be limited to
Indian powwows held three to four times a year, but will also host
rodeos, concerts and conventions. The Powwow Arena may also be used
for nightly outdoors seasonal drama productions about the Trail of
Tears and other Indian sagas.
At ground level, the Powwow
Arena will have concessions, restrooms, dressing rooms and storage
areas.
The Powwow Arena will be a large subterranean outdoor
amphitheater with terraced sloping earthen sides up to ground
level. Each of five terraced levels will seat
approximately 200 people. The next terrace level below ground level
will be partially covered and contain sound and lighting systems and
'standing room only' space. The lowest level will seat
performers, dignitaries, wheelchair guests and their families and
groups.
Shade trees and attractive shrubs will surround the
upper ring. The Powwow Arena will have ample outdoor lighting,
arena stage lighting and professional sound system.
So, what do you think?
Right now the project is on the drawing board and lots of changes can take place. It is only a matter of imagination, spirit and desire. Let us know some of your ideas and criticism. We are ready to get the project moving. In February 2006, The Elder Council formally appointed Lynn Selvidge, a successful businessman and humanitarian, as independent consultant and Project Coordinator.
Thank you for taking time to read our presentation.
IF YOU WANT TO HELP WITH THIS PROJECT