In 1998, the California Assembly passed AB 1953 making Native American Day an official state holiday, observed annually on the fourth Friday in September.
California has more than 100 recognized Native American tribes, representing a diverse cultural heritage extending back over thousands of years. Pit River Country is the home of the Achomawi people.
To celebrate this year’s California Native American Day, the Pit River Casino and Kwahn Corporation hosted a special Customer Appreciation Day.
The casino provided a delicious tri-tip barbecue.
Tri-tips barbecue, Music, and raffles
The Pit River Nation Drum group were there singing and drumming sacred songs and music.
Pit River Drummers
As the drummers drummed and sang, Lawrence Thomas danced in traditional regalia.
Pit River Drummers and Lawrence and Native American dancer Thomas
People who attended were given a beautiful Native American Day T-shirt. If they made a $5 purchase at the mini-mart they got a ticket for a $500 raffle at 3 p.m. Other prizes were drawn throughout the afternoon.
Pepsi, Sysco, Frito Lays, K&K Distributing Co., John and Sandy McCullar, the Mountain Cruisors, Burney Chamber of Commerce, Hovis Hardware, Precision Lube, Valley Hardware, and Mountain Auto Parts sponsored the event.
Evelyn Maldonada, one of the organizers said that the event was something to “bring the community together.”
Mike Avelar, Pit River Casino Manager said that they like to do things to support the community “because without the community, we would not be here.”
Pit River Country 