Native American village to open at This Is The Place park

This Is The Place Heritage Park will dedicate its new Native American Village, representing the cultures of the indigenous peoples of Utah, on Saturday, May 23, at 11:30 a.m.

In a ritual not open to the public, the village will be blessed by a medicine man. The public dedication will include a flag ceremony with honor and victory songs, a grand entry by the participating tribes and remarks by representative of those tribes. The village will be open to the public following the dedication.

"Last season, almost 200,000 visitors to the park learned about life in the 19th century pioneer era of Utah," said Matt Dahl, the park's executive director. "With the addition of the Native American Village, thousands more visitors will now be able to experience Native American culture and history in a way they have not before."

The village is being built in cooperation with Forrest S. Cuch, director of the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, and various tribal leaders. The Navajo hogans are being constructed by Lorin Cummings, the park's finance director and a member of the Navajo tribe, who also built the hogans in the Native American display at the 2002 Winter Olympics. The historical interpreters who staff the village will be members of participating tribes.

The parks is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults and $6 for children and seniors.

For more information, go to www.thisistheplace.org or call 801-582-1847.