Native American Performers Are Left Stranded in Greece

A group of 52 Native American performers from throughout Southern California, including at least four from the San Fernando Valley, have been left stranded in Athens after the promoter of an event where they were hired to perform reportedly disappeared without paying them.

“We’ve been left here holding the bag. We’re in chaos,” said Richard Angulo, president of the Thousand Oaks-based California Indian Council Foundation.

Since last week, the group had performed Native American songs and dances as part of a worldwide cultural festival called Athens Millennium 2000, sponsored by an Athenian promoting company called Soulmates Productions.

After funding suddenly collapsed, closing the festival Thursday, the Americans learned that the promoter had not fulfilled their contract, apparently failing to pay their bill for hotel and dinner accommodations, which Angulo says has run to $32,000. The group also has not been paid the $59,000 promised to it at the close of the festival, he said.

All 52 members have prepaid, nontransferable return tickets to the United States, good for Wednesday, but they do not have the thousands of dollars needed to cover airline penalties to fly home early.