Thirteen years and running, it is time again for the annual American Indian Heritage Celebration at the North Carolina Museum of History. From 11 am to 4 pm this Saturday, November 22, North Carolina’s state-recognized tribes will gather at the museum and on Bicentennial Plaza and the State Capitol grounds to celebrate their heritage and culture as a part of American Indian Heritage Month. North Carolina has the largest American Indian population east of the Mississippi, and members from the eight tribes will be present: Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of Saponi, Sappony, and Waccamaw-Siouan.
Bicentennial Plaza will serve as the performance stage for traditional song and dance, most notably the colorful and spirited Call of Nations at noon. A full performance schedule is available here.
Performances from past American Indian Heritage Celebrations:
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Both inside the museum and outdoors, guests can watch demonstrations and purchase goods crafted by tribal artists working in disciplines such as pottery, jewelry, stone carving, and bead work. Displays will also be set up showing hunting and fishing tools, medicinal herbs, traditional foods and more. A full schedule of demonstrations and displays available here.
Artists, demos, and displays from past American Indian Heritage Celebrations:
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There will be a number of hands-on activities, including a scavenger hunt, arts and crafts, and traditional games. Additionally, there will be story-telling plus work shops and talks on baskets, beads, and herbal remedies. Relevant films will be screened in the museum auditorium. Vendors will have an array of food on hand, from traditional fry bread and stew to fair-like funnel cakes and fried Oreos, but unlike the fair, admission and parking are free.
The American Indian Heritage Celebration is supported by the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs; the N.C. Museum of History Associates; and the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, with funds from the United Arts campaign and the N.C. Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Photos courtesy of the North Carolina Museum of History
Video courtesy of Joel Rhodes
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