RSU Native American Heritage Festival Set for Nov. 2

Table of Native American Baskets and attendees working on art projects in background.A stomp dance, Native American storytelling, powwow drum and singing presentation, make-and-take arts and crafts, and lecture on traditional agricultural systems will be featured during the 22nd Annual Native American Heritage Festival on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Rogers State University.

The festival, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Dr. Carolyn Taylor Center on the RSU campus, 1701 W. Will Rogers Blvd. in Claremore.

The RSU Native American Heritage Festival is co-sponsored by the RSU Native American Student Association and the RSU Department of Fine Arts with support from the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Dr. Hugh Foley, RSU fine arts professor and festival organizer, said the day-long celebration increases the exposure of Native American heritage within the community.

New this year will be a presentation by Electa Hare-Redcorn of the Intertibal Agriculture Council with a lecture entitled, “Intertribal Agriculture and Revitalizing Traditional Food Systems”.

Arts and crafts classes will be offered for adults and children from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants can learn how to make corn husk dolls, beaded necklaces and bracelets, dream catchers and baskets.

Afternoon programming includes Feather Smith-Trevino presenting Cherokee storytelling at 12 p.m. and Nokose Foley (Muscogee-Creek/Seminole) leading a powwow singing presentation at 2 p.m.

Starting at 3 p.m., there will be several dance demonstrations, including a Grass Dance demonstration at 3 p.m. from Keenan Springer (Comanche/Sac and Fox), a Southern Cloth Dance demonstration at 3:15 p.m. from Erin Lookout (Osage), a Chicken Dance demonstration at 3:30 p.m. from Coleman AmericanHorse (Sioux), and a Northern Traditional Dance Demonstration from Tristen Tucker (Deleware) at 3:45 p.m.

At 4 p.m., there will be a stomp dance demonstration from David Proctor (Muscogee/Creek) and Tallahassee (Wvoyke).

A free traditional meal will be served by the RSU Native American Student Association from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The festival is funded by a grant from the Oklahoma Arts Council. Through state appropriations and grants from the National Endowment for Arts, the Oklahoma Arts Council funds more than 1,200 events annually with an estimated total attendance of more than 3.5 million. Projects funded by the Oklahoma Arts Council generally account for more than $20 million in grants and matching funds distributed throughout Oklahoma’s economy throughout the state’s rural and urban communities.

All Native American Heritage Festival events will be held in the Dr. Carolyn Taylor Center on the Claremore campus and a campus map is available online at www.rsu.edu/campusmap. For more information on the Native American Heritage Festival, call 918-343-7566 or email [email protected].