‘School Day’ opens Native American Festival

By Terry Lewis (1130)
terry.lewis@albanyherald.com

As of Friday, April 13, 2012
© Copyright 2013 Albany Herald

The Native American Cultural Festival will be held April 13-15 at Chehaw. The event attracts thousands of visitors and includes exhibits, demonstrators and vendors from all over the Southeast.

ALBANY, Ga. — More than 360 school children from five different Southwest Georgia counties crowded into Chehaw on Friday as the park’s annual Native American Cultural Festival weekend officially kicked off with “School Day.”

The event is oriented toward family fun and enjoyment with an ultimate goal of educating the public on Native American culture.

“We had a great crowd of kids (on Friday) and we filled all the bleachers twice with two shows,” Chehaw Park Natural Resources Manager Ben Kirkland said. “We had a good group of presenters who mingled with the kids. They (the kids) really enjoyed the dancing and when the dancers brought them out into the arena with them. Everybody seemed to really enjoy the interaction.”

Kirkland and the presenters were also happy with the weather.

“We could not have asked for better weather,” he said. “It was beautiful today and is supposed to be even better this weekend. We really need the people to come out this weekend.

There is no additional charge to attend the festival. Normal entrance fees of $8.75 for adults and $5.75 for children under 12 apply. That fee also includes zoo admission.

Chehaw and the event will be open from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. today and from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday.

CHEHAW NATIVE AMERICAN FESTIVAL

Schedule of Events

TODAY

9:30 a.m.: Sydney Mitchell — flute

10 a.m.: Arena Opens/Welcome — Nancy Basket, storyteller

10:30 a.m.: Diamond Brown — Cherokee culture

11 a.m.: Aztec dancers

11:45 a.m.: Music

noon: Grand Entry; R.C. Mowatt and the Plainsmen Dancers

2 p.m.: J.J. Kent — Lakota culture, 2009 NAMMY Award-winning flutist

2:30 p.m.: Aztec dancers

3:15 p.m.: R.C. Mowatt and the Plainsmen Dancers

4:30 p.m.: Scott Jones — Survival technologies of the Native Americans

5 p.m.: Gen. Oglethorpe and Colonial Soldier — The New Colony of Georgia

5:30 p.m.: Hudi — Electric fiddle

6 p.m.: Closing announcements; retiring of the colors

SUNDAY

9:30 a.m.: Sidney Mitchell, flute

10 a.m.: Welcome/Diamond Brown — Cherokee culture

10:30 a.m.: J.J. Kent — Lakota culture, 2009 NAMMY Award-winning flutist

11 a.m.: Hudi — Electric violin

11:45 a.m.: Aztec dancers

12:30 p.m.: Scott Jones — Survival technologies of the Native Americans

1 p.m.: Grand Entry; R.C. Mowatt and the Plainsmen Dancers

2:30 p.m.: Aztec dancers

3:15 p.m.: R.C. Mowatt and the Plainsmen Dancers

4:15 p.m.: Sydney Mitchell — flute

4:45 p.m.: Retire colors

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