History Comes Alive at Native American Festival, Oct. 4-7 at UA’s Moundville Park

2005 Native American Music Award's "Flutist of the Year" Billy Whitefox and GrayHawk Perkins perform at the festival.
2005 Native American Music Award's "Flutist of the Year" Billy Whitefox and GrayHawk Perkins perform at the festival.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – With more than 20 prehistoric earthen mounds a backdrop, the Moundville Native American Festival, held Oct. 4-7 at The University of Alabama’s Moundville Archaeological Park, celebrates the heritage and culture of Native Americans from the Southeast.

Now celebrating its 18th year, the event is unique among the rounds of festivals held every fall across the South. This year, the Moundville Native American Festival is designated a top 100 event in North America by the American Bus Association. It is also one of Alabama’s Top 20 Tourism Events and holds several other awards.

The area now known as Moundville Archaeological Park, located 13 miles south of Tuscaloosa off state Highway 69, is believed to have been settled from 1000 A.D. to around 1450 A.D. Described by historians as “the Big Apple of the 14th century” and a National Historic Landmark, the park contains 320-acres of more than 20 preserved prehistoric Indian mounds, campgrounds, picnic areas, a boardwalk nature trail, a theater, the Riverbend Lodge, banked on the Black Warrior, and a museum of some of the finest Mississippian-era artifacts ever found in North America.

The annual Moundville Native American Festival provides an unforgettable educational experience and is a popular event for people of all ages. Visitors discover the rich culture of Native Americans whose regional descendants return to the Moundville site for an annual homecoming. The four day festival showcases living history enactments and interpreters are on hand to explain the site’s prehistoric and archaeological aspects.

“We really try to make this more than a place to buy Indian crafts and see a few demonstrations,” said Betsy Gilbert, the festival’s director. “Every year we try to add something different. We embrace the Native American culture from food, music and the arts,” she said. The festival highlights the five Southeastern Indian tribes found in Alabama – Cherokee, Choctaw, Seminole, Creek and Chickasaw. It also features many smaller tribes found throughout the Southeast.

An extensive children’s area guarantees that even the smallest visitors are educated and entertained. The Children’s Area features short lessons and hands-on activities that emphasis a single point about the life of the Southeastern Indians.

“The children really love this spot,” said Gilbert. “It is, without a doubt, one of our most popular components.”

Another crowd favorite is the Native American Stage. Throughout the four day festival, the stage showcases Native American dancers, storytellers and musicians. This year’s festival features Choctaw bluegrass music of Glen “White Cloud” Bonham and the 2005 Native American Music Award’s “Flutist of the Year” Billy Whitefox.

A member of the Choctaw Tribe from Oklahoma, Bonham grew up in a family of bluegrass musicians and began performing professionally in 1971 with talents such as Bill Grant, Delia Bell and the Kiamichi Mountain Boys. Bonham says he creates no boundaries for his fluent music writing and performance, drawing from the influences of bluegrass, rock and roll, rhythm and blues and his own Native American heritage.

Bonham has performed at major bluegrass festivals for more than 20 years and has more than 100 songs to his songwriting credit. He is also often recognized for his recurring role in the Chuck Norris television series, “Walker: Texas Ranger.”

Billy Whitefox is a Southeastern Muscogee Creek and a national champion flute maker. Whitefox makes old style river cane flutes.

Festival visitors can observe Native American artisans as they create their works of art as well as shop for unique arts and crafts. Festival goers can also play ancient games and climb Alabama’s tallest mound while at the park.

In keeping with the festival’s goal of a well rounded educational experience, the food court is not left out.

“We try to give our visitors a literal taste of what the Native Americans ate,” explained Gilbert. Native-inspired foods, such as roasted turkey legs, shuck-roasted corn, hominy and frybread will be available. Gilbert hopes to be able to include a variety of buffalo entrees as well. Of course, more contemporary fare will also be available.

School groups are welcome and group rates are available. For more information phone 205/371-2234 or 205/371-2572. See the event schedule at http://www.moundville.ua.edu/festivalschedule06.html and visit the park’s web site at www.moundville.ua.edu

Contact

Chris Bryant, Assistant Director of Media Relations, 205/348-8323, cbryant@ur.ua.edu

Source

Betsy Gilbert, 205/371-2234, bgilbert@bama.ua.edu