Storyteller Amy Bluemel recounts the tale of why baby rattlesnakes don’t have rattles.
Through investigations of Chickasaw words and phrases and lively storytelling, Bluemel illuminated the history of the Chickasaw Nation at the 2024 Festival.
As the founder and executive director of Burning Cedar Sovereign Wellness, she works to reconnect members of the Indigenous community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to their traditional foodways.
Using the brightest shades of acrylic paint she can find, and the best on-sale paint brushes she can buy, she turns brick walls into public exhibitions of culture, color, and creativity.
The ceremony included an opening blessing, brief performances, and remarks from leadership of the Smithsonian, Department of the Interior, and National Park Service.
The singers of Kontiwennenha:Wi attempt to honor Mother Earth, preserve their traditional language, and build unity among their people and respect for their culture through their music.
Kinneen hopes everyone will fall in love with Indigenous food and enjoy eating foods from their home environment, not just their grocery store.
This year’s Festival ended rather symbolically—with a display of unity, uplifting the voices of Indigenous peoples for all to hear.
Our dedicated Folklife Festival participants and attendees did not let the thick humidity get to them today.