Storyteller, Dance Group Highlight UA’s Moundville Native American Festival

MOUNDVILLE, Ala. — The University of Alabama Museums’ Moundville Archaeological Park will host its 23rd Native American Festival from Wednesday, Oct. 10, through Saturday, Oct. 13, at the park.

Among the highlights will be performances by storyteller Gayle Ross, the great-granddaughter of John Ross, the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation during the Trail of Tears in the 1830s.

From Tahlequah, Okla., Ross is known for her enthralling style and has appeared at nearly every major storytelling and folk festival in the United States and Canada. She has written several books, made numerous recordings and is a much sought-after speaker on college campuses and at education and humanities conferences.

Throughout the festival, the Chickasaw Nation Dance Troupe will demonstrate stomp dancing for visitors. Stomp dancing is one of the oldest and most traditional type of dances used ceremonially by many of the Southeastern Native American tribes. The group was formed in 1992 to educate, preserve and restore the Chickasaw traditions, and they serve as goodwill ambassadors for the tribe.

Other performers will include flutists Billy Whitefox, Sydney Mitchell, Jimmy Yellowhorse and Charlie Mato-Toyela; the flute-guitar duo Injunuity; and singer-songwriter Michael Jacobs.

Volunteer Brian Mast, an educational assistant at the University of West Alabama’s Black Belt Museum, will portray a French Marine stationed at Fort Tombecbee during the 1800s. The remains of Fort Tombecbee are in present day Epes and have recently undergone much archaeological and historical investigation. Mast will discuss the relationship between the historic Choctaw of the 1800s and their EuroAmerican counterparts who were just beginning to settle the area.

Ranked as one of the finest and most comprehensive events of its kind, the festival presents storytelling and a variety of arts and craft demonstrations, living history enactments and musical performances. Anyone who is interested in volunteering for this year’s festival may phone the park’s education office at 205/371-8732 or email crcooper@crimson.ua.edu. Many volunteer opportunities exist for people of all ages, levels of education and physical abilities.

The festival will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Admission to the festival is $10 for adults; $8 students; free for children ages 5 and younger. Group discounts with reservations are available. For more information, or to make group reservations, phone 205/371-8732.

UA’s Moundville Archaeological Park is 13 miles south of campus off Alabama 69. Described as the Big Apple of the 14th century, Moundville was America’s largest city north of Mexico 800 years ago. This National Historic Landmark, part of UA Museums, contains 320 acres with more than 20 preserved prehistoric Indian mounds, campgrounds, picnic areas, boardwalk nature trail, theater, Riverbend Lodge and a museum of some of the finest Mississippian-era artifacts in North America.